Warbird Information Exchange

OK so I drove out to Xenia OH for Gary Hilton to take some pictures of a supposed Lodestar, which it was not. But in my defense it's kinda hard to get a good look from the Highway going 65 mph. But I'll take the hit.

Still it was a good trip out of the house. The field is a private grass strip in the Buckeye countryside. And the folks were real nice. Especially when strangers show in the drive way and start asking look at their old planes, but they let us have the run of the place unsupervised. So we respected their generosity and didn't touch anything.

Neat place will have to go back. I don't any of the aircraft with exception of one are prior military. I beleive one of the aircraft they're currently operating with is a C-45 with a Westwind conversion (??) At one time I think they operated a C-47 as well, but I saw no sign of.

http://www.skydiveohio.com/

Anyways I'll let the pictures do the talking:




































































Shay
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Semper Fortis

N926T has got one, ugly, snotlocker

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

Well at least you didn't tell him Ercoupe was a B-25

Ryan

I used to fuel up those Methow Beechs when worked at KBFI in Seattle.

I wonder what it's doing in Ohio?

Wow, that hulk ended up a long way from central Washington

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"They can teach MONKEYS to fly better than that"

http://www.heritageflight.org
http://www.bravo369.org

I'm sorry, you must be referring to the Liberator in front the Stork.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

So, one of the old METHOW pigs (26 Trashwagon) made it as far as OH. before it came to a halt. METHOW operates now from Burlington Airport near Anacortes WA. Used to be based @ KPAE but had 'issues' with the airport management, something to do with, amongst other things, ramp fees not being paid.
They fly mail and newspapers to the San Juan Islands North and west of Anacortes, and used to fly WSJ overnight from KPAE to several places in ID and Western MT.
Another one of their worn out old horses is stuffed tail first into a Tee hanger @ Harvey Field in Snohomish WA. At least the fuselage is, don't know the whereabouts of the wings and tail and such.
They are/were the prototypical pattern for every low buck, skin of their teeth, 'can we pay you next week?' midnight mail haulers. the pilots used to love to flood the engines on the GARRETTs and get a 15 foot exhaust flame on startups, really rough on the poor old cans and tailpipes.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

926T pictured in 98'? or 99? I cant remember. But I was shocked to see this long nose beech on the wrong side of the hangars. This was taken outside of hangar "2" right next to hangar 3&4 that are occupied by the 262project.

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" excuse me stewardess I speak jive"

Neat Stuff!! So by the looks of it N926T didn't fly to Xenia.

(For those who don't know it's pronounced "ZEEN-YA")


Shay
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Semper Fortis

If it happened in the air, that flat six ..................oouch!

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Beech-E18S/1099316/M/

N665M in more airworthy times. Hopefully she will again.

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

Just thought I address your question here:



I didn't actualy speak with the owners, just the girlfriend of one of them that checked with them and said it was OK to go back there. I would have stopped and talked but it looked like they had sat down to eat lunch and I didn't wish to interrupt.

I 'll have to go back and get the full story.

As far it seemed to me, the beechs looked as though they were serving as parts sources for the C-45 that is actively flying. But I could be wrong. N926T looks very much the same as it did 10 years ago judging by 262's picture.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

What's the story on Pinocchio?

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

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

...is nothing sacred? those greedy plastic surgeons will do anything for a buck!

Sad to see her in that shape after so long.
Westwind III's were P&W PT6 powered. 26T was powered with -26A's (I had to look it up, I couldn't really remember) and were red line limited to 550 hp but really would put out over 600.
It was wrecked by a DC-3 Captain at Boeing Field one night when he did not appreciate the ship's unique T.O. handling. I think that was around early 1986.
It's an H-18S and was originally built as an executive transport and it had single fork gear struts with small tires and no cutouts in the main gear doors. They were hanging on the hangar wall at Paine Field all shiny.
Chris...