A few of my Bill and Buck Pattillo pictures
Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:43 pm
Most times when you look forward to a big event that is years in the making and is the culmination of a tremendous amount of time work, it can be a big letdown. That was not the case at Oshkosh this year. The airshow and our time with these two WWII legends far exceeded even my wildest dreams. They were AWESOME. Funny, lively, and absolute gentleman. When people speak of the Greatest Generation, I now know what they mean. It is Bill and Buck Pattillo they are referring to. These men are warriors and patriots, and it was a special honor to meet them and spend so much time in their company. 
I could write a novel about the stories they told (Bill being shot down in Sweet and Lovely, the POW marches he was led on, Buck bailing out of airplanes on fire, his engine flaming out on takeoff in a plane loaded with napalm, the formation of the Thunderbirds demonstration team, and on and on...) but I'll just get right to a few pictures.
This is the moment Buck Pattillo saw his Little Rebel for the first time in 64 years. The last time he stood next to his P-51 was in England more than a half century ago.
When he arrived at the airplane, a silence came over the crowd and everyone backed away to give him time and space. He was very quiet, and at first would touch just the wing and the drop tank. I have my back to the camera in that red shirt. I encouraged Buck to stand up next to the nose of his airplane and touch it. He did that, and when he turned back to face the crowd, the cameras and flash bulbs came alive. It was a special moment.
We gave Buck his space, and he slowly made his way around the Mustang.
"This is my airplane," he said softly. "This is just how she looked."
Buck is in the middle, I am at the left. The airplane's owner/builder/pilot is at the right.
The emotion on Buck's face is apparent.
As we worked around the airplane to the other side, I opened up the gun bay for Buck to peer inside. He placed his hands inside and touched one of the Browning .50 caliber machine guns. Once again, it was a very poignant moment.
"Now these aren't live are they?" he asked.
"No, they won't fire," I said. "We didn't want any funny business between you two brothers when we take you flying."
"Good," he responded with a hearty laugh. "Sweet and Lovely is a beautiful airplane. I'd hate to shoot it down."
The next few pictures need some set up. What we did was re-create a 65-year old photograph.
This picture, featuring the Pattillo brothers was taken in Bodney, England in 1944.
65 years later, we found the old, original pilot gear and re-staged the scene.
The crowd around the airplane as we set this up was incredible.
These guys were 20 years old flying around in England during WWII.
They had wild fun then, and they continue to have fun today:
Here is a shot of Bill Pattillo in front of his WWII mount, Sweet and Lovely:
The two Generals together:
Bill on the left with his Sweet and Lovely hat, Buck on the right with his Little Rebel hat:
After the initial rush died down, we asked Buck to sign his name to the rudder:
Two years ago, when Bill saw Sweet and Lovely for the very first time, he also signed his rudder:
587,000 people attended Oshkosh this year, but these guys seemed to be the center of attention.
It was like hanging out with rock stars.
On Saturday, the two airplanes and the brothers were featured in the "Warbirds in Review" program.
The best part of the week was Friday night.
We put each brother in the back seat of his own airplane and took them flying.
I think this flight turned the clock back 20 years in their lives. Their excitement and ear-to-ear grins were second in size only to mine.
In the full-resolution version of these pictures, you can easily read the thrill on their faces. I can't wait to see how the final posters and magazine photos turn out.
It only rained once at Oshkosh.
It rained as our airplane was being judged.
Hope you guys enjoyed a few pictures of me and the Pattillo brothers.
This was the best AirVenture ever, and one I'll never forget.
I could write a novel about the stories they told (Bill being shot down in Sweet and Lovely, the POW marches he was led on, Buck bailing out of airplanes on fire, his engine flaming out on takeoff in a plane loaded with napalm, the formation of the Thunderbirds demonstration team, and on and on...) but I'll just get right to a few pictures.
This is the moment Buck Pattillo saw his Little Rebel for the first time in 64 years. The last time he stood next to his P-51 was in England more than a half century ago.
When he arrived at the airplane, a silence came over the crowd and everyone backed away to give him time and space. He was very quiet, and at first would touch just the wing and the drop tank. I have my back to the camera in that red shirt. I encouraged Buck to stand up next to the nose of his airplane and touch it. He did that, and when he turned back to face the crowd, the cameras and flash bulbs came alive. It was a special moment.
We gave Buck his space, and he slowly made his way around the Mustang.
"This is my airplane," he said softly. "This is just how she looked."
Buck is in the middle, I am at the left. The airplane's owner/builder/pilot is at the right.
The emotion on Buck's face is apparent.
As we worked around the airplane to the other side, I opened up the gun bay for Buck to peer inside. He placed his hands inside and touched one of the Browning .50 caliber machine guns. Once again, it was a very poignant moment.
"Now these aren't live are they?" he asked.
"No, they won't fire," I said. "We didn't want any funny business between you two brothers when we take you flying."
"Good," he responded with a hearty laugh. "Sweet and Lovely is a beautiful airplane. I'd hate to shoot it down."
The next few pictures need some set up. What we did was re-create a 65-year old photograph.
This picture, featuring the Pattillo brothers was taken in Bodney, England in 1944.
65 years later, we found the old, original pilot gear and re-staged the scene.
The crowd around the airplane as we set this up was incredible.
These guys were 20 years old flying around in England during WWII.
They had wild fun then, and they continue to have fun today:
Here is a shot of Bill Pattillo in front of his WWII mount, Sweet and Lovely:
The two Generals together:
Bill on the left with his Sweet and Lovely hat, Buck on the right with his Little Rebel hat:
After the initial rush died down, we asked Buck to sign his name to the rudder:
Two years ago, when Bill saw Sweet and Lovely for the very first time, he also signed his rudder:
587,000 people attended Oshkosh this year, but these guys seemed to be the center of attention.
