Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: PapaFox on May 25, 2010, 03:23:03 PM
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Fellow Aces High pilots, friends and foes,
Please join us in a salute to our fallen Commanding Officer Vega. He died suddenly on Monday, May 25 from a burst aorta artery. He was 65 but in otherwise good health. His wife Lauri flies with the Dickweeds as callsign DNR911 and his son and daughter have previously flown with the Dickweeds in Aces High as well.
(http://www.lanikaicomputers.com/images/vegaandlauricrop.jpg)
Vega learned to fly at a young age in Southern California. While building hours, he befriended aviation legend Jackie Cochran, and the two flew a Twin Beechcraft all over the western United States. He met Pancho Barnes and befriended test pilots Tony Levier and Fish Salmon. In the early '60s he began flying for American Airlines as a flight engineer on the DC-6 and retired about 6 years ago as an international captain on the Boeing 777. At the time of his retirement he held the regal seniority number of "2" and chose to fly the Dallas to London Heathrow route. He had more fun leading B-17 missions in Aces High than flying for the airline, though, and he retired a few years early.
(http://www.lanikaicomputers.com/images/aa777.jpg)
With Papafox, Vega cofounded the Dickweed Heavy Bomber Group more than a decade ago. Back then, we flew in Warbirds, but we migrated to Aces High during the beta stage of the new combat sim. We have at times departed the field with 30 squad members flying 3 bombers apiece, for a total of 90 bombers in the air. No squad in the virtual world has consistently flown these numbers nor exceeded our longevity as an active bomber squadron. Vega believed in departures right on time and if a squadie was late, he was left behind. We enjoyed lots of humor on squad freq but got serious when the fighters started attacking.
(http://www.lanikaicomputers.com/images/B17to500.jpg)
After retirement, Vega stated that he wouldn't "chicken dance" in front of the TSA and vowed to never fly on an airliner again. He kept his word. Whenever he and DNR911 wanted to go some place they'd jump in Vega's F33A Bonanza and head out. They've been known to fly from Pensacola, Fl., to Reno, NV, in one day and still arrive in time for dinner.
(http://www.lanikaicomputers.com/images/vegabonanza500.jpg)
The Dickweeds have attracted our fair share of celebrate pilots over the years. Air race legend Lyle Shelton, who flew his F8F Bearcat Rarebear to victory often at Reno, flew fighter cover as a Dickweed for several years. Last week, Vega amended the mission so that 90 year old Korean F-86 Ace Bones Marshall could join us as fighter cover.
Vega believed in staying fit and in staying proficient with a firearm. He advocated a unique mix of discipline and humor. The traits that he cemented into the Dickweed Heavy Bomber Group will remain there as we fly on. Please join me in saluting this fine C.O.
Salute!
Papafox
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:salute
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Salute from Rolling Thunder and I and our prayers go with him. :salute :pray
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Salute
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:salute from all the BoPs. Vega & the Dickweeds are longtime friends and we share in your mourning. :frown:
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Sorry to hear that one of our AHer's passed.
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So sad to hear this 367th flew many a mission with DBG vega was our friend. Our sympathy go's out to vega's family and his friends.
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DH367th
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Very sorry to hear, :salute
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Prayers going out to his family.
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<S> to my friend.(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/myspace_salute.jpg)
Some of vega's faverate sims planes.(http://i270.photobucket.com/albu[IMG]http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/b58form1.jpg)ms/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/GRNSF-104-3.jpg[/IMG] (http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/DW44.jpg) (http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/3a.jpg) (http://http:/[IMG]http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/thebeach200.jpg)/i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/2a.jpg[/IMG]
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:salute
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With deepest sympathy, :salute
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:salute Vega. Very sad day for AH.
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<S>
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Very sad and shocking news. I've known Vega for a long time going back to Warbirds. :salute
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:salute Vega
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So very sorry to hear this Dickweeds. Vega was a standup fella I always enjoyed flying around. Condolences to his family and you Gents and Ladies.
<S>
ReDhAwK
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:salute
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RIP -vega-
Had some nice conversations with him @ private channel in AH , I knew him since the 90's in Warbirds
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:salute This is truly a loss for the AH community.
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Thank you Papafox. I never had the honor to meet Vega, but you I think have done him a great service to illuminate, even if it is relatively but a flicker of light, on the man he was and the things he accomplished. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. We should all be so fortunate to have been half as lucky in life as him.
Godspeed, Vega.
:salute
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The Dickweeds have lost a friend, a mentor and a damn good pilot, and so suddenly, it's hard to get my head around it.
Salute Vega, fair winds and friendly skies.
