This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:05 pm

Hot and Hazy 90+ at Reading on Friday.
These aircraft were there when I left around 3pm.

P-40, YAK, Fighter Factory PBY, B-17 Yankee Lady,
B-25 Briefing Time, B-25 Panchito, C-54, L-Birds, T-6s, PTs.

Lots of re-enactors. If they have a battle this year, the Allies may be out gunned.

Bill


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Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:27 pm

Hello Again Friday Night,

Thanks for the compliments on the P-61, I'll pass them along to the rest of the guys...

Weather today was very hot and humid, we did have one cell seem to circle the airport around 5-ish but never dropped rain. Later we did get some some light rain, I'll leave it at that before I jinx it...

Today's arrivals included the PBY, Panchito, C-54, 2 T-6's, Sean Carrol brought a Yak, Bob and Chris Barinaskis brought their P-40 and P-51, Tom Duffy's TBM and P-47, Yankee's C-47, a few more L-birds and a couple of Stearmans. I'll apologize in advance for any mispelled names,

The Russell group's BF-109 and Hurricane made it to somewhere in PA (I can't remember where) before letting down due to weather. They are due in bright and early Saturday morning.

James D --- The radome is fiberglass, this one is not original to our airplane. What was left of ours was either unsalvage-able, or carried off by the natives to be used as who knows what. Ours came from some aquaintance of Pap's (Gene Strine) in a story I'm too tired to type. Some of the parts located by the museum over the years have just as interesting pasts as the airplane itself.... I'm sure that's common in this business. A lot of work went into our radome to make it an airworthy/presentable part, all of it I had nothing to do with...

Dan Newcomb --- Thanks on the hangar floor, its a huge task. Aside from carrying a rag to clean up errant spots, we have lots of big heavy drip pans and a volunteer who comes in every Monday to clean them. I'll be sure to pass along your good word.

Mudge --- Hope you make it out and the weather's good!

Alright, I'll post again tomorrow if I'm not dead tired. Sorry for the lack of pictures, I had the camera in my pocket but was far too buy to use it. I'll try for some tomorrow. I never know what people want to see anyway... That tank is pretty bada$$, I heard it was the tank that got sticky bombed in Saving Private Ryan. ***Disclaimer- strictly an un-confirmed rumor***

T.J.

Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:56 am

Here are a handful of pics taken on Friday afternoon...

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Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:14 am

I may have missed it somewhere along the lines, but is the P-61 being restored to airworthy condition? From the amazing work done so far I assume it is. Regardless, it's looking great!

Keep up the good work.

Cheers,

David

Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:25 am

daveymac82c wrote:I may have missed it somewhere along the lines, but is the P-61 being restored to airworthy condition?
David


Check out this link...

http://www.maam.org/p61.html

Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:16 am

That is a great website, thank you for the link! Excellent pictures and coverage of the recovery and restoration. I'm glad to hear that it will be taking to the air again.

Cheers,

David

Sat Jul 07, 2007 9:00 pm

Hey David, thanks for the kind words about the Widow's Web. I'm the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum webmaster, and it just so happens I'm writing from the hotel room after the first day of 'Thunder Over Michigan'. Along with TJ, I got to ride 'Briefing Time' out here to the YAF's big show, joining 14 other Mitchells for the all-time biggest postwar gathering of the type in the U.S.. (no, Catch 22 doesn't count - it was filmed overseas).

Despite those six blue and gold blow-torches that make a heck of a racket in the PM, the sounds here are just unbelievable! 28 Wright 2600's in concert sing a song that has not been heard in decades and that I shall never forget. On the trip home to Reading tomorrow evening it's my turn in the Bombardier's compartment - move over, Yosarian! I can hardly wait!

If you are anywhere within reach of this place, I recommend you pull out all the stops and try to make it here tomorrow. You may never get the opportunity to see or hear such a gathering again. The squadron is scheduled to take off at 1400.

If you make it, stop by 'Briefing Time' (best-restored, loudest, and heaviest B-25 at the show!) and say hello.

Keep those P-61 Restoration Fund donations coming, and thanks again.


Bill Rambow
MAAM Webmaster
MAAM-SIM
www.maam.org

Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:51 pm

Mexico is now considered "overseas" ?

Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:24 am

Depends on your means of transport, point of origin, and flight route. ;-)

Over? Si!
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