Warbird Information Exchange

You want to see one of the coolest ground start carts in the world for the A26? Ck this link out at our website. https://thormeyer.net/information.html Scroll down just a little ways. One of our genius electricians built this out of an electric truck. It will also haul the necessary tools out to the ramp in the cargo bay. It runs on 48 V or with a flick of the switch, can provide 24 V to start engines. He also built our hangar power supply to provide 24 V thru the 220 V dryer connector. Way cool. Well, yes, as a matter of fact, it does have an air conditioner as well in the cart. JOY Proud to be a Texan, Jim R PS. I forgot to mention he did it using nearly all surplus stuff including the cart!

A page or so back, I had mentioned that one of the Nimrods had completed his last combat tour in the 26 on the same night as my daughter was born. Col. Roger Graham, USAF retired, wrote a great book on his experiences of being trained as an Air Commando and telling what it was like to go out five nights or more per week from NKP into Laos looking for trouble. In the picture above, Col. Pappy Sears, USAF retired, is on the left with his wife. Roger and Pappy were a team almost from the gitgo. Roger is on the right with his wife. Note the black flight suit. The Nimrods wore black without any insignia on them, yeah, as if that was really going to fool anybody. Laos was a really odd paradox. The NVA denied they were there using the Ho Chi Minh Trail to S. Viet Nam, so they couldn't exactly complain about all their trucks getting shot up. Typical of the absurd Rules of Engagement, a truck could not be counted as destroyed unless it was seen to burn. You could blow it to smithereens with a 500 lb bomb, but that didn't count. Also, for most of the time, the strikes had to be made with 100 meters of the Trail. How long do you reckon it took the NVA to figure that out. Hear an airplane... drive off the Trail at least 100 meters. Duh! Also, couldn't hit a truck convoy if it was near a village. NVA built fake villages and pulled their trucks under the roofs. Even if they were observed driving in, couldn't shoot em. I could go on and on. It is just a miracle that the A-26's were effective as they were because they had to fight with one hand tied behind their back. The whole war was run from Washington. Sure hope Washington learned it's lesson, but then I am always an optimist. Heck, Congress can't even function internally nowadays and the Administration is in even worse shape. What was I thinking?? When it comes to war, fight to win or stay home. How hard is that? Overwhelming force, get in and get out. Oh wait, how many Brigades did the Pentagon say they would dismantle recently? Put over 80,000 soldiers out of the Army and looking for jobs. Boy, that sure will help the job market. Am I just missing something?? What are they doing with our overwhelming force? Dismantle and it invites attack. Think Pearl Harbor or the Trade Center can't happen again? Go ahead and stick your head in the sand. Oh, yes, where did I sorta get this idea? Well, Roger's book "The Nimrods" describes in detail what happens when politicians micromanage the military instead of letting them do what they were hired to do. Don't politicians ever read history books? Stepping off my soapbox now. Yours truly, Jim R

This painting, being held by Roger's daughter, adorns the cover of Roger's book. It was done by Harley Copic in collaboration with Paul Tobey who was an A26 Armorer. It shows an A26 team leaving NKP at dusk and heading east looking to rendezvous with the enemy and destiny. Having viewed it up close, this is probably the best aviation art I have ever seen. It captures the moment with such clarity and detail. Paul Tobey is indeed fortunate to own it. It must be a portal thru time to those who were actually there in those anxious days. My hat's off to the artist and Paul Tobey. Thanks! Sincerely, JimR

Way back in this thread I had mentioned a friend of our family had been with the Air Commando's at NKP, as also had been Jabo Hinub who some might remember from the shows at TICO in the 80's flying John Silbermans P-38. Now as a avid enthusiast in the Vietnam War, I have always had a interest in this outfit because of these two people.
Well this weekend I was up at our local museum where my father is a member of the board and one of his projects has been a "Wall of Hero's". Here is charlie's spot on the wall.

