Warbird Information Exchange

Aviation Autographs

Dad took me to my first air show in 1978 at Harlingen, Texas. As a 13 year old kid would do, I had pilots/crew sign my program. I have some autographs that I thought some of you may help I.D. and know if they are still around? One inpaticular is the pilot of the CAF's P-47, I wanted to thank him for letting a snot nose kid crawl all over that jug and get a picture in the cockpit.(can't find the pic but that's what set the warbird hook), I think he flew for Braniff,(My dad was a mechanic for Braniff) and some how they knew each other. The group we went to the air show with were all Braniff employee from Chicago, while at the show, the rest of the group found a stearman forsale (the old owner name was Terry Bradshaw -no relation) and went in on it. I talked till I was blue in the face but dad didnt go in with them on that stearman. I did get my first warbird ride in it (set the hook even further thanks Tommy-God rest) from Tommy Fories at OCO Dacy Airport Harvard, Illinois

First Stearman Ride

Spit

P-51

P-47

P-40

P-39

P-38

Me-109

F-82

B-29


On the way home from the show Non-rev from Brownsville to Dallas I was sitting up in firstclass feeling like a king when some old pilot sat next to me.I had to get his autograph too.
F4U


Steve

_________________
"Any excuse is good enough if you're willing to use it!"

Very impressive!

_________________
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Of the signatures on your program, these are the ones that I know of:

Gone West:

Merle Gustafson
Gary Levitz
Pappy Boyington
Carl Payne
Vic Agather

These are I know are still with us, there may be others as well.

Robin Collard -Still lives in Texas
Sue Parish- still lives outside Kalamzoo
Lefty Garnder- Texas
Randy Sohn-Minnesota

The picture of the orange Stearman brought back some memories. My logbook shows I soloed it on 6/21/81 at Dacy airport after a checkout by Tom Forys who was a good friend and BN co-worker. Later that same day I checked Tom out in my T-6G and he made a solo flight. Following his solo I took Tom's son for a trip around the patch in the T-6. Harlingen was our usual October trip when you worked at BN at ORD. Others who may have attended were Bob Jesko, Charlie Dinges and Ron Weaver to name a few. Those were the days!!!! Jake Fendermen

Jake

All the names you menchend are bringing bake memories, Bob Jesko and Ron Weaver (possibly others) went in on the other stearman with Tom, then Tom went out on his own and bought the orange Stearman,I think? Did you know Hall Bond the P-47 pilot or my dad Paul Beck, he worked Plant Maintenance for BN at ORD.

Steve Beck

_________________
"Any excuse is good enough if you're willing to use it!"

Hi Steve, Yes, I remember your Dad, but did not know him all that well. We worked on opposite ends of the field. I met Hall Bond once at a CAF show and I remember him as very friendly and helpful. He was a BN Captain on the 727 basded in DFW and we would see him when he came in and out of ORD. Thanks for the memories.

Jake Fendermen

great collection!!

_________________
tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Hey you got Pappy to sign! Sweet.. I have one too from oh back in the late 70's if I remember correctly. I will have to see if I still have it. My grandfather who flew with a BT-13 had me meet him and I was like um um um um um star struck and he signed my picture and hat.

Unreal that some have gone.

Only one of note that I have...

Jimmy Doolittle.

_________________
"Anyway, the throat feels a bit rough...the legs have gone...but I'm still able to chant, so let's get going."

Joe Strummer, 1999

My favorite autograph in my collection?

Definately Mitsou Fuchida. Will try and get a picture tomorrow.

Ryan

_________________
Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Thomas Roe,Adolph Galland, George Gay, Douglas Bader, RobertK Morgan, Gabby Gabreski. James Goodson. Dutch Van Kirk, Tex Hill, Ed Rector, Yogi Berra, to name a few.

Steve, one signature looks like Gerald Martin, but which Spifire is that?The paint job looks bettter than the one CAF had as DOB, and also it has clipped tips where DOB was full span.

_________________
Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

Bill,

The JE-J Spitfire is NH238.

It has been boxed in the UK since the death of its owner Doug Arnold. It was acquired in the early 1980's in a complex Jurist/Tallichet deal.

PeterA

Bill

The photos of the planes in the program were taken before the show. In more than one case the autographs do not necessarily correspond to the actual plane just the type of plane. Sue Parish was flying a pink P-40 in the show and Gerald Martin could have been flying the CAF's Spitfire. I do want to thank every one for there help identifying the Autographs and aircraft in the program.

Thanks
Steve

_________________
"Any excuse is good enough if you're willing to use it!"

I have several autographs from over the years, My dad did alot of metel work for Bob Hoover back in the day and Bob signed a few things over the years for me, including this photo, I know Bob signs alot of books and photo's but this is special in that It was not signed at a show but in his hanger in California. I also have a Revell 1/32 Miss America Kit that was signed by Howie Keefe back in 75 still in the plastic wrap. I found it on E-bay I am pretty sure the signature is authentic.