"Many people here not only fly for real but have flown wwii planes."

[SCTusk]

Not quite a warbird, but got 20 mins at the controls of a Tiger Moth
Wurzel (dreams of being a pilot one day)

I think we can include a/c used as trainers during the period, wtg. Nice one actually, as you say it kinda covers the WW1 theme as well.

One hour in a Mustang, 300 hours in B-17 and 300 hours in B-24.

I hope you're going to tell us the story behind this one? 

[Wmaker]

Ok you asked for it hehe....this one's an 'off the shelf' shot from the RAAF archives of one of the two a/c we flew, I think the second a/c was A65-124 but that's just from memory. We flew out of RAAF Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory. I was posted there from 1977 to 1981. One of our main tasks was to patrol the northern coastline (mainly to the west of Darwin), generally we were looking for illegal incursions into Australian waters.      



Each mission would usually last three days, stopping overnight at places like Broome, Port Hedland and Kununurra, sometimes one of the big outback stations would put us up. Lots of long flights over beautiful tropical blue ocean straining your eyes for the next dot on the water. When we found one we'd drop down and make a couple of low passes with me hanging out the copilot's window snapping away with the old Nikon F1 (I was the photographer). If necessary we'd call up a Navy patrol boat to intercept. These days they have a civilian mob doing the same job with multiple a/c, back then we were it.



The above shot was one of our more memorable excursions, a PR exercise involving flying Miss Australia 1978 (Gloria Krope) and her chaperone around our usual haunts. That's me on the far right, standing next to the big Nav, we were the only two guys on the base who could leap up onto the Dak's wing root unassisted (I'd need a bloody ladder these days lol).



A shot of me hanging out the pilot's window, although I'd generally use the other side for shipping work.



Gratuitous pic of me sitting with Miss Australia 1978 in-flight...... sigh. Those were the days, flak to the left of us, flak to the right. It was a dirty job but somebody had to do it....

Btw nice one cactuskooler, that P51 ride must have been awesome. As you say the G forces are missing in-sim, I also miss the bumping and lurching from turbulence.

Ruah, I flew gliders also back in the day (started in the early '70's) and yeah nothing beats that quiet ride. Happy landings to you <S>  

Very, very very cool Tusk... 

...Especially that pic with the Miss Australia, you damn bastard! 

[pipz]

Yea forget the airplanes ...can we here more about Miss Australia ? 

[SCTusk]

Yea forget the airplanes ...can we here more about Miss Australia ? 

As I said she had a chaperone along, but this young lady was simply a joy just to be with. There was a family tragedy in her recent past, her brother (it was alleged he was encouraged by the mother) killed her father, shooting him 27 times. It transpired the father was a deviate and a bully, and had a peephole in the bathroom wall which he used to spy on his daughters in the shower. Her brother was eventually aquitted.

She had been through some bad times and not only endured them but seemed somehow enhanced by the experience, very deep and perceptive with a natural warmth of personality. She could melt you with a look. I liked her alot, as did everyone else that met her.

Probably not the response you were expecting. But yeah, she was special, even for a celebrity.

 

[JHerne]

Oh boy...I'll preface this by saying I spent nearly a decade as an air museum director, so... I was fortunate to have friends and associates with lots of aircraft I would normally not have access to (or be able to afford).

About half of my total hours were logged in a partnered 1947 L-17B Navion, a true military Navion and not a civil upgrade. My 'other' aircraft was an RV-6 that I got involved in - partner's original partner bailed half-way through the build, so I jumped in and helped finish it, flew it for a number of years before my relocation to WI and subsequent loss of my medical ended my flying career.

However...I've got at least 1-2 logged hours in PT-17, PT-22, BT-13, AT-6, UC-78, B-25, B-17, Fouga Magister, Mig-15UTI, and Yak-52.

I've backseated a couple of P-51s but never got any real stick time, and I've had the honor of running up buddy's replica Curtiss Jenny. Did some taxi tests but never got off the ground.

On the civil side - Cessna 140, 150, 172, 175, 195, Bonanza V-35b, Piper Cherokee, Cub, Super Cub, RV-6, Zlin 526, Grob G115. I got my student ticket in 1984, although I'd probably logged 300 hours prior to it being official (my first flight was at age 11, although never solo until I had my license). Got my PPL in late '86, taildragger endorsement came a month after that (although technically I didn't need it, dad made me), then added my multi-engine in 1989 and IFR (Part 61, although my dad fought me all the way, he wanted me to do 141) in 1992. I was planning on becoming a CFI until I got married and had a kid, bought a house, then all my money went away. I had intended to get my rotor license, had a couple of flights in an R-22 but that never went anywhere.

