Fredericksburg, TX Pearl Harbor Gathering

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:26 pm

And Ryan you can add to your list one more T-6, and one flying C-47 (Bluebonnet Belle).

Young Shep · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:02 pm

Sorry I missed it! I did see the A-26 fly over Austin this afternoon as I worked on my deck. What a great turnout of Warbirds.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:41 pm

Ober, I was just kidding with the turkey remark. Just couldn't resist after taking the picture and realizing the composition. :wink:

How to arrive in style...

Hanging out with the humbler types...

NOT that I think they're less important!

And the plane I brought in...

I felt like the guy that brought the old farm truck to the car show... But it was fun anyway!

I personally felt that warbird quality wise, this was at least as good as going to Lackland back in November! I also liked the atmosphere better. No acro, but the flybys were great.

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:18 pm

Hope ya'll aren't bored, but I figure these are some of the only flying shots this time of year... Not to rub it in that TX has some great flying weather. :lol:

More P-51 and Spitfire pics...

Every pass from the various aircraft was a treat. No announcer - so it kept you on your toes. Still, I don't think I missed any of the passes.

Best formation pass (T-6s)

Dis-similar formations

Peeling off to land

Honestly, my sisters pictures are probably better than these!

More Navy's next...

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:20 pm

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:38 pm

Ok, one more big post, then I think I'll quit.

For a moment I thought we were having a World War One plane as well... but it was fake.

If my sisters do give me some of their shots, I'll try and post some of the vets pictures.

Ryan

steve dickey · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:57 pm

Hey Ryan, man I feel ashamed that when I arrived there late afternoon on Sat. and I just started gawking and snapping pics, talking to pilots I knew, seing a buddy I hadn't seen since the Mustang gathering, that I didn't even walk by your plane :oops:

. I saw you had a little table set up(selling anything?) and wanted to get over and have a gander but well you know how it goes sometimes???
Anyways Stewart went up for a photo shoot in the Corsair and me & my buddy head over to the other side of the fence where you can park right at the threshold and shoot through the fence and wait for Stew to come back, and then you left :shock:

. Well I got a couple decent shots of ya and your sis(in the back I asume) taking off. What happened, you have another commitment, and couldn't stay? Thanks for the pics and I'll probably start posting a few Monday but will prolly start a new thread so as not to over load this one. I hope to catch up with you sometime.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:56 pm

Steve,

Don't worry about it. I had fun anyway. Sales at the table weren't too bad, considering how sparse the crowd was. We had the ALS book (Box Seat Over H E L L - I still find it funny that I get edited :lol:

), an L-5 brochure (some autographed by a pilot) with a model inside and some artwork on the back that I did up for WOH, and some Doolittle Raid-related books that I brought. Also had a few display items including Fuchida's book From Pearl Harbor to Calvary - which is an autographed copy.

Holedigger's nice print barely got any attention, though I tried to tell folks about it if they seemed slightly interested. :roll:

Why did I head out early? Well, since you asked, I'll tell you. I had a strong debate with myself all week, and finally decided that God won out over country, so I went to our church meeting this morning. That's why I headed home just before 5pm. I wish there'd been some way to do both, because any other day of the week I'd have paid big bucks to participate in that flyover for a BUNCH of reasons.

Heard Glacier Girl or one of those other planes heading home during our prayer time. Couldn't help but think of a line from Chariots of Fire where Eric Liddell is asked about missing his scheduled Olympic race, the one he was best at, on Sunday - At least in the movie he says "Regrets, Aye. But NO doubts."
Honestly, I believe that was part of the reason the Japanese attacked when they did. Back in the day, our country had a different view of the Lord's Day (perhaps only as a vestigial leftover from our forefathers, but still there), and even unbelieving folks were most likely observing some form of rest on Sunday. I would've felt much better about staying and participating if there had even been a smidgen of recognition of this in what I could find out about the rest of the events. I didn't see so much as a chaplain-led remembrance or memorial service. I know it's no longer PC, but I still have to live with my conscience. We're every bit as patriotic as anyone else. At least four families from our church swelled the crowd on Saturday.
Sorry for preaching.

