Warbird Information Exchange

Anyone planning on going to the Warbird Gathering at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville on October 6?

http://www.tnairmuseum.com/warbirds.htm

I'm thinking about driving the wife and kids down from Wisconsin for a long weekend in the Sevierville area and going to the show. I've been to one of the gatherings there once before and it was a really nice little show.

Zack

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Curator - EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh, WI
"Let No Story Go Untold!"
http://www.timelessvoices.org

Hey Zack,

I'll be there, it would be nice to see you again. I'm hoping for a good turnout. The last couple of gatherings have been sparce due to bad weather the day of or day before. We are in a severe drought down here now so that probably won't be an issue. I think are a couple of new additions in the hanger since you were here last.

There is a new helicopter museum in Pigeon Forge http://www.helihq.com/. I haven't been yet, though I've drivin past it at least a dozen times. They have helicopter tours flying Jet Rangers and R44s at a different location. I flew in one of the Jet Ranger's at a local airshow last week and had a blast.

Bruce

I'll be there. It's usually a pretty good little affair with lots of flying and up close access. Nothing like seeing two P-47's flying together. Hopefully they'll do that again.

Dave G

Sorry, I didn't run into you guys. It was a great day, if a little warm (close to 90 in Oct). Deuce's were wild. It seemed there were two of everything. Obviously, the matched pair of Thunderbolts (Wicked Wabbit, Hun Hunter XVI) based at the museum were there.

There was also a matched set of L-39C Albatros. These also did some formation flying. The great thing about fly-in's at the museum is how close you are to the action. When the L-39's cranked up people were plugging their ears.

Continuing the theme were two AT-6's. One was done up in markings for the 78th Fighter Group ("Paradise") with D-Day Stripes.

All of the above flew as well as the museum's Beech 18 and TBM-3E Avenger. One lucky passenger earned his ride on the later by handcranking the wings down.

BK

yeah, there needs to be a secret WIX handshake so we can identify ourselves to each other, or maybe we could wiggle our fingers under our chins like Alfalfa did with the Little Rascals and their "He Man Woman Haters Club"...something like that.

The L-39's were impressive; pretty tight formation stuff. How 'bout that L-19 and his low-level buzzing of the runway and taxiway? I heard one of the aircraft marshals say "he's obviously not from here...he wouldn't do that if this were his field."

I think my favorite thing was when Neal Melton took Frank "Lucky" Luckman up in his T-28. Luckman was a T-bolt pilot and is a good friend to the TN Museum of Aviation (see here for his history: http://www.p47pilots.com/P47-Pilots.cfm ... %20Luckman), and he clearly had a blast up there. I spoke to him very briefly after his flight and he said that Neal gave him a little stick time, and he laughed that he "hadn't forgotten everything." It was very cool.

No Mustangs this year but it was still great to be so up close to the action. The museum itself is first-rate (wanna see Doolittle's MOH?) and a growing collection of a/c engines is very impressive. I wish he'd find one for the MiG-21 though...

no sign of the Skyraider yet either, of course.

Dave G

How could I forget about the L-19? One of the guys said "that's why we want you all to stay on the tarmac."

Mr. Luckman gave a talk at the spring fly-in and I got to chat with him afterwards. He loves his P-47's no doubt.

It shouldn't be too long for the Skyriader. I'm hoping by next spring. It's a combat vet. I found some pre-restoration photos of her:

http://skyraider.org/skyassn/skywarb.htm
http://skyraider.org/skyassn/skywarb/139665/139665.htm

By the way, what's with all the construction at the airport? I forgot to ask about it.

BK