Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Thu Nov 27, 2014 3:14 pm
We've had Lieutenant-General André Deschamps, then current Chief of the Air Staff (ie commanding officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force) fly with us back in 2012.
We also had Rick Mercer (Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, etc) fly in one of our Harvards back in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e0jJoNFzuk
We also had Rick Mercer (Canadian comedian, television personality, political satirist, etc) fly in one of our Harvards back in 2011.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e0jJoNFzuk
Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Fri Nov 28, 2014 11:36 am
How famous do you want?
Ex- race car driver/ team owner Jim Hall owned and bent a P-51D back in the 50s. Race car driver/ team owner Briggs Cunningham co- owned a P-51 with fellow racer Sherwood Johnson. Radio reporter Hap Harper in San Francisco also had a 51 in the late 50s. Indy car driver Rex Mays raced a P-38/ F-5G to Cleveland post war.
T J
Ex- race car driver/ team owner Jim Hall owned and bent a P-51D back in the 50s. Race car driver/ team owner Briggs Cunningham co- owned a P-51 with fellow racer Sherwood Johnson. Radio reporter Hap Harper in San Francisco also had a 51 in the late 50s. Indy car driver Rex Mays raced a P-38/ F-5G to Cleveland post war.
T J
Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Sat Nov 29, 2014 10:10 am
1980’s pop star, Gary Numan, used to own and display fly, his own Harvard, G-AZSC for many years.
Grp.Cpt. Peter Townsend flew BBMF Hurricane PZ865 back in the early 1950’s in the Kings Cup Air Races. It was also flown regularly in the 1960’s by legendary Hawker test pilot Bill Bedford.
BBMF Spitfire V, AB910 was also often flown regularly in the 1950’s and early 60’s by legendary Spitfire test pilot Jeffery Quill, and he made his final flight in a Spitfire in AB910 when he flew it in 1965 to RAF Coltishall to be handed over to the BBMF.
And back in the mid-90’s, fellow Spitfire TP, Alex Henshaw flew (very impressively at age 82!) Spitfire Tr.9, MJ627.
Battle of Britain ace Air Commordore Pete Brothers flew Carolyn Grace’s Tr.9 Spitfire, ML407.
Back in 2008, Sdr.Ldr Tony Iveson, then Chairman of the Bomber Command Association, became to the oldest pilot to take the controls of BBMF’s Lancaster PA474. Tony had flown Spits with 616 Sqn during the Battle of Britain and then went onto to fly Lancs with 617 Sqn including taking part in the raid that sank the Tirpitz.
Grp.Cpt. Peter Townsend flew BBMF Hurricane PZ865 back in the early 1950’s in the Kings Cup Air Races. It was also flown regularly in the 1960’s by legendary Hawker test pilot Bill Bedford.
BBMF Spitfire V, AB910 was also often flown regularly in the 1950’s and early 60’s by legendary Spitfire test pilot Jeffery Quill, and he made his final flight in a Spitfire in AB910 when he flew it in 1965 to RAF Coltishall to be handed over to the BBMF.
And back in the mid-90’s, fellow Spitfire TP, Alex Henshaw flew (very impressively at age 82!) Spitfire Tr.9, MJ627.
Battle of Britain ace Air Commordore Pete Brothers flew Carolyn Grace’s Tr.9 Spitfire, ML407.
Back in 2008, Sdr.Ldr Tony Iveson, then Chairman of the Bomber Command Association, became to the oldest pilot to take the controls of BBMF’s Lancaster PA474. Tony had flown Spits with 616 Sqn during the Battle of Britain and then went onto to fly Lancs with 617 Sqn including taking part in the raid that sank the Tirpitz.
Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:46 pm
The Corsair currently being restored to flight by the WHF had been flown by Alan Shepard during its military history, apparently: http://librarum.org/book/46198/42
Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:56 pm
Rocker Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden has flown a couple of Buffalo Airways' working warbirds. That was a fun episode of Ice Pilots! 
Re: Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous
Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:20 am
WOW, any shots of that anywhere?mustangdriver wrote:THe B-25 in the NMUSAF was flown there by the veterans of crew #1 from the real raid.