In 2005, I had an undiagnosed episode of anaphylactic shock which came real close to killing me. Unfortunately, my regular medical examiner was also my regular doctor (we belonged to the same AOPA chapter), and he ended giving me a deferral on my medical, pending the diagnosis of the anaphylaxis. This was passed on to the RFS who denied my medical, thus ending my flying career. So now I'm here...in a cartoon world. I'm still active in aviation, doing consulting to the museum world, restoration facilities, writing, etc.

J

[SCTusk]

In 2005, I had an undiagnosed episode of anaphylactic shock which came real close to killing me. Unfortunately, my regular medical examiner was also my regular doctor (we belonged to the same AOPA chapter), and he ended giving me a deferral on my medical, pending the diagnosis of the anaphylaxis. This was passed on to the RFS who denied my medical, thus ending my flying career. So now I'm here...in a cartoon world.
J

Damn JH, that's unfortunate... I'm guessing there must be lots of pilots unable to fly due medical issues, in fact I knew someone else in this predicament. We used to fly RC models together, so yes either the 'cartoon world' or modelling are preferred (and acceptable) substitutes. You have a massive amount of experience, and variety.... I'll have to go look up some of the types you mention   

[JHerne]

Yea, its a bummer, but truth be told, there's no way I could have stayed in aviation - its simply gotten too expensive. My dad had medical issues in the late 90s and had to sell his two planes, he got into collecting vintage cars instead. I got married, wife, mortgage, etc., and I left the museum, so even if the medical issues hadn't happened, chances are I wouldn't be flying anyway.

And yea, I build models (you could say that...lol), and I used to fly R/C alot (1/4 scale warbirds), but even that got too expensive.

Priorities change I guess. Now I'm worrying about college for my daughter, retirement planning, etc. I did have a great time while I was in, though.

J

[nick172]

Well I am a pilot in RL with just a little over 500 hours, I have time in 172’s, 150’s, Cherokee 140’s, a j3 cub, citabria, RV7 (I built), Quad City Challenger 2 (I built), Piper arrow, cessna 175, RV6, L19 don’t know if you wanna count that as a war bird, Stearman (that counts right?), Comanche, and am building a airdrome airplanes Sopwith Camel F1.

Skyhawk

[Ghosth]

I know Baumer has some front seat time in multi engine birds along with I think some air time in WWI birds before he ran into a medical downcheck.

[pipz]

Probably not the response you were expecting. But yeah, she was special, even for a celebrity.

To be honest it was meant in jest and I didnt expect any certain kind of answere. It is cool you have fond memories of the time. I like the pictures you posted.



Pipz

[SCTusk]

Priorities change I guess. Now I'm worrying about college for my daughter, retirement planning, etc. I did have a great time while I was in, though.

J

I'm a great believer in 'runs on the board' JH.... otherwise all those poor buggars in retirement homes and hospices would have no value, and that can't be right. Hang onto the memories, they'll keep you warm one day <S>

am building a airdrome airplanes Sopwith Camel F1.

Skyhawk

!!!!!!!  Skyhawk this is more than i ever expected to hear... you must share this experience with us (please?) Links, build progress (do you run a website with the build info?) and when you get it airborne  some video would be welcome. I viewed the vid on the Airdrome site some weeks ago, in flight views of their test pilot with a whacking big grin on his face lol. Nice choice, really looks the business. In fact I'm going to drop the link in for it myself....

http://www.airdromeairplanes.com/sopwithcamel.html

Outstanding, you might win this one (the judge is biased toward WW1, and particularly the Camel lol) <S>

[nick172]

Well, I talked to Robert (owner of airdrome airplanes) last night and my tail kit should be shipping out in 3 weeks! I’m 1 of the first 4 camel kits being built.  I will have a website and keep everyone informed about how it’s going.  On a side note my father is building an airdrome DR1, so that should be fun for the fly-ins.  We currently own a Cessna 172 together and are upgrading to a Cessna 206 in the near future and thought we both needed something fun for low and slow flying. 206, will just be to much of a gas guzzler. He has always loved the DR1’s and I’m a Camel guy so…    Now it will just be a race to see who gets theirs done first.

[Kestrel]

Never flown anything but did a bit of wing-walking (basically strapped on the top) on a Boeing Stearman earlier this year
It had a 450hp engine so a bit more power than the original.

[Dichotomy]

Well, I talked to Robert (owner of airdrome airplanes) last night and my tail kit should be shipping out in 3 weeks! I’m 1 of the first 4 camel kits being built.  I will have a website and keep everyone informed about how it’s going.  On a side note my father is building an airdrome DR1, so that should be fun for the fly-ins.  We currently own a Cessna 172 together and are upgrading to a Cessna 206 in the near future and thought we both needed something fun for low and slow flying. 206, will just be to much of a gas guzzler. He has always loved the DR1’s and I’m a Camel guy so…    Now it will just be a race to see who gets theirs done first.

that's extremely cool sir 

[FLS]

This is my dad in his Tigermoth. He sold it a few years ago.


Photo by Douglas Bullard