It was like hanging out with rock stars.
On Saturday, the two airplanes and the brothers were featured in the "Warbirds in Review" program.
The best part of the week was Friday night.
We put each brother in the back seat of his own airplane and took them flying.
I think this flight turned the clock back 20 years in their lives. Their excitement and ear-to-ear grins were second in size only to mine.
In the full-resolution version of these pictures, you can easily read the thrill on their faces. I can't wait to see how the final posters and magazine photos turn out.
It only rained once at Oshkosh.
It rained as our airplane was being judged.
Hope you guys enjoyed a few pictures of me and the Pattillo brothers.
This was the best AirVenture ever, and one I'll never forget.
Thu Aug 13, 2009 9:47 pm
Wow. That must have been quite special.
Ryan
Ryan
Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:02 pm
Outstanding photos and narration. Can anyone honestly say that doesn't bring a lump to your throat?
Mudge the lumpy
Mudge the lumpy
Thu Aug 13, 2009 10:19 pm
Simply Amazing.
I wish I could have been there. What fine gentlemen they must have been.
What an experience to be there and just feel the memories flying through the air.
Thank you for posting this story for us to enjoy and be envious about.
By the way, who organized this great happening?
Cheers,
David
I wish I could have been there. What fine gentlemen they must have been.
What an experience to be there and just feel the memories flying through the air.
Thank you for posting this story for us to enjoy and be envious about.
By the way, who organized this great happening?
Cheers,
David
Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:07 pm
That is great stuff!
Thanks for posting the pics and the story!
Thanks for posting the pics and the story!
Thu Aug 13, 2009 11:31 pm
GG
Yes, thanks for the photos and story.
Look forward to seeing "Little Rebel" in person some day!
Yes, thanks for the photos and story.
Look forward to seeing "Little Rebel" in person some day!
Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:03 pm
Thanks for the good words, guys. 
It was honor to be a part of this project, and it's honor to share a portion of the stories and photographs here.
It was honor to be a part of this project, and it's honor to share a portion of the stories and photographs here.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:10 pm
Nicely done! Thanks
Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:11 pm
I think this gets the Best Post Of The Year award.
Awesome!
Awesome!
Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:11 pm
Great job, I was there Friday when they taxied back in. Those were two happy guys. I got a couple of pics as they got out.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:40 pm
spookythecat wrote:I think this gets the Best Post Of The Year award.
Awesome!
I agree. This is what its all about. Awesome!
Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:37 pm
Nice story. Although I am not into the mushy vet-plane-reunion genre as a whole, I do have an interest in the Pattillos.
This is a shot of Bill Pattillo in his F-84E circa 1951. It was taken by a friend of mine, Richard Kamm, who was his crew chief on P-80Bs and F-84Es during the Skyblazer period. Dick also knew Buck, who flew the other wing of the Skyblazers. Some of Dick's memories of that time, including some of the exploits of Buck and Bill, can be read here:
http://www.airandspacemuseum.org/EarlyJ ... tKramm.htm
As you can tell from the above link, Dick, who was every bit the mechanic that Bill was a pilot, was always proud of his association with the Pattillos. Dick later became an Oshkosh regular and would have been thrilled to be part of the events you described. Unfortunately, he left us a few years ago. If you believe in that sort of thing, you might assume that Dick took a good look over your shoulder at your maintenance before Bill got in that P-51.
When Dick passed on, I made sure that word of his death reached Bill Pattillo, along with contact info for Dick's widow. It would have meant something to her to know that Bill recalled his old crew chief and regretted his passing. Unfortunately, Bill never saw fit to send any kind of a message.
August
This is a shot of Bill Pattillo in his F-84E circa 1951. It was taken by a friend of mine, Richard Kamm, who was his crew chief on P-80Bs and F-84Es during the Skyblazer period. Dick also knew Buck, who flew the other wing of the Skyblazers. Some of Dick's memories of that time, including some of the exploits of Buck and Bill, can be read here:
http://www.airandspacemuseum.org/EarlyJ ... tKramm.htm
As you can tell from the above link, Dick, who was every bit the mechanic that Bill was a pilot, was always proud of his association with the Pattillos. Dick later became an Oshkosh regular and would have been thrilled to be part of the events you described. Unfortunately, he left us a few years ago. If you believe in that sort of thing, you might assume that Dick took a good look over your shoulder at your maintenance before Bill got in that P-51.
When Dick passed on, I made sure that word of his death reached Bill Pattillo, along with contact info for Dick's widow. It would have meant something to her to know that Bill recalled his old crew chief and regretted his passing. Unfortunately, Bill never saw fit to send any kind of a message.
August
Sat Aug 15, 2009 10:52 am
bobbrunn wrote:spookythecat wrote:I think this gets the Best Post Of The Year award.
Awesome!
I agree. This is what its all about. Awesome!
Add my "hellyes" to those. Excellent post! Thanks GG -
Wade
???
Sat Aug 15, 2009 6:36 pm
That's really cool but don't let Al Wallace the original pilot and namee of "Little Rebel" fall by the wayside. After all it was his a/c first and he scored 3 kills in it 
Circa 1945 taken by Capt Tom Colby in "Lil Evey".
Circa 1945 taken by Capt Tom Colby in "Lil Evey".
Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:42 pm
I was wondering why the last three numbers off the serial were left off the rudder? It is in the "Real" vintage pic but left off the modern representation. Was the rudder repainted or replaced at some point, losing the three digits?