Warbird Information Exchange

I got into this drug called aviation when I was very young, probably had no choice as to what I was going to do? Thanks dad Since I am a second generation aircraft mechanic I've been around aircraft all my life.

First ride circa 1978.







First flying plane I worked on N207UP



Another 727 I worked on Seattle Sonics plane.



First ME262 I worked on.



Second 262 Iworked on.



Third 262 I worked on.



Fourth 262 I worked on.



Another I worked on.



And now the next generation.

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" excuse me stewardess I speak jive"

I’m not from an aviation family, but my Grandfather on my Father’s side served in the Navy and my Grandfather on my Mother’s side served in the Army during WWII. I attended my first airshow in 1989 called “Hoosier Hoopla” where I saw the B-29 Fifi and A-26 Mighty Mouse. I was only 2 years old at the time so I only remember what my parents have told me over the years.

My interest in warbirds really grew in 1993 when my parents took me to see the Collings Foundation’s B-17, B-24 and AT-6. Also on display was the P-51 “Hurry Home Honey.” These four aircraft had a profound impact on my life. Starting in 1994 my local airport hosted an event called the “Military Aircraft & Vehicle Display” which brought in many vintage and current military aircraft as well as an array of ground support vehicles. Sadly this event disbanded after the 1995 show.

In 2001 the Indiana Aviation Museum opened and as I used to live a few miles south of the airport, the museum’s planes frequently buzzed overhead. I’ll never forget the F4U-5N formerly owned by the museum doing a barrel roll over my house, or the P-51 in formation with the A-37 during the warbird fly-ins. 2003 was exciting as it was the first “real” airshow held at Porter County since 1989. Sadly they didn’t get enough volunteers and the show hasn’t been held again.

In 2007 I had the opportunity to volunteer with the Collings crew at my local stop. I help with public relations (posters, press releases, etc.). Our local lead coordinator got me a seat on the B-24 on a flight from Kankakee, IL into Valparaiso, IN, as a thank you for my assistance. Also during that stop I was ballast in the B-25 on a training flight. Then this past year I had the opportunity to fly on the B-17 from Chicago.

There you have it, my entire warbird life!

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

Well, I'm not actually "into" aviation in any sort of hands-on way; I'm "mechanically disinclined", and do not have sufficient disposable cash to do any actual flying either. But I suppose what's meant is, how did each forumite become interested...

For me it was a concurrent group of circumstances, circa 1976, that did it. First, my dad went on a balsa-kit binge...mostly freeflight gliders, but he did start a couple World War I fighters as well; wanting to get the markings right he checked some books on WWI aviation out of the library, and I, who had always sketched and drawn things (cars and wildlife, mostly) became intrigued with the fighters of 1914-18, and started drawing them and building models of them. Second, and probably deciding, factor, in fall 1976 a cousin who had recently got his pilot's licence moved in with us while he took electrical engineering at the nearby university...every so often, to keep current, he'd go flying from one of the Mt.Hope FBOs, and take us with him. On one of those trips we found ourselves holding on the apron while this big boxy dark-green thing with twin fins did a thunderous runup preparatory to taking off. It was, of course, CWH's Mitchell. Bit later we noted a sign on Hangar 4 saying "CWH"; what was that? Across the ramp (you could just wander across the ramp at the Hope then!); crane up to peer through the little window in the man-door. Bright yellow Harvards, a pulled-apart Anson (though I didn't know what that was yet), and the gleaming red spinner of the Fairey Firefly, at rest in the gloom.

Here came The Bug...CHOMP! And the rest, if not exactly history, has been pretty fun...

S.

As someone else said, I believe it was genetic. My father was an Army Aviator - fixed wing and rotor - from the beginning of WWII until his retirement 35 years later. Only the last 2-2 1/2 years were spent at a "desk."

My first "warbird" ride was at 2 months - rules seemed to be different back then as that was the first of several flights with my Dad in his various military a/c. My uncle was also a civilian pilot so I had much exposure over the young years to planes. I had all the requisite models hanging by fishing line from my bedroom ceilings.....in many houses in many lands. I always knew I wanted to fly but alas Dad told me at 16 "Girls can't fly airplanes." I decided that I wanted him to pay for college so I didn't buck that sentiment too much at the time. In the midst of Vietnam War I wanted to be a Naval carrier pilot but alas I was about 10 years too early with that also. Finally after many years in the business world, I just woke up and decided to take the lessons no matter what. I was very lucky to have a IP who was a retired Army helo pilot/instructor who not only taught me flying but as an IA taught me maintenance as well. How does this lead to warbirds.....our little airport was a hotbed of CAF activity at the time and during my lessons the guys were changing an engine on a CAF B-25 and encouraged me to "help." Little did I know until later, I was only desired for my litttle hands which could get into tiny places...LOL. But the rest is history. I helped restore several CAF planes and some I got to fly.....and then I bought my own which I also "maintain" with the "adult" supervision of the same IA/IP who taught me to fly.

Kinda grew up in it... Think I was in my mid teens before I realized that not everyone had an airplane in there back yard or even cared about airplanes for that fact. Grew up around chino, got my A&P certificate so I could pay for my pilots certificate. Worked for 4 warbird operators, 1 airline, and a couple maintenance outfits. Doesn't everyone a garage full of airplane parts?!?!?

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“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”

Benjamin Franklin, American Statesman, Scientist, Philosopher

Guess for me it was getting my diaper changed in the hangar where my play pen was while my dad and uncle were restoring the N3N in the hangar at the other end of the runway. It also did not help that I lived on a 3000 ft grass airstrip. My uncle lived off the airport but at the bottom of the hill where his hangar was in the back of the house where he restored his BT-13.

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

Well, I've been nuts about warbirds since I was about 11 or so (before that it was dinosaurs, and before that trains.)

I think the first thing that kicked off my warbird addiction was when I got the big Monogram B-17 model kit for Christmas in '75. Then the following September I got my first airplane ride, in the old Island Airlines Ford Tri-Motor. A couple months later a family moved in across the street with two brothers about my age who were also into models. Then of course "Ba Ba Black Sheep" came on..and quickly became our favorite show. What finally sealed my fate was the Selfridge AFB airshow in 1977, when I saw some real heavy iron for the first time, including Texas Raiders, Diamond Lil, and Fifi (not to mention a real live Corsair!)

Unfortunately, the closest I got to actually getting "into" aviation was a few hours of dual instruction in a Piper Tomahawk in 1987..but I ran out of money before I even soloed. I volunteered as a docent over at the Air Zoo for about ten years starting in the mid '90s, but just don't have the time these days. Now I just build models, go to museums and airshows, and make a pest of myself on WIX.

Here's me "shaking hands" with TR at the Selfridge show..first time I'd ever seen a B-17 in real life. That's my friend Garry in those oh-so-70s plaid polyesther slacks. He's actually a preacher now.


SN

Pray for those pants... lol... Couldn't resist... lol...

Robbie

I think they were probably burned as part of an exorcism ritual...

SN