Yeah, I'm bragging here, sorry. It was a great experience, though.
Those of you who have Air Classics, Volume 37, Number 9 (the new one) can see the elder males of my family flying formation in BT-13's.
The "Heart of America" article, pages 24-32 highlights the BT-13's and the HOA Wing of the CAF here in Kansas City.
In all the formation flying photos, my father (who has posted here as "Panther") is flying #903 (Lead) from the back seat, I am flying #404 (2) from the back seat and my brother is flying #501 (3) from the front seat.
Jim Boughan owns/flies #903, Bill Howie owns/flies #404 and my brother owns/flies #501. Jim and Bill are both outstanding pilots, however they have not done much formation flying. Since we didn't get any time to practice together, they felt a bit more comfortable with my father and I handling the formation work.
What a day it was.
Some corrections to the article:
It's Jim, not Bob, Boughan that owns 903 and he was in the front seat.
Bill Howie owns 404 and was in the front seat.
Tim Mabry doesn't own an airplane (but has an absolutely cherry pre-war Packard Sedan). He was in 501's backseat because it was available and he works hard for the Wing.
The writer/photographer, Michael O'Leary is truly and outstanding guy. He's done things we all dream of doing. Extremely knowledgeable about Warbirds, great photographer, super storyteller in the bar after flying. He knows just about everyone in the Warbirds biz. Had I know what kind of access and rides you get, I might have chosen photography rather than stick and rudder work!
That's my 15 seconds... boy was it fun! Father, Brother and self recreating something that happened 60 years ago, with all the sound and fury. Gawd... I want to do it again!
