Post by jetmex on Oct 19, 2004 6:50:47 GMT -7
While a lot of you are freezing to death, we are having airshows!!
My son, David, and I went to the 20th annual Wings airshow on Sunday. Spending as much time as I do dealing with those computerized flying condominiums, you have no idea how good it was to get back to the reasons I got into aviation in the first place.
The weather wasn't great, it was cloudy and windy (and warm!!), but it didn't stop the show from going on.
There were several warbirds there I hadn't seen yet--a beautiful P-39 Airacobra, an even more beautiful Spitfire TF MkIX (two seater), the world's only flying SB2-C Helldiver, and the usual crowd of B-25s, A-26, B-17, a bunch of Stearmans and Twin Beeches, and a pair of PT-19s. All of them flew, but I wasn't able to get shots of the Spit (AAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!) because of all the people who were constantly clustered around it. There were several interesting jets as well--a BAC Provost jet trainer, a NASA WB-57 Canberra with the extended wings, the current "Vomit Comet", a KC-135A that is due to be retired and be replaced by a C-9, and a combat veteran F-15 with three kills!
My favorite flight demos--Jimmy Franklin and the jet Waco UPF-7. He hung a jet engine between the gear and the vertical performance is INCREDIBLE!! It's a funny sight, though, to see the airplane going straight up sounding like anything BUT a Waco. It's neat, but there's something just not right about that for an old warbird nut like myself! He still puts on a hell of a show, though!
The T-6 demo flight--a formation flyby by the latest USAF T-6A Texan II (Pilatus PC-11, I think) and one of the North American originals. It was interesting to see 60 years of technology flying side by side, and I was graitfied to hear that old P&W outshouting it's newer cousin.
The C-17 demo flight--the stuff those guys do with an airplane that size is nothing short of amazing. I swear he had that thing knife edge a time or two, way down in the weeds, and the short field landings are always impressive. That and all the demos by the F-15, F-16, F-18 and A-10 make me glad the bad guys have nothing like what we've got. GO AIR FORCE!!!!
The Heritage Flight was awesome--P-51 leading, F-15 on the left wing, A-10 on the right wing, and a P-47 in the slot. They made several low passes over the crowd, and on the last, the Eagle and the Hawg did beautiful fighter breaks to their respective sides and the Mustang and Jug broke upwards.
The Thunderbirds flew as well, but I wasn't able to see them because we had to leave early to get my older son back to Baton Rouge after a weekend visit. I have a hard time watching that group any more. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Thunderbird so badly it wasn't funny. God had other plans for me though, and I still get a big lump in my throat and teary eyed when I watch them fly. I wanted to be the slot pilot--first time I saw them, they were flying F-100s and the slot's fin was always black from the lead's exhaust. That was just so cool to me, still is.
All in all, a fine show,. Next one is in Galveston next month and I hope to make it to that one as well. The Astros won yesterday also, so it was a FINE weekend!
Bell P-39 Airacobra, yes, it flew!! The first warbird fighter pass was the P-39 and a P-40.
David in front of NASA's Super Guppy, which is based here in Houston.
The Heritage Flight--P-47 lead, A-10 left wing, F-15 right wing and a P-51 in the slot. The formation was a lot tighter than it looks in the photo.
Rear cockpit of a Spitfire TF MkIX. I wasn't able to get any good shots of the airplane because of the crowds that were constantly around it. David wiggled his way through and got this shot.
F-16s of the Texas ANG line up in front of the crowd after their flight demo. The nearest ship was only about 100 feet away--David was close to the fence when he took this one. Each fighter "bowed" as they rolled up by tapping the brakes to compress the nose struts.
Nose art of the "Weightless Wonder" NASA's parabolic flight aircraft. This is the current "Vomit Comet" and the only KC-135A still flying. She's due to be retired this year due to lack of spare parts, and will be replaced by a Douglas C-9.
There are more pics on my website.
My son, David, and I went to the 20th annual Wings airshow on Sunday. Spending as much time as I do dealing with those computerized flying condominiums, you have no idea how good it was to get back to the reasons I got into aviation in the first place.
The weather wasn't great, it was cloudy and windy (and warm!!), but it didn't stop the show from going on.
There were several warbirds there I hadn't seen yet--a beautiful P-39 Airacobra, an even more beautiful Spitfire TF MkIX (two seater), the world's only flying SB2-C Helldiver, and the usual crowd of B-25s, A-26, B-17, a bunch of Stearmans and Twin Beeches, and a pair of PT-19s. All of them flew, but I wasn't able to get shots of the Spit (AAAARRRRRGGGHHH!!) because of all the people who were constantly clustered around it. There were several interesting jets as well--a BAC Provost jet trainer, a NASA WB-57 Canberra with the extended wings, the current "Vomit Comet", a KC-135A that is due to be retired and be replaced by a C-9, and a combat veteran F-15 with three kills!
My favorite flight demos--Jimmy Franklin and the jet Waco UPF-7. He hung a jet engine between the gear and the vertical performance is INCREDIBLE!! It's a funny sight, though, to see the airplane going straight up sounding like anything BUT a Waco. It's neat, but there's something just not right about that for an old warbird nut like myself! He still puts on a hell of a show, though!
The T-6 demo flight--a formation flyby by the latest USAF T-6A Texan II (Pilatus PC-11, I think) and one of the North American originals. It was interesting to see 60 years of technology flying side by side, and I was graitfied to hear that old P&W outshouting it's newer cousin.
The C-17 demo flight--the stuff those guys do with an airplane that size is nothing short of amazing. I swear he had that thing knife edge a time or two, way down in the weeds, and the short field landings are always impressive. That and all the demos by the F-15, F-16, F-18 and A-10 make me glad the bad guys have nothing like what we've got. GO AIR FORCE!!!!
The Heritage Flight was awesome--P-51 leading, F-15 on the left wing, A-10 on the right wing, and a P-47 in the slot. They made several low passes over the crowd, and on the last, the Eagle and the Hawg did beautiful fighter breaks to their respective sides and the Mustang and Jug broke upwards.
The Thunderbirds flew as well, but I wasn't able to see them because we had to leave early to get my older son back to Baton Rouge after a weekend visit. I have a hard time watching that group any more. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Thunderbird so badly it wasn't funny. God had other plans for me though, and I still get a big lump in my throat and teary eyed when I watch them fly. I wanted to be the slot pilot--first time I saw them, they were flying F-100s and the slot's fin was always black from the lead's exhaust. That was just so cool to me, still is.
All in all, a fine show,. Next one is in Galveston next month and I hope to make it to that one as well. The Astros won yesterday also, so it was a FINE weekend!
Bell P-39 Airacobra, yes, it flew!! The first warbird fighter pass was the P-39 and a P-40.
David in front of NASA's Super Guppy, which is based here in Houston.
The Heritage Flight--P-47 lead, A-10 left wing, F-15 right wing and a P-51 in the slot. The formation was a lot tighter than it looks in the photo.
Rear cockpit of a Spitfire TF MkIX. I wasn't able to get any good shots of the airplane because of the crowds that were constantly around it. David wiggled his way through and got this shot.
F-16s of the Texas ANG line up in front of the crowd after their flight demo. The nearest ship was only about 100 feet away--David was close to the fence when he took this one. Each fighter "bowed" as they rolled up by tapping the brakes to compress the nose struts.
Nose art of the "Weightless Wonder" NASA's parabolic flight aircraft. This is the current "Vomit Comet" and the only KC-135A still flying. She's due to be retired this year due to lack of spare parts, and will be replaced by a Douglas C-9.
There are more pics on my website.