PT-26 checkout complete

[Lynn Allen]

Just checked out in the WI Wing CAF PT-26 and had a blast. It's fun little airplane to fly--like a big old Piper Cub--and periodically my thoughts turned to the aviation cadets back in the day and what it must've been like for them. I'm looking forward to more landings on grass runways and sunny day flights.

Hi Driver;

My friend of many years (Gen Robert L Scott Jr.) absolutely LOVED the Peashooter.
He flew them in Panama. He used to spend hours talking about rebuilding one for himself.
The 26 surely looks like a fun bird to fly. Never had the chance myself. Best of luck and enjoy the fun!
Dudley Henriques

The Peashooter would be a interesting ride as well.......

Lynn

[Beachy]

Congrats, Paul!

[Dudley Henriques]

Just checked out in the WI Wing CAF PT-26 and had a blast. It's fun little airplane to fly--like a big old Piper Cub--and periodically my thoughts turned to the aviation cadets back in the day and what it must've been like for them. I'm looking forward to more landings on grass runways and sunny day flights.

Hi Driver;

My friend of many years (Gen Robert L Scott Jr.) absolutely LOVED the Peashooter.
He flew them in Panama. He used to spend hours talking about rebuilding one for himself.
The 26 surely looks like a fun bird to fly. Never had the chance myself. Best of luck and enjoy the fun!
Dudley Henriques

The Peashooter would be a interesting ride as well.......

Lynn

I have a few hours in the PT22 but strangely enough never had occasion to fly the PT26. The 22 could be a handful in a stiff crosswind but a heck of a fun aircraft to fly. You just had to be well ahead of it )
Scotty loved the Peashooter and raved about how much fun it was to fly .
I always figured it might handle a bit like a GeeBee.
Dudley Henriques

[Eric Presten]

I flew a PT-19 from Sonoma, California to Eustis, Florida for a customer once. A very nice airplane with smooth Fairchild controls. Not a good high and hot airplane. Never flew a P-26, but I did fly three test flights in a Gee Bee once.

[Dudley Henriques]

I flew a PT-19 from Sonoma, California to Eustis, Florida for a customer once. A very nice airplane with smooth Fairchild controls. Not a good high and hot airplane. Never flew a P-26, but I did fly three test flights in a Gee Bee once.

Having flown several big radial fighters I would have loved a shot at a GeeBee R2, but for obvious reasons just not in the cards.
The Granvilles were the Rutans of their day and their stuff was absolutely amazing.
My first impression when I saw the R2 was that they had a sense of humor, wanting each pilot climbing into the cockpit and looking out over the nose to say,
"Man, you guys have GOT to be KIDDING!!!! )
I think Delmar Benjiman has gone a ton to dispel a lot of the folklore concerning the GeeBee design. The airplane actually performs quite well in the hands of a skilled pilot..........with the emphasis on SKILL )
Bayles I think got clobbered by a gas cap and Doolittle had the plane figured out before he had taxied to the end of the runway.
Just looking at the Benjiman replica of the R2, the beast still makes me a bit nervous, which is EXACTLY the attitude you would want getting ready to fly it.
Dudley Henriques