Ryan

soko121 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:59 am

Hey Ryan, great to meet you, thanks for the great shots and especially the C-45. We had a great time bringing her down there and the weather was beautiful for flying. Great turn out and good times. "Ober" i didnt realize till Ryan mentioned you were a Wixer, should have said hi when you stuck your head in the twin beech before we cranked. anyway maybee the next "gathering".
blue skies

Simon

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:19 am

Ryan asked about the static C-47 that is stationed at Fredericksburg, it is the sistership to the one we are restoring in Hondo. It belongs to the Hangar Hotel owner and his plan is to make it a sign-attraction-etc. for the hotel. It is really rough and is likely never to fly again. But now that the Dec. 7 is over we can get back to work on our ship.

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:36 pm

Gee, where do I begin? Ryan, there is no "H", it's just a U-11A. You could have become confused since they parked the UH-60's on the same ramp. That MUST have been the VIP ramp, given who the Blackhawks brought in, and that the older VIP transport, the U-11A, was parked there as well. I guess Ober wanted to show the new Navy/Marine DV's what they would have been taken around in "back in the day"!

DZ, Cuzin Ober had me facing the other way for two reasons. First was as you guessed, on guard for a rear attack. Also, by pointing toward the runway already, the mighty Pursuit Attack twenty three would be able to rapidly scramble to defend against any sneak attack on the "esteemed" aircraft!

I think part of the reason for a low crowd turn-out was there aren't a lot of people in Fredericksburg to begin with, and not a lot of Pearl Harbor Survivors either. I judged the flightline crowd to be good, considering. I was a little disappointed at the size of the crowd for the parade when we flew over. I hadn't planned on flying over the parade, given that the U-11 is a Vietnam era plane, and the focus was Pacific WWII, but Cuzin Ober twisted my arm. Most along the parade probably wouldn't know the difference, but hopefully could have read "Navy" on the plane.

This was really one of the best events I've been to in a long time. Relaxed enough to have fun visiting with friends, and flying just because. The formation fly-overs and passes reminded me so much of days long gone. I think all who made it to the airport were really in for a treat. Like Ryan said, no announcer, so you had to keep your eyeballs uncaged and your head on swivel, or you might miss something amazing!

The CAF P-40 sure looked good. I was talking with Bear and we both agreed that it's going to take a while to get used to her in her new (now authentic) paint after decades of the other paint scheme. But we agreed that she sure is pretty!

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:33 pm

bluehawk15 wrote:

Gee, where do I begin? Ryan, there is no "H", it's just a U-11A.

I shoulda known that!

Quote:

I think part of the reason for a low crowd turn-out was there aren't a lot of people in Fredericksburg to begin with, and not a lot of Pearl Harbor Survivors either. I judged the flightline crowd to be good, considering. I was a little disappointed at the size of the crowd for the parade when we flew over. I hadn't planned on flying over the parade, given that the U-11 is a Vietnam era plane, and the focus was Pacific WWII, but Cuzin Ober twisted my arm. Most along the parade probably wouldn't know the difference, but hopefully could have read "Navy" on the plane.

This was really one of the best events I've been to in a long time. Relaxed enough to have fun visiting with friends, and flying just because. The formation fly-overs and passes reminded me so much of days long gone. I think all who made it to the airport were really in for a treat. Like Ryan said, no announcer, so you had to keep your eyeballs uncaged and your head on swivel, or you might miss something amazing!

The CAF P-40 sure looked good. I was talking with Bear and we both agreed that it's going to take a while to get used to her in her new (now authentic) paint after decades of the other paint scheme. But we agreed that she sure is pretty!

Agreed about it being one of the best events!

Ryan

kalamazookid · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:54 pm

Whose Avenger is that?

Nathan · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:54 pm

I am glad such an event was made possible to remember Pearl Harbor. Looked like a great day.

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:50 pm

Matt,
The Avenger was flown in by Tex Edwards, son of Connie Edwards, from the Big Spring area. Tex did a beautiful job flying formation with the P-40 as well.

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Fredericksburg, TX Pearl Harbor Gathering

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