Duchess Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 A few weeks back I was involved with a group of pilots who were hired up to provide air support for a WWII reenactment day. Good thing too since the Allies were really out numbered!
Misson Posted July 8, 2008 Posted July 8, 2008 Interesting jewelry those allied pilots wore. Did you have to make your plane look period? "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” -Oscar Wilde "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -Orville Wright
Duchess Posted July 8, 2008 Author Posted July 8, 2008 ha yes, and that helmet isn't exactly period either. But I'm all for safety and frankly no one on the ground can see the necklace. We weren't THAT low. The plane I was in (nav. /gunner on this run) is a fairly stock end of the war already. All five planes were either AT6 Texans or SNJ's, which are just the army and navy versions of the same plane.
Misson Posted July 9, 2008 Posted July 9, 2008 You got to fly a real war-era plane? Cool! For some reason I thought you were flying your plane. How did it compare to newer planes? How different were the controls from modern planes? Have you ever flown an F4U Corsair? (I love Baa Baa Black Sheep.) "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” -Oscar Wilde "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -Orville Wright
Duchess Posted July 9, 2008 Author Posted July 9, 2008 I actually got my complex/high performance rating in AT6. Really they fly just like everything else. The landing gear is a bit narrow so they can be squirrely on the ground and it is more maneuverable than common civilian only planes. Basically it is a big, heavy under powered fully aerobatic bird. And of course it sounds better than just about anything with that big round engine. I've never flown a Corsair, but if I had a list it would be on there. In the warbird community time in a T6 is what opens the doors to everything else, so I'm just building time.
Ransom Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Wow, Duchess, I'm impressed! I had no idea you were a pilot. I sent the links to my dad. He's been a pilot for over 50 yrs, and is still flying. He has flown a Corsair, which is an extreamly difficult plane to fly, due to the huge amount of engine torc. I guess that was the biggest reason they lost pilots during the war while training them. My dad flew it so well, he got a compliment from the man who owned the plane. I believe he did this in Texas, but I can't remember the airfield. It's the place they have the Confederate Air Force collection of vintage planes. I think I got that right. It's been a long time ago that he flew the plane. ...schooners, islands, and maroons and buccaneers and buried gold... You can do everything right, strictly according to procedure, on the ocean, and it'll still kill you. But if you're a good navigator, a least you'll know where you were when you died.......From The Ship Killer by Justin Scott. "Well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful."....Captain Jack Sparrow Found in the Ruins — Unique Jewelry Found in the Ruins — Personal Blog
Graydog Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 It's the place they have the Confederate Air Force collection of vintage planes. Owing to the PC thought police it's now the "Commemorative" Air Force. The organization was catching flak because of the "joke" designation of being Confederate. Instead of having a fight over stuff that was a non-issue to flying they changed the name. The prudent thing for them to do, but geeze, nobody can take a joke anymore. The organization was originally known as the "Confederate Air Force." Following a membership vote in 2001 and made effective on January 1, 2002, the organization is now known as the Commemorative Air Force. CAF Official History Page Why am I sharing my opinion? Because I am a special snowflake who has an opinion of such import that it must be shared and because people really care what I think!
Ransom Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Figures. But you know, us non-PC types can call it what we like! ...schooners, islands, and maroons and buccaneers and buried gold... You can do everything right, strictly according to procedure, on the ocean, and it'll still kill you. But if you're a good navigator, a least you'll know where you were when you died.......From The Ship Killer by Justin Scott. "Well, that's just maddeningly unhelpful."....Captain Jack Sparrow Found in the Ruins — Unique Jewelry Found in the Ruins — Personal Blog
Jacky Tar Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 Duchess, fighter pilot, pirate, belly dancer, and scientist... very impressive. Ye look like a female Steve Canyon, wit' the helmet.
Misson Posted July 10, 2008 Posted July 10, 2008 I sent the links to my dad. He's been a pilot for over 50 yrs, and is still flying. He has flown a Corsair, which is an extreamly difficult plane to fly, due to the huge amount of engine torc. I guess that was the biggest reason they lost pilots during the war while training them. Really? In some perverse way that just makes them more interesting IMO. "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” -Oscar Wilde "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -Orville Wright
Duchess Posted July 11, 2008 Author Posted July 11, 2008 I'm not sure it was about a joke. I believe at the time the CAF had just acquired a C model Mustang flown by the Tuskegee Airmen and it was a bit hard to get funding to rebuild it and develop an educational program around the Airmen and the plane while calling themselves the Confederate Air Force. The airport is Midland, TX. Tailwheel airplanes (nearly all warbirds) take much more skill and proficiency to fly than trikes (nearly all modern airplanes). That and the extra power and maneuverability are what make the difference.
Matusalem Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 QUOTE (Ransom @ Jul 10 2008, 10:17 AM) I sent the links to my dad. He's been a pilot for over 50 yrs, and is still flying. He has flown a Corsair, which is an extreamly difficult plane to fly, due to the huge amount of engine torc. I guess that was the biggest reason they lost pilots during the war while training them. Really? In some perverse way that just makes them more interesting IMO. ...and that's why we had "Pappy" Boyington. say, anyone remember the tv show Baa Baa Black Sheep?
Misson Posted July 11, 2008 Posted July 11, 2008 Yep, mentioned it one one of my posts above. Great show. The planes were cool. I have Boynton's book, but I haven't read it yet. I may save it for Key West. (Boynton actually played a character on the show in one episode.) "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.” -Oscar Wilde "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted is really true, there would be little hope of advance." -Orville Wright
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