Steely :salute
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<S> :salute
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(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/b58form1.jpg)
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj110/GrnEagle43DHBG/GRNSF-104-3.jpg)
some of vegas faverate planes
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Vega and his Pitts circa 1978
(http://users.tpg.com.au/steelyj//1978-Pitts-VNY.jpg)
(http://users.tpg.com.au/steelyj//1979-Pitts10.JPG)
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:salute
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:salute VEGA
A great leader, teacher and friend. He will be missed by many.
<S> Fellow Dickweeds
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Giant <S> to DWHBG, seen you guys and gals around since my start in 2002.
My deepest condolences to Vega's family, and friends. I'll be saying a prayer tonight for all. Truly a sad thing to happen, you will be missed Vega even to someone not in the air lately. <S>
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:salute From JG77. Sorry for the loss
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There Are No Words.
Only...............
SALUTE VEGA!
Chrish
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:salute had fun meeting you guys at Reno a few years back.
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:salute from someone who used to pit for ed brownings red baron He will be missed
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:salute Vega, Family and Friends
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:salute
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I was truly shocked to hear the new of the passing of our C.O. I great man indeed and he will be truly missed. Steve was a big part of the reason i've stuck with the game as long as i have.
I havent played in months due to R/L taking up most of my time..Wish i had made the time now.
<S> Skipper
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always make time for the small things.
if yall do a memorial flight let the 173rd know and we will do what ever you need to help Salute DHBG
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From the 173rd Guardian Angels...
:salute VEGA
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:salute from all the BoPs. Vega & the Dickweeds are longtime friends and we share in your mourning. :frown:
I'll second that motion and my heart and prayers are with Vega, his family, and the Dickweeds! May he fly the friendly skies forever.
All the Best...
Jay
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:salute
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Vega was a good man. I enjoyed the conversations and the missions we flew together. Vega and the squad members taught me a lot about flight simulators. I am proud and honored to have flown with him and the Dickweeds in Aces High. I remember meeting Vega and a few of the Dickweeds in 2001 when I first started playing Aces High as Bandit1. When I came back to Aces High last year, I immediately went back to the Dickweeds. Vega and the squad made me feel very welcome. I am gonna miss flying with Vega on Aces High and on the World Tours.
<S> :salute to the greatest Commanding Officer ever for Aces High. We will Miss you Vega. Your now on the greatest mission anyone could ever have from God. :salute
Bandit92 and Family
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:salute
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What a fine man. My condolences to his family on behalf of the 77th FS Gamblers.
EZRhino
CO 77th FS Gamblers
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I never knew him, but I honestly wish I had. :salute
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:salute from the I/JG53 "pik as" squad. Sorry to hear about the loss, the family has our condolences and prayers.
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>S< To him and his family, friends and Squad mates... i did not know him , i wish i also had, from What ive read and the pictures i've seen, I am sad from his passing just hearing about it and he had so many accomplishments, that is so amazing and that defines him as an amazing person, you all have been lucky to have known him... :(
with all my respect >S< ~ JB from the 173rd Guardian Angels...
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:salute Vega DHBG.
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On behalf of the Screamin Eagles.... :salute
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:salute
aka: Bison
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I know i replied earlier but for some reason it isn't showing now..
R.I.P Vega :salute
:pray sent to his friends and family.
(name added to my list)
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Dang this hurts! My heart goes out to his family, friends, and squad. I hope his family knows he has many good friends some he never met in person.
999000 <S>
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:salute on behalf of JG77 .
Blue skies mate.
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As CO of JG-3 UDET, and one that has spent many hours in the skies doing escort duty for the DHBG... We of JG-3 salute you vega<<S>>! We also send our heartfelt condolences to you DNR911 and the men and women of the DHBG. You are sorely missed Sir! Your wings still shine above us all.
TwoDogs5
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:salute my friend and CO. i will miss you sir
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I can't believe the sadness I feel having found this post. I stopped flying with DHBG almost 7 years ago, the year my dad passed away. For some reason tonight I found myself wondering about DHBG and fully expected to find Vega still leading the group. The picture posted by Papa of Vega and DNR911 together on what must have been a B-17 flight brought back so many memories. I started flying with DHBG back in the Warbirds days and believe I had received or was close to my 10 year anniversary the the squad when I had to leave. I still can't believe the hours we logged in Warbirds when we were paying by the hour. Although I loved and rarely missed squad night my favorite memories were from the early 2000s when I'd login in the middle of the night to find Vega and one or two other squad mates online. We'd spend hours fighting to control one area of the map or even one base. The game however was only part of the experience. Vega promoted such a feeling of excellence in the squad. I still have to smile when I think of the number of hours I spend practicing landing my B-25 on a CV for the annual Doolittle raid. Working with Flight Simulator to prepare for the "Wings over America" tour. (I never did get ACARs running) Vega was instrumental in making me a much better online pilot. I still kick myself for never having gone for my actual pilots license.
