Snakes, Choppers and Voodoo. BEWARE! Lots of pictures!

[Tulio]

Of exotic snakes, Bantam cars, civilian Natives, and Black Magic:

Day off today, so I decided to go drive around the countryside West of St. Louis, MO:


First stop was the V.F.W. Post No. 5077

8500 Veterans Memorial Pkwy.
O'Fallon, MO 63366

This AH-1G Cobra is located on the VFW's second parking lot; it is across from "Ethyl's" restaurant.

AH-1G Cobra
S/n 0-15204














Then it was on to Wentzville, to see the AH-1E s/n 78-23063:

VFW Post #5327
1414 Hwy. Z
Wentzville, MO





This helicopter has been recently documented here:

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... hp?t=30861


Next stop was Hermann, MO where I saw this Jeep in USMC markings:



A Co-worker had told me that there was an interesting restaurant in Hermann, and here it is:





Wings A-Blazin'
120 E. Fourth St.
Hermann, MO 65041
(573) 486-FIRE

The restaurant is decorated with several photos of T-38s and other airplanes, as well as with Flying R/C models ,and parts from a crashed T-38. Also of note, the attitude indicator from a "Battle of Britain" He-111 [according to the sign].

















Then, heading back East, I made it to the Washington Regional Airport, Washington MO, where I saw this Bell 47:

N-24HM










Last stop was at Spirit of St. Louis airport, Chesterfield, MO to visit an old friend:

Not much has changed since I saw this Voodoo 10 years ago -other than the trees are taller- although it sports new artwork on the empennage.

F-101B s/n 58-0281





The data on the side of the airplane reads:



While the serial on the vertical surfaces is:



All in all, a great driving day!




Saludos,


Tulio

[Ztex]

That T-38 story and stuff is amazing!

Great finds!

Thanks for sharing this stuff!

[Randy Haskin]

That T-38 crash inspired a change to the flight manual and emergency procedures...all caused by pilot error.

The accident report said:

Technical analysis confirmed there was no damage to either engine from organic or inorganic objects (bird remains or canopy fragments). Both engines continued to operate normally until impact with the ground.

Yet another example of how even a highly-experienced and skilled pilot can make a simple error in the heat of the moment (did I mention "there but for the grace of God go I"?) can have disastrous results.

Fortunately both guys got out of the jet and lived to tell the story.

[Rajay]

Is it just me or am I correct in noticing that the serial numbers on the F-101 don't match? On the cockpit stencil, it says 50-281 and on the tail, it says 80281, which would indicate a serial of 58-0281 (as in 1958...), right?

Joe Baugher's military serial number database Web site returns the following:

Serial Number Criteria: 58-0281
Description Criteria:
Data last updated: Thu Feb 26 06:11:45 2009

58-0277 ... 58-0282 (EXACT MATCH)
McDonnell F-101B-105-MC Voodoo
0281 at Saint Louis Aviation Museum

Also, it is a shame that they seem to have it almost completely hidden behind a bunch of overgrown trees. Just my opinion based on the great photos.

[viking73]

Nice Tulio, thanks for sharing your day with us in photos.

[GIJOE290]

Nice photo's Thanks for sharing. Not a bad looking M38A1 there.

[bdk]

What about the Bantam? Feel free to e-mail if you wish.

[gale_dono]

Hey, that was my Cobra! Glad to see I'm not the only visitor she's had; makes me wish I'd had more time to investigate the other birds around St. Louis.

[Tulio]

Is it just me or am I correct in noticing that the serial numbers on the F-101 don't match? On the cockpit stencil, it says 50-281 and on the tail, it says 80281, which would indicate a serial of 58-0281 (as in 1958...), right?

Joe Baugher's military serial number database Web site returns the following:

Serial Number Criteria: 58-0281
Description Criteria:
Data last updated: Thu Feb 26 06:11:45 2009

58-0277 ... 58-0282 (EXACT MATCH)
McDonnell F-101B-105-MC Voodoo
0281 at Saint Louis Aviation Museum

Nope, this is why I posted both pictures and the comment regarding the serial numbers as painted differently on two locations on the same airplane.

Hey, that was my Cobra! Glad to see I'm not the only visitor she's had; makes me wish I'd had more time to investigate the other birds around St. Louis.

Yes, I followed your original post, to go to Wentzville, a place that I usually have bypaseed while driving on I-70.

There is another Cobra that I know of in St. Louis, don't remember the street name, but it is rouglhy in the area South of I-70, West of I-170, North from I-64/40 and East from Lindbergh.

Years ago I shot photos of it, and I want to go shoot it with digital camera this time.


Saludos,


Tulio