Contact Details for Mr Michael O'Leary - Air Classic

Digger · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:56 am

Hi all

I'm trying to get the contact details for Michael O'Leary who has written for the Air Classics magazine. If anyone knows of him or his whereabouts I would appreciate being dropped a message etc.

its regarding Bell P-39 Airacobra research.

thanks

Digger

RickH · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:31 am

Good luck.

Vital Spark · **Joined:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 10:00 pm **Posts:** 89

http://www.challengeweb.com/
He has been with them for six million years.

K5DH · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:53 am

I was introduced to Michael O'Leary many lifetimes ago at Breckenridge by the late Gordon Hargis, who was one of the owner/pilots of P-51D "Straw Boss II" and one of the pilots of AHM's Super Connie, "Star of America". O'Leary greeted Gordon with a hearty handshake and a big smile, and brushed me off like the nobody that I am. :roll:

He has published a few of my photos in Air Classics over the years, however. . .

Cheers!

RickH · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:07 am

Take heart Dean, there's more of us nobodys than there are somebodys ! :lol:

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:19 am

Quote:

and brushed me off like the nobody that I am.

you're still in the minor leagues. Scott and I are in the majors :shock:

corsair166b · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:32 am

Yeah, unfortunately, in my experience, having sent things in to the magazine, O'Leary tends to use the material with no credit to the source it came from....and some material never gets returned. So be wary. But I have met him a number of times at different shows and he seemed decent enough. Class of the show tho goes to Phil Makanna, who called me a partner in crime in aviation photography at the Corsair show in 2003 and offered me and my brother free calendars for the new year out of the trunk of his car....Great guy.

Mark

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:17 am

Michael O'Leary....Haven't though much of that character since 1975....

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:35 am

Time for some beach blanket bingo
:shock:

HELLDIVERS · **Joined:** Sun Nov 07, 2004 3:38 pm **Posts:** 642

Take that tough guy :roll:

P51Mstg · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:36 am **Posts:** 1202

Hey Digger:

Not only are these guys telling the truth, but they are being VERY kind to Mr. O'Leary today.

I wouldn't plan on any close heart to heart conversations with him.

Mark H

Tulio · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 1:05 am **Posts:** 3236

Good luck!

I am still waiting for an answer to a letter that I wrote to him back in 1985.

Comments e-mailed about some articles published by his magazines (with historical inaccurate facts) go unanswered, too.

I imagine that if I owed a B-25, or a P-51 and he wanted to shoot photos or write an article, then I would be the one not answering HIS e-mails and letters : )

Tulio

Neal Nurmi · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:05 pm

Digger -- I'm afraid Mother O'Leary is not real popular around here, or anywhere else except among actual Warbird pilots and owners who want their picture in a magazine.

Back in the 80s he used about 20 of my photos in articles in two of his magazines, and not only did I not get paid, but I even had to buy extra copies out of my own pocket to send to my Mom to prove that I actually was making something of my life after all! Never got my originals back, either.

He also makes a practice of buying up other Aviation and Warbird magazines so he can close them up and eliminate any competition for Air Comics. All the way from "Air Progress" years ago to "Wings" and "Air Power" more recently.

I hope he can help you, but be VERY careful in your dealings with this guy, and don't send him ANYTHING that cannot be easily replaced if it doesn't come back.

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:34 pm

Yeah, What Neal said..... I had two photographs (color) of N96GC which were taken only months before she was crashed and burned, and despite a written promise to return my photos, well......Challenge still has them, and I don't. As such I haven't bought a Challenge Publication since 1976 or so. Wouldn't pi s s on him if he was on fire.

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:34 pm

So what do you guys really think of O'great one?

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