Bald Eagle Aviation

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 1:46 pm

LARGEFLYER wrote:

If Rich can get the Bazookas mounted in time, the L-4 will be in the European Battle Scenario!!

The challenge has been issued!! Ha Ha!

Greg

Six pieces of Bubble Gum will be hung from the L-4.

Django · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 2:53 pm

I always enjoy the BE photos.

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 4:30 pm

Jim, thanks for the heads up on your attendence! I'll plan on Saturday then. That's the great thing about WIX!

Who is Andrew BTW? And are congratulations in order for a newly formation qual'd T-6 pilot?

Pete

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 4:58 pm

CH2Tdriver wrote:

Jim, thanks for the heads up on your attendence! I'll plan on Saturday then. That's the great thing about WIX!

Who is Andrew BTW? And are congratulations in order for a newly formation qual'd T-6 pilot?

Pete

Congratulations are in order. He has worked hard and overcame several obstacles including Sun and Swim this year.
Andrew has the silver T-6G that is based out of here. Ex-Shipley and featured previously in this thread.

51fixer · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 6:16 pm

Jim made a trip out and flew the Spit. Still looking good-

So as Michael is underneath BE cleaning he snaps off the Comm antenna.

It broke too easily he claims-

Close up inspection does show a significant area that is dark. This shows it was cracked for quite a while.

Now I'm a proud dad of a Grounder.

davidbray · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 6:25 pm

Rich, thanks for the Spit run-up run down. :shock:

Was a very interesting read.

Jim Beasley · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 6:59 pm

Rich and his #2 made short work of this concern :shock:

ZRX61 wrote:

51fixer wrote:

All aircraft are together and flyable.

NOOOOO! You can't go around saying outrageous things like that! :shock:

We can't have aircraft owners thinking this is an actual possibility. :wink:

Always leave one minor squawk on the list :lol:

Jim, ignore what Rich said. He was mistaken, probably running a fever or something

TAdan · **Posted:** Wed Jun 01, 2011 8:51 am

Rich, thanks again for the updates. Jim I am looking forward to seeing your Spitfire in Reading.

You guys had a very busy weekend between Jones Beach and Millville.

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:31 pm

Launched the Spit, both the T-6G and the SNJ along with the L-4 this am. Destination- long distance trek to Reading PA for MAAMs WWII weekend.
WIX member Trey Carroll piloted the SNJ for us.
I'll try to get some pics up later.

Rod Schneider · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:08 pm

Rich, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your posts on maintaining these wonderful machines. I love tinkering with mechanical things and have been fortunate enough to become heavily involved with keeping the Liberty Foundations P-40 and B-17 in the air. I know it takes a lot of extra time to write these posts, and your efforts are greatly appreciated! (And I can identify with the broken comm antenna---we had a kid break one on the B-17 earlier this year trying to do chin ups..........sigh.........)

TAdan · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:49 pm

Rich here are some shots of the SNJ's. Thanks for all your hard work getting all the birds out to Reading!

FYI I saw some one giving all the control surfaces on the :spit

quite a wiggle... and it wasnt Jim :roll:

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:41 pm

For those keeping count-all are flyable again.
Antenna replaced on BE.
Box of Bazooka Gum did make the trip in the L-4.
That was the only Bazookas I could get onboard.

51fixer · **Posted:** Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:02 pm

Trey received his FAST wingman card while piloting our SNJ.
Congrats to him on this achievement.

Airplanejunkie · **Posted:** Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:28 pm

Jim,

We (the Curtiss Pusher crew, kind of at the opposite end of the flying spectrum) were admiring the Spit as it flew at Reading. We were really admiring the rate of climb! How fast will that Spit climb and how does that compare to a max effort climb in the Mustang?

Thanks,

Steve the Pusher pusher

51fixer · **Posted:** Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:50 pm

Airplanejunkie wrote:

Jim,

We (the Curtiss Pusher crew, kind of at the opposite end of the flying spectrum) were admiring the Spit as it flew at Reading. We were really admiring the rate of climb! How fast will that Spit climb and how does that compare to a max effort climb in the Mustang?

Thanks,

Steve the Pusher pusher

Steve,
Hearing Jim speak of it as a different type of beast.
The more normal airfoil of the Spit compared with the laminar flow on the P-51 changes how the Spit climbs.
Having the increased horsepower is dramatic as well.
The mkXVIII vs P-51D probably isn't the best comparison with the different engines.
It would be interesting for a modern day flyoff of a D model vs mkIX as similar lightweight examples of todays Warbirds and see how they compare. They would have a similar engine setup.

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