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

Thanks Jeff for sharing this. Wonderful thing your dad did there. Wouldn't it be swell if every air museum would honor our veterans this way. Recognize their service. Make it evident to those coming up what was given so they could be free and more importantly, so they know what to do when they are called upon to defend our freedom. As I have gotten to know these A26 guys, and the gals who had to wait it out while they were off to SEA, I have learned what it means to be an Air Commando. It typically is not a mission that runs on the 6 pm TV news. No glory, no recognition, hardly even a thanks. The Special Operations outfits are still in business today. Some of my active duty friends are in places that I wish they didn't have to be, but yet they go willingly and more importantly, get the job done in the tradition of those who have gone before them. It is a beautiful thing.. tradition and history. We have so much to learn from it. But that is why we honor our vets and try to keep their story alive with our warbirds. Nothing will be sweeter than to have the honor of flying the K over the Air Park at Hurlburt at an Air Commando Memorial Service. As Jimmy Doolittle once said, "I could never be so lucky again!" Jim R

I seem to remember a Nimrod party suit at either the SAC Museum in Nebraska or the Museum at Lowrey AFB in Colorado. It was in a glass case.

Jim, I know all to well what your saying here. Been a Associate member of the Army Transportation Association Vietnam since 1998...........attended 5 reunions in that timeframe. Shooting for #6 in 2012.
check out
http://linehaulrvn.tripod.com

Cant tell you how many time I hear "I drove a truck, nobody wants to hear about that"

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

Hope you don't have to remove the vertical, but if you do, it really is not that hard or tough to do. Four bolts hold it on.

_________________
A&P/I.A., A.A.S./Aviation Maintenance technology
Warbird salvage/recovery
One day I'll get that P-40!

uhhhhmmmmm. you remember the Harley Copic oil painting of the A26 leaving out for the mission? There is one more painting he did on the subject. It was donated for the Air Commando Association Reunion auction last October. One of our very fortunate forum members managed to win that auction. Hey, Randy, tell us the story of this painting, would you please?? Gunplumbers have all the luck! Envious in Texas, Jim R.

OK, here's the story on the other Nimrod painting that Jim posted. Walt, who I refer to, was also with me on Project Big Eagle. The two of us heaved many bombs manually into the bomb bay racks of the 26's. We've kept in touch since 1966.

When Walt and I got to the ACA Hospitality room on Friday afternoon, I believe, the painting was there with a bid sheet below it. Someone, I don't remember who, had put a bid of $25.00 on it. I put down $100. Walt was kind of taken aback, and said, "Are you really going to buy that picture?" I said that it would take a lot more than a hundred dollars to get the painting, like probably 5 or 6 hundred.
When I went back on Saturday, someone had put down $105.00. I raised it to 115. By Sunday when the auction started, it was still 115. At that point, I went down and measured the bed of my pickup to see if it would fit. I figured if I could get it back to the campground, I could haul it home in the camper.I thought that since they said it was a "silent" auction, the high bid on the paper would get it. (Still couldn't figure out why it was so low.)
When the auction came about, they took the paper, and announced, "It will take more than $115 to buy this painting. Anyone else want to bid on it?" At that point, I belive Robert Denny bid $120, and seeing him bidding on it, I didn't bid against him. (Robert Dennys father owned On-Mark Engineering and had done the modifications on the B-26K versions.) Then someone went to $125, Robert went to $130, someone behind me said $135, and at that point Robert dropped out of the bidding. I told Walt, "If he's out, I'm back in." I then bid $150, and to my complete astonishment, no on else bid on it! On the way out of the room, Jay Norton asked me if I would bring it to the banquet, and I agreed, if it wasn't raining, since I had to haul it in the bed of the truck. So, we loaded it up, went back to the campground, and got ready for the banquet, and we hauled it back down to the Soundside Club that evening. That's when I found out that there was a second painting, which is the earlier one that Jim posted here. To say the least, I'm thrilled to have it, and still baffled at the low price. But, my wife, (the brainy one of us!) theorized that hardly anyone that was there had any way to get a 3' x 4' painting home, either by air or car. Sounds plausible to me!!

