WIX Archives
Re: What Gets You into the Warbird Spirit?
Posted by larry smigla on Wed Nov 12, 2003 01:56:26 AM
In reply top Re: What Gets You into the Warbird Spirit? posted by Ryan Keough on Tue Nov 11, 2003 06:55:55 PM
:ryan, i dont think so, i remember seeing the spunkmeyer a/c at madera one year and it seemed to be a lot more polished than the one i saw today, but thats not to say that it wasnt the cookie monster flying overhead, food for thought
larry
Larry,
:
: Was that one the old Otis Spunkmeyer DC-3 that was at McCl
: ellan last year in a hangar. I saw it when we were there w
: ith the B-17 & B-24 I think.
:
: Ryan Keough
:
: : : I've sort of been in a warbird slump this year. I thi
: nk
: : i
: : : t started back in March when the Tico airshow got canc
: el
: : le
: : : d because of some bad weather moving in. That's usual
: ly
: : t
: : : he first airshow of the season for me, and I make a bi
: g
: : ev
: : : ent of it by camping out near the airport for 3 days t
: o
: : fu
: : : lly enjoy the sights and sounds of the various warbird
: s
: : fl
: : : ying in and out.
: : :
: : : Due to work, family commitments, etc. I didn't have mu
: ch
: : o
: : : pportunity to do any aviation photography over the sum
: me
: : r.
: : : Since American Aero Services is near my house, I'd s
: to
: : p
: : : by often on my way home from work to check on the prog
: re
: : ss
: : : of the Collings Foundation F4U-5NL, something I've be
: en
: : d
: : : oing ever since it's been here in New Smyrna Beach.
: : :
: : : Out of sheer luck I happened to drive past AAS one day
: o
: : n
: : : my way back to work during my lunchbreak, and saw the
: Co
: : rs
: : : air taxiing onto the tarmac. I watched Dale Snodgrass
: t
: : ak
: : : e her into the air, her 2nd flight since the re-restor
: at
: : io
: : : n. Following takeoff Dale came around for an impressi
: ve
: : l
: : : ow pass, something that will sit in my memory banks fo
: r
: : a
: : : long time. I left the field and drove back to work, m
: y
: : wa
: : : rbird spirit renewed. Hours later I hear the news tha
: t
: : a
: : : wheels up landing was made. A minor setback all in al
: l,
: : b
: : : ut still not good news. Back into the slump I fall.
: : :
: : : A catch wind of a free airshow to take place in Dayton
: a
: : Be
: : : ach. I'm excited. An airshow is just what I need I f
: ig
: : ur
: : : e. Family engagements on Saturday make me reschedule
: my
: : a
: : : irshow visit for Sunday. The weather is beautiful on
: Sa
: : tu
: : : rday. Sunday greets me with 30mph winds, rain and no
: ai
: : rs
: : : how. The slump continues.
: : :
: : : Sitting at home on Sunday afternoon, I hear the unmist
: ak
: : ea
: : : ble sound of a large radial engine. I rush outside ju
: st
: : i
: : : n time to see Michael Schloss fly directly overhead in
: h
: : is
: : : Skyraider. Ahhhhh, I love that sound. A few more pa
: ss
: : es
: : : over the house and he touches down at New Smyrna Airp
: or
: : t.
: : : There is light at the end of the tunnel.
: : :
: : : Yesterday, I decide to stop by American Aero Services
: on
: : t
: : : he way home after work. Something is different. Cars
: a
: : re
: : : parked along the street, there is a buzz of activity.
:
: : As
: : : I walk onto the field, with camera in hand, I'm greet
: ed
: : b
: : : y a familiar site. The Collings Foundation B-17 "909"
: i
: : s
: : : back in town for her annual inspection and maintenance
: .
: : T
: : : his time is different however, this time she flew in w
: it
: : h
: : : a friend. The EAA B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" sits on th
: e
: : gr
: : : ass nearby.
: : :
: : : Standing there on the grass, the sun setting to the we
: st
: : ,
: : : the sky lit up with blues, oranges and reds, flanked b
: y
: : B-
: : : 17s on either side, I'm transported back to 1944. It
: is
: : a
: : : magical moment.
: : :
: : : As I sit here and type, I hear the sounds of radial en
: gi
: : ne
: : : s overhead. I can only imagine the view those lucky p
: as
: : se
: : : ngers are enjoying as they take to the skies in a piec
: e
: : of
: : : aviation history. I'm also happy to say, the slump i
: s
: : ov
: : : er.
: : :
: : : My apologies for such a lengthy post, but it does ask
: th
: : e
: : : question... What gets you into the warbird spirit?
: :
: :
: : my spirits have been lifted to the sights and sound of a
: c
: : -47 dakota/skytrain flying overhead here in dixon califo
: rn
: : ia, 30 miles west of sacramento, a/c appeared to be sil
: ve
: : r and in early aaf markings/roundels
: : nothing sweeter than the sounds of piston engines dronin
: g
: : above you while you drive the forklift