To all the squad: shokko, papafox, Loser111, steely07, knob, thunder, hatman, flybywire, er, doctor, ctrlv, comet, chrish, cetus, cballs, bobcaa, turbo, hatman, tapakeg, steely, behindya, everyone I missed and dnr911 - thank you all for the years of fun and friendship. Dnr911 - I remember the first night you flew with us, I remember flying your wing and I'm so sorry for your lose.
To Vega - I'm sorry I never got a chance to meet you in person and I'm so sorry the I missed this thread by almost 4 years. Thank you for making us the best bomber squadron ever to have flown in cyberspace. It was your encouragement that enabled many of us, missing major sections of our aircraft, often on fumes or gliding, to deny the enemy their victory by landing safely at home. Knowing that you will be waiting, I don't fear what is ahead of me. On that day when I head to my final debriefing I look forward to seeing your smiling face and hear you once again say "You grab a load of grunts, I'll fly cover and together we'll go kick some Rook butt." Until then set your channel 5 password to 'vega' to keep the traveling turds off our freq. Salute old friend. <S>
Salute DHBG,
Zipity
still - zipity@comcast.net
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Well said Zipity, we miss you too, am sending an email now.
Salute
Steely
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<S>
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<S> I am sorry for your loss.
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Salute Zip!
Your words speak perfectly to that which is difficult to accurately convey.
I am as always humbly honored to be a small part of this group.
Thank You for reminding us all.
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:pray
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:angel:
RIP Vega...
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Blue skies, comrade <S>
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:angel: :salute
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Rest in Peace my fellow pilot. :salute
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Condolences to the Dickweed's and Vegas family from the entire 364th CHawk's Squadron. Please let us know if there will be a memorial flight.
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Doc
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Sad news, Vega was one of the good guys. Lot of fond memories. :salute
Drex
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:salute
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From TAsPeacemakers
:salute
27th
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Is there a PO Box or something? For cards, ect?
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Please let us know if there will be a memorial flight.
Sad news,
Is there a PO Box or something? For cards, ect?
I hope it doesn't sound in appropriate, but this sad loss happened 4 years ago. This is an old thread.
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I hope it doesn't sound in appropriate, but this sad loss happened 4 years ago. This is an old thread.
I thought I was the only one to notice that. He had a memorial flight IIRC.
edit: http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,290061.0.html (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,290061.0.html)
Now I remember it well.....
SWthorn, SWchef, and myself (SWkiljoy) all participated. <<S>> Vega from the 125th Spartan Warriors!
p.s. 8 friendlies including us vulched on runway landing by trooper2 in a 152. For those with power we were all very displeased. Do what you can with this, thank you.
:salute SWkiljoy
That's the year Trooper2 came to the Dayton Gathering and we had to damned near put a leash on kiljoy to keep him from tearing Trooper2 to shreds. :eek:
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Yes, it was 4 years ago this year, the thread was revived by Zipity, one of our Pilots who had lost touch with the Dickweeds.
Apologies for the bump, but I hope you all understand why the thread was revived.
Salute
Steely
PS : A great video of the Memorial Flight was made by Bullit, you can see it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3c7d8jp_FY
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IMHO no need for an apology sir. Those that have departed before us should not be forgotten :salute
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Gods speed Vega
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I still remember the night we got the news...
I remember the memorial flight as well.
It was an honor serving under him. I'm still a Dickweed, but I can't play since my computer broke over a year ago and being homeless for a while, but I'm ready to get my 17 back in the air with that DHBG logo on it.
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I am glad this was bumped. I was in my hiatus when Vega passed and had no idea. I fondly remember him from WBs and AH. He was a great member of both and super classy. Until reading this thread just now, I had no idea of his background and his accomplished life.
:salute Vega and the DWBG
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Yes, it was 4 years ago this year, the thread was revived by Zipity, one of our Pilots who had lost touch with the Dickweeds.
Apologies for the bump, but I hope you all understand why the thread was revived.
Salute
Steely
PS : A great video of the Memorial Flight was made by Bullit, you can see it here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3c7d8jp_FY
I had never seen that video until now....
I'm not even going to bother pretending I've got something in my eye...that video made this Devil Dog cry.
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:salute :salute :salute