Chance encounters with Warbirds...

timshatz · 09-01-2006, 03:51 PM

Was flying out of N57 about 5 years ago. Working on the bird I owned that had a cranky radial. Tinkering with this and that, trying to get it to turn over. Had to get it out of there before an air show the next day.

Anyway, the day before the airshow, they usually brought all the Warbirds in (locally known as the "Real" airshow before the paying public showed up) and most of the guys would do a once over just for fit before doing the real deal the next day. One dude had a P51 that used to show up and he did it that day.

I've got the cowling off, the tail of the bird I'm working on is pointed towards the runway (about 15ft from the tail) and I'm working facing up the active with a friend of mine on the other side of the bird working on the other side. I looked past him and saw the 51 drop into the pattern a good mile or two out. Said, "Hey, go back to the tail and let take a look at the rudder hinges while I fiddle with the peddals" (no problem, I just wanted to position him back there for when the Mustang went by). He gets back there about the same time the 51 crosses the threshold hauling *** about 10 feet off the runway. I look at my friend and point at the now closing Mustang. He turns (the thing was going so fast it really wasn't making much sound) and locks onto it about 30ft away (and closing). AND THAT DUDE WAS HAULING! He blows by us (still right on the deck) about 20 ft away and pulls up at the end of the runway in a slow roll. Look back at my friend and his eyes were the size of grapefruits--but he was grinnin' like a fool.

Usually, at airshows, the fly bys are out in the middle of the field and pretty sedate. This was close enough to catch a load of propwash and heat from the engine. One of the best (and shortest) airshows I've ever seen.

FLYBOYJ · 09-01-2006, 03:55 PM

pbfoot · 09-01-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYBOYJ

Refueling pods. The buldge I think carries either another refueling drogue, staging lights or chaff dispensers.

Navair

I can't find any other pics with those huge outer tanks

Gnomey · 09-01-2006, 05:25 PM

The best chance one I had was when we were down on Loch Tay and a Spitfire flew straight up the Loch fairly low, gutted I didn't have my camera...

FLYBOYJ · 09-01-2006, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pbfoot

I can't find any other pics with those huge outer tanks

Neither can I but my boss has a painting of one in his office refueling 2 special ops Jolly Greens....

pbfoot · 09-01-2006, 06:31 PM

And all the refuelling prones on the KC's seem to come out of the rear of the outer tank

FLYBOYJ · 09-01-2006, 07:37 PM

GOT IT! It's an MC-130H "Talon II."

Wing Aircraft

evangilder · 09-01-2006, 09:52 PM

Nice shot of the Venom, Joe.

Down at KCMA, we get plenty of action. Bill Reeseman has both his MiG-15 and 17 there. There are about a dozen T-28s at the far end of the field near an EC-121 (Militarized Constellation). There are several civilan owned CJs, Mustang and a couple of PZL Iskras. There is a wide variety and vintage of Cessnas and Beechcrafts as well as some cool ones like the Ercoupe. There is at least one Stearman there.

Then the CAF has the Bearcat, Hellcat, Wildcat (on and off), T-34, several T-6/SNJs, Spitfire, PBJ, Mustang, C-46, C-131 and a static Yak-3. Add to the mix a couple next door and on our ramp, a vintage Martin 404 airliner, B-25 and a Percival Prentice.

There are others that I am sure I have forgotten, but we get regular fly ins from Santa Paula and Van Nuys, which also have an extensive amount of vintage birds.

the lancaster kicks ass · 09-02-2006, 12:32 PM

down here we never get any warbirds, and it's very rare to see any modern military aircraft other than helicopters going to RNAS Culdrose, other than those on exercise on Bodmin Moor... although out on dartmoor we did see an F-15 once.......

cheddar cheese · 09-02-2006, 02:22 PM

We get aircraft over here all the time...Mainly Hawks, the odd Hercules now and then and a few months ago 3 F-18's...As well as the Helicopters (Mainly Chinooks and Lynx, sometimes a Puma or two)

Once my dad thought there was some Mustangs doing aerobatics...turned out to be Tucano's though

the lancaster kicks ass · 09-02-2006, 03:09 PM

you've gotta laugh, whenever there's a piston engined aircraft around every always says it's a spitfire... what made me laugh more though was at this year's Culdrose airshow when the welsh guy sitting near me tried to tell his kid about the aircraft, he has two catagories, big/small and loud/quiet, whenever a "loud" one (to him, jets were the loud ones, piston the quiet) came