Warbird Information Exchange

It was quite an amazing day today, to have beautiful weather and watch Doug Rozendaal bring the P-51C back home. It was a long awaited return, and interestingly it is a comfortable feeling to have the aircraft nearby once more. I couldn't help but think of Don and Gerry, and of course the entire crew who were responsible for its rebirth, as she flew a couple of overhead passes, landed, and taxied in. It was great to see the turnout at the airport, and it seemed every business at the field stopped work to watch the Mustang return.

Here are some of my captures from today's event, both of the main star, some of the participants, and other aircraft on display:

Here are some of the local T-6/SNJ/Harvard's that participated in the flyover:

And finally, some of the CAF Minnesota Wing's other lovely aircraft:

I was glad to see the PT-22 all put together - she is definitely a thing of beauty!





The B-25J "Miss Mitchell"





The BT-13 (unfortunately I never got any photos of the Wing's Harvard or L-5).





And a very nice Stearman within the next-door hangar.

Here are my shots. I didn't get to meet you today....bummer.

How wonderful to see "By Request" back home and fully operational again!

Who is the gent in period garb? Those shots look like WWII-vintage Kodachromes I've seen (one of "Herky" Green beside the prop of his 325FG 'stang comes to mind). I have a neat shot from Geneseo a few years ago showing an original Tuskegee Airman with this same C-model, taken, coincidentally, from the same behind-the-wing vantage point as one of these "re-enacted" pix. Hope to see "By Request" at Gennie again in future...kudos to everyone at Tri-State, SMW CAF, et al.

S.

Paul and John
Thanks for those pictures, good to see her back where she belongs! I love the pictures of her in flight with all the T-6s!

Looking forward to seeing BY REQUEST person in Midland again. Would be great to see her and the red-tail T-6 from San Marcus together!

Chris

Beautiful, just beautiful. Don and Gerry are smiling for sure.

Great pictures everyone! Congrats to all the crew who made this possible.

Now, who is the stunning blonde in the pictures? Is it someone's wife/girlfriend or a paid model to sit in on the event?

Seeing all of those pictures, just makes me super excited to see the new "Tuskegee Airmen" movie when it comes out.

You know, the CAF decal really doesn't look all that bad! It makes a big difference when it's placed correctly and at the correct size (smaller). Now, if all of the CAF aircraft could just do the same, it would hardly be the eyesore that it is on other aircraft.

Fantastic!

Amazing images, I specially like PT-22

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yah, to heII with the gent, who is the blonde?

Aircraft looks absolutely beautiful!!!!!

Great job boys!!!!!!!!!!!

Don would be sooo proud!

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S.

That's cool to see a Tuskeegee reenactor.

Definitely dig the blonde!!

Great photos guys. Thanks for sharing them with us!

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Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

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Beautiful airplane!

Does anyone know if the rebuilt/restored P-51C will be featured in the new "Tuskegee Airmen" movie to any extent at all?

Probably not since they have been filming for months.

_________________
.
.
Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

Hearing that plane circle over, I was choked up. I spent the first 2 hours there talking to a couple of Vets, WWII and Vietnam and since I had my Desert Storm hat on, they asked me more questions then I could ask them.

I watched her come over in formation and then circle around, as if she was shaking her tail in approval for us, teasing us saying, "Hey Boys, I'm Back!"

When she landed, she slowly taxied down the runway like a proud mother coming home to a nest that she hasn't used in a while, blowing the dust off the pavement as if performing some sort of house cleaning.

She struted around for the photographers on the end of the runway proudly.

She takied in and settled down in her nest, as if a huge sigh was let out from her saying, "I'm home"

The crowd gathered around her, not touch, or poking but just soaking in her new skin and her new paint and the visions of Tuskegee airman from the past dancing around her as if she had her first "kill"

I felt very honored to be there to see her come home. I am sure that Don and Gerry were sitting on each wing when she came back, with those big smiles of theirs and chests puffed out proudly.

I had tears in my eyes from the sights and the sounds of seeing her again.