Warbird Information Exchange

At an Airsho in the late 80's-early 90's, Lefty had started both engines on his 38 while parked in the overflow area along the closed Runway 31. Airsho was over and no marshalers or anybody else was around. I came walking up in my CAF costume and noticed the nosewheel was chocked. I assumed he was just running the engines for whatever reason so I just stayed back and watched. But then the power came up and the airplane rolled an inch or so against the chock before he brought the power back to idle. I was the only person around so I waved my arms to try to get his attention but he didn't react or look my way. He tried to move it a couple of times again with the same result before he looked at me with a non-smile on his face. I pointed at the nose gear and with a questioning look, gave the chocks out hand signal. He nodded his head and I walked up and pulled the chocks and got out of the way. Power came up and away he went without another look my way (or a wave of thanks, either). Maybe it wasn't the first time (or last) this happened to him.
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It's what you learn after you think you know it all, that counts.



Heck, I've done that, and I'm not even Lefty Gardner! :cry:

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Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

That's the way I will always remember both Lefty and the airplane.

I'll certainly also remember him like that, as well as like this:

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Neal Nurmi

---Wingman Photo---

Yeah, wait until you marshal Ober out or let me marshal you in...

Lynn

Lefty indeed sounds like a gentleman. I am sorry I never had the chance to meet him, or to see White Lightnin' in person. I have kept an eye on Lefty and his 38 since I was a little boy. Being as that there was a time when his was about the only P-38 flying, I would always scour over the warbird magazines for any pictures or mention of either Lefty or WL. I was disappointed to learn of the 2001 accident, and quite pleased to learn she would take to the air once again. I am glad that the Red Bull restoration team has decided to keep the markings to a bare minimum; I only hope it remains that way.

PeterA, that is a terrific photo.

I think it was the week before Airsho 81. Myself & a buddy (Rick Ebert) had taken off from work & went to Harlingen to help with aircraft maintenance. We worked on a number of things but the one I will never forget----------------Lefty had dinged a wingtip at Reno. Looked like he had caught a fence post just outboard of the wingtip attach point. (any further inboard would have been a different story with a real bad ending) They had took some styrofoam, stuck it in the dent, contoured it best they could, taped it up with gray tape, & he had flown "White Lightening" to Harlingen. Lefty came up with a wingtip, & my buddy & I volunteered to change it. We got the tip changed & Lefty was telling us he had a rigging problem with the nose gear door, it was not closing all the way. As I remember, he said the drag was costing him some speed so that is why he was flying a lower tighter course at Reno. We decided to take a shot at getting it rigged right, so we secured the mains down & locked with shutoff valves, weighted the tail to get the nose up & starting swinging the nose gear. We adjusted on the rigging & I thought it was getting pretty close, but Lefty said to heck with it, he would fly it back to his place & get his mechanic to rig it. Well the airplane showed back up a few days later with different nose gear doors, seems they were trying to get it rigged better, got the gear out of sequence with the doors & well someting closed up while something was still down.
This was along time ago, & my memory is not as good as it used to be, but thats what happened as I remember. And what happened to the damaged wingtip??? I still have it.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!