FiFi at Thunder Over Michigan

Speedy · **Posted:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:38 pm

Brad Pilgrim wanted me to let anyone going to TOM that he will be there as Flight Engineer for FiFi...his first time back in a long time. He didn't specifically say so, but I believe he is going to be going back there as a retired C-17 Loadmaster/B-29 Flight Engineer reinactor, so be sure to comment on how accurate his costume is.

He said for any WIX'ers to stop by and say hello...or better yet, buy a ride on the -29.

Boeing666 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 4:35 am

I take it by now we aren't going to see Diamond Lil with Fifi. I heard Lil was flying again after their little mishap at CLT. They used to always travel together.

I wish I could afford a ride on Fifi... that is still on my bucket list. I offered them back in 1998 when they brought it to Selfridge Airshow $1000 for a ride and another 2 guys offered also and they turned us down. I am sure if they could find 3 of us in 2 min offering they could have found enough for a full flight - and remember gas was cheap back then, under a buck for your car. That was also back in the 1990s when everyone had a good paying job.

b29flteng · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:03 am

Lil is not flying yet.

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

Boeing666 wrote:

I take it by now we aren't going to see Diamond Lil with Fifi. I heard Lil was flying again after their little mishap at CLT. They used to always travel together.

I wish I could afford a ride on Fifi... that is still on my bucket list. I offered them back in 1998 when they brought it to Selfridge Airshow $1000 for a ride and another 2 guys offered also and they turned us down. I am sure if they could find 3 of us in 2 min offering they could have found enough for a full flight - and remember gas was cheap back then, under a buck for your car. That was also back in the 1990s when everyone had a good paying job.

They weren't allowed to sell rides back then so that is probably the reason they didn't take you up on your offer. I rode in Fifi a couple of times down in Harlingen during the late 70s and really enjoyed it. I don't recall the prices now but it seems like you can ride in the back for less than $1,000. I think the front seats are more but maybe they will let you crawl through the tunnel if you buy one of the cheaper seats.

As I understand it, Diamond Lil is still down and will be for a while.

Boeing666 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 2:55 pm

I was told by someone that Lil was flying in Kansas City the weekend that Fifi was in Cedar Rapids IA.

Even for less than $1000 I can't afford it. I can't afford any warbird ride at this time unfortunately.

pjpahs · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 3:25 pm

Flew last year at Reading Pa., nose seat 1500$,flight deck 1000$, rear 600$, can't go thru tunnel. I flew pilot observer, I think it's the best seat,watching everything going on in the cockpit and the flight engineer doing his "magic", pretty cool.You unbuckle at their command and you roam about ,but not past the drivers. Nose seat stays put, great view but you miss the "action" of flight. Just saved up for that flight for a year and didn't regret it one bit.

JDK · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:21 am

Speedy wrote:

... I believe he is going to be going back there as a retired C-17 Loadmaster/B-29 Flight Engineer reinactor, so be sure to comment on how accurate his costume is.

You bad man. :axe:

Speedy · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 9:34 am

JDK wrote:

Speedy wrote:

... I believe he is going to be going back there as a retired C-17 Loadmaster/B-29 Flight Engineer reinactor, so be sure to comment on how accurate his costume is.

You bad man. :axe:

You don't know half of it! geek

A couple weeks ago, Brad was tagged to be the 'downed pilot' during the Vietnam rescue demo at the JBLM Air Expo. In his post Uncle Sam Flying Club life, he had grown a rather impressive "circle 'stache". But when he showed up Saturday morning for the show, he only had a moustache. When I raised my eyebrow and asked he said (imagine the accent here) "Are you kidding? For as much as I dislike the reinactors, can you imagine what the people on WIX would say if I DIDN'T shave it off? Kristine is pissed because she liked it..."

Awwwww...our little boy is growing up! :drink3:

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

Speedy wrote:

JDK wrote:

Speedy wrote:

... I believe he is going to be going back there as a retired C-17 Loadmaster/B-29 Flight Engineer reinactor, so be sure to comment on how accurate his costume is.

You bad man. :axe:

You don't know half of it! geek

A couple weeks ago, Brad was tagged to be the 'downed pilot' during the Vietnam rescue demo at the JBLM Air Expo. In his post Uncle Sam Flying Club life, he had grown a rather impressive "circle 'stache". But when he showed up Saturday morning for the show, he only had a moustache. When I raised my eyebrow and asked he said (imagine the accent here) "Are you kidding? For as much as I dislike the reinactors, can you imagine what the people on WIX would say if I DIDN'T shave it off? Kristine is pissed because she liked it..."

Awwwww...our little boy is growing up! :drink3:

Maybe its an inside joke or something but I don't understand what you are getting at. Is he really an engineer on fifi or is he a reenacting an engineer? If he was a B-29 engineer in the air force then he's pretty old to still be doing it.

Speedy · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 2:27 pm

bombadier29 wrote:

Maybe its an inside joke or something but I don't understand what you are getting at. Is he really an engineer on fifi or is he a reenacting an engineer? If he was a B-29 engineer in the air force then he's pretty old to still be doing it.

He is a former WIX'er...a retired Air Force C-17 Loadmaster, and a current CAF Flight Engineer on FiFi. At one point before he retired, he was actually the oldest current B-29 Flight Engineer in the Air Force.

He just doesn't like reinactors and makes no qualms about voicing it...hence my poking fun at it.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7856

JDK · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 7:30 pm

Mark Allen M wrote:

He's also one heck of a good guy who really makes a difference in the Warbird community. (WIX has several of them, and many of whom prefer not to post here anymore) And painstakingly, very painstakingly, took good care of the estate of another past WIXer. We could all wish to have such a friend who would put aside his busy life and commitments for the benefit and welfare of another. Very rare qualities these days indeed. Best of luck and success with Brad and family on his AF retirement and new endevor as that of a B-29 Flight Engineer. I know about Brad through WIX and other members and shall look forward to shaking his hand someday.

I'll second all of that, and I have a drink or two to stand Brad when we do get to meet up.

And he's much missed on WIX, too.

Regards,

C5Bgal · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:55 pm

I miss Brad on WIX too but yesterday, I did better than seeing him on WIX - I met him and shook his hand. Truley one of the nicest and most interesting people I've ever met. He even surprised me with a tour of Fifi's cockpit which I got a nice photo of. Then we talked for a good while. I have a brand new respect for him and I had respected him anyway. It was an honor meeting him and I sure hope Fifi and crew and Brad come back to Thunder again. And she made some awesomely BEAUTIFUL passes and made many people happy. Thank you Brad and crew!
:drink3:

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

Speedy wrote:

He is a former WIX'er...a retired Air Force C-17 Loadmaster, and a current CAF Flight Engineer on FiFi. At one point before he retired, he was actually the oldest current B-29 Flight Engineer in the Air Force.

I googled his name and looked him up on face book. Assuming I have the right guy because there were a few with that name he doesn't look old enough to have been a B-29 engineer in the air force. They are public to anybody so I looked at all the pictures on his facebook and I didn't see anything that indicated he was an engineer except on fifi.

http://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcome#!/brad.pilgrim.3

Am I missing something or is this a stolen valor kind of thing?

k5083 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:57 pm

You are missing something. He was flight engineer on Fifi while still in the Air Force. Of course the Fifi gig is a civilian one but still, he was in the AF and was a current B-29 flight engineer at the same time. It's kind of a joke but also true, see?

August the explanatory.*

* Apologies to Mudge.**

** Please don't ask me to explain the apology to Mudge.

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