_________________
Randy Ryman
Project Big Eagle
NKP Thailand 1966
http://www.coastcomp.com/av/florence/florandy.htm

Here's what happens when things go horribly wrong with a 50 cal. The pilot didn't know what happened, but he definitely knew something had happened in the nose! Changed this one out about 1am one night at NKP. The Pepsi bottle is only there for size reference.
Randy

_________________
Randy Ryman
Project Big Eagle
NKP Thailand 1966
http://www.coastcomp.com/av/florence/florandy.htm

Jeff,

I remember meeting Jabo in Florida a long time ago. I was in awe of him and man what a flight jacket with the night A-26K missions patch seen earlier in this cool thread. Jabo told great stories about some amazing flying. I learned a lot about A-26 ops in Viet Nam that I had never heard of.

I am glad you all are doing what you can to preserve the K model and all of the history about these great vets.

I crawled all over the K model a few years ago and have always had a soft spot for it thinking about Jabo's stories. I am glad she is in good hands

_________________
To donate to the PV-2D project via PayPal click here http://www.twinbeech.com/84062restoration.htm

We brought her from: to this in 3 months: Help us get her all the way back

All donations are tax deductible as the Stockton Field Aviation Museum is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Tell a friend as the Harpoon needs all the help she can get.

Thank you!

Taigh Ramey
Vintage Aircraft, Stockton, California
http://www.twinbeech.com
'KEEP ‘EM FLYING…FOR HISTORY!'

Randy... thanks for those stories about the painting and the 50 cal blowing up. What happened?? Did you drop a nickel in the slot for grins? Wouldn't be like the time somebody loaded up rockets on the inboard pylons of Joe Kittinger's airplane for a training flight just to see if he would notice on the walkaround, would it?? I don't think they invented a prop synchronizer that would handle rockets yet. The other JR.. the one without the magic hat..

Taigh, many thanks for the pics of K up in Billings and the story that goes with them. We always appreciate getting these. They are kinda like our kid's baby pictures! And I feel like I really missed something not having the chance to meet Jabo. Thanks for remembering him. Sincerely, Jim R

..........and the 50 cal blowing up. What happened?? Did you drop a nickel in the slot for grins?
===========
You're really close, but it wasn't a nickel! According to the pilot, they had just come off a straffing run, and were lined up to make another run, and when they pressed the trigger, all hell broke loose in the gun bay. After a look at things, we concluded that the following series of events took place.
After a straffing run, the nav usuallly placed the guns in the "holdback" position, which opened the breeches and allowed cooling air to enter through the barrels. (This may have been another benefit of the blast tubes, to scoop in more air)
Apparently, when the bolt was retracted, the bullet of the previous round stayed in the barrel when the cartridge was removed. Keep in mind that the "newest" ammo I ever saw during my time at NKP had a manufacture date of 1944. Anyway, when the guns were switched to the "ready" mode, another round was chambered against th bullet already in the barrel, and the force of the bolt closing pushed the round in the barrel a little farther, and also jammed the the bullet in the new round far enough back into the cartridge for the breech to lock. When the trigger was depressed, one of the bullets came through the side of the barrel, as can be seen in the picture. Don't remember if the other round was still in the barrel or not. The resulting blast blew the belt off the gun as it was coming apart, and also blew some other bullets out of their casings. As I said, this one was changed out about 1am in the morning as this aircraft had to be re-armed and go out on another mission that night. Made it interesting to get in 9 or 10 sorties in a night with only 8 (or less) planes available.
Randy

_________________
Randy Ryman
Project Big Eagle
NKP Thailand 1966
http://www.coastcomp.com/av/florence/florandy.htm