Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Scherf on April 21, 2014, 05:34:57 AM

Title: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Scherf on April 21, 2014, 05:34:57 AM
as his Kermie-cam P-51C trip proves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z1Z-WEZZGM

(three parts, as awezum demands...)
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Rogue9Volt on April 21, 2014, 08:08:54 AM
Very cool video!
 However Kermie's SA needs work!!! He didn't check 6
One time! :old:
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: SilverZ06 on April 21, 2014, 08:26:56 AM
I posted these in another thread but Ill post them here as well since they are relevant. I am not a huge fan of the 51B/C styling, but I must admit it sure looks great in the air.
These were taken on Friday April 4th. He closed down Fantasy of Flight to the public on April 7th. I enjoyed seeing him fly the p-51 but I was bummed when I found out he flew his FM-2 the previous day as I would have much rather seen that fly.

(http://www.silveyphotos.com/img/s12/v175/p117563908-4.jpg)



Landing
(http://www.silveyphotos.com/img/s5/v129/p351345632-4.jpg)
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Puma44 on April 21, 2014, 09:56:39 AM
Why did he close it to the public?
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: SilverZ06 on April 21, 2014, 10:38:21 AM
Why did he close it to the public?

He said it was not a sustainable business model. He did state that he has greater plans for fantasy of flight in the future to expand it and make it a huge attraction. He considered the current Fantasy of Flight as the ending of act two with act three being the opening of the expanded Fantasy of Flight which he states at best would be open in 2020.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Banshee7 on April 21, 2014, 11:37:10 AM
Thanks for posting!  After watching I had to watch some more videos and this video was posted on the suggestions bar. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBVj4I3bHik


It took me about midway through the video (yes, I watched the whole thing) until I realized....THIS IS IN MY HOMETOWN!  Pretty cool  :D
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Brooke on April 21, 2014, 12:17:43 PM
Thanks for the links.  :aok
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: icepac on April 26, 2014, 10:01:53 AM
Now if he would just finish the napier sabre engine'd tempest...........
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Nath[BDP] on April 26, 2014, 10:11:34 AM
what a beauty
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: DaveBB on April 26, 2014, 11:33:46 AM
Was the plane really mirror polished in WW2?  Or did it have just a natural aluminum finish? 
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Brooke on April 26, 2014, 11:41:52 AM
Was the plane really mirror polished in WW2?  Or did it have just a natural aluminum finish? 

The Museum of Flight in Seattle has  P-51 that they claim is restored to complete WWII authenticity, including the wing finish, which is different than the fuselage finish.  The fuselage metal is very shiny, but the wing is more matte.  You can tell only a little bit in this picture the difference between the wing and fuselage finishes.

(http://www.museumofflight.org/files/imagecache/lightbox/P-51Profile_flash.jpg)
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: SilverZ06 on April 26, 2014, 11:42:35 AM
Was the plane really mirror polished in WW2?  Or did it have just a natural aluminum finish? 

It looks like it was NOT polished in the war.
(http://ghostgrey.gaetanmarie.com/articles/2012/Nine%20Myths/US,%20P-51C-10-NT,%20Ina%20the%20Macon%20Belle,%20Lt.%20Lee%20Archer,%20302%20FS,%20332%20FG.jpg)
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Brooke on April 26, 2014, 11:53:42 AM
I think that the aluminum parts were shiny if the plane was clean, but not once it started accumulating dirt.

(http://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIIFightersinFlight/images/p-51-PICT0137.jpg)
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Puma44 on April 26, 2014, 11:53:52 AM
He said it was not a sustainable business model. He did state that he has greater plans for fantasy of flight in the future to expand it and make it a huge attraction. He considered the current Fantasy of Flight as the ending of act two with act three being the opening of the expanded Fantasy of Flight which he states at best would be open in 2020.
That is sad.  What a fantastic facility!  We visited in December 2012 and could have easily spend a whole weekend drooling over his cool toy collection.  
(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/f5fd8b51d7f4c5fed3af2128c7081295_zps5de9acb2.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/d6d5973d97ba8d82c87ea1161b10fb79_zps3090b5a6.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/161ae0732cf582a015bb5c93acc7d669_zpsb1dd249b.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/09711f3a5ba9ddf562a5d967d2b14aa6_zps24a22137.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/7275ef701512eec124943756036af404_zpse61d1305.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/79f91af9946b35770ab5af81a43e086f_zpsa07e1c8e.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/b548a83a8009323bed0f124d20dada91_zps8c492b40.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/b5cd4a4c728b58cdeaba94fde257924e_zps3ecd4bab.jpg)

(http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/ac270/puma44/f3c65cc8ca9ba7b03cd5da3e1e9109af_zps713387e9.jpg)

Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: morfiend on April 26, 2014, 07:18:03 PM
 Great pix,thz for sharing Puma!




   :salute

 PS: I could spend a week in the workshop alone!!!
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Puma44 on April 26, 2014, 11:01:00 PM
Glad you enjoyed them.  When I saw the shop, it was evident these guys are in it 110% with the passion.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: phatzo on April 27, 2014, 12:06:52 AM
SHINY STUFF

Aircraft aluminum (SP for you Seppos) sheet is a laminate of sorts with shiny soft corrosion resistant alloy on the outside and a harder less corrosion resistant alloy in the middle.

 :cheers:
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: lunatic1 on April 28, 2014, 04:07:54 PM
i fly the cripes almighty skin in game.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: SilverZ06 on April 28, 2014, 08:03:38 PM
i fly the cripes almighty skin in game.

He bought that P-51 when he was only 25 years old......Must be nice.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Brooke on April 28, 2014, 08:05:40 PM
He bought that P-51 when he was only 25 years old......Must be nice.

What a piker.  I had two P-51's by age 12.  Oh, wait.  You are talking about real ones.  Never mind.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: Widewing on April 28, 2014, 08:23:31 PM
Kermit has done so much for the warbird and vintage aircraft communities, you probably could not list it all.

Brilliant in many ways. Down to earth. A genuine gentleman.

All of that cannot be disputed.

But, there's no way in hell that he's cooler than me......
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: bozon on April 29, 2014, 01:07:17 AM
Kermit has done so much for the warbird and vintage aircraft communities, you probably could not list it all.

Brilliant in many ways. Down to earth. A genuine gentleman.
Yes, but his mossie looks as if a hobo was sleeping in it.
If I had a mossie I would be sleeping WITH it.
Title: Re: Kermit Weeks is cooler than you are
Post by: TonyJoey on April 29, 2014, 01:19:58 AM
An interesting note from his website about the Wildcat.

"The Wildcat has an interesting flap system that is activated by the vacuum system. Instead of using positive pressure to operate the flap cylinder, this aircraft uses negative pressure or suction. A large tank in the rear of the aircraft stores the “negative” air pressure. At higher speeds, the negative pressure does not create enough force to overcome the air loads to lower the flaps. It will not hurt the system, as in some aircraft, to put the flaps down at high speed. They just simply won’t come down! Pilots used this to their advantage in dogfights and could select the flap handle down before engaging another aircraft. If, during the dogfight, the airplane happened to slow down below a certain speed, the flaps would creep out. This gave the Wildcat a tighter turning radius, which was a major advantage in a dogfight, as they could potentially turn inside the opponent and get on his tail."

This would be a pretty cool feature, hit flaps before a fight in the F4F and have them come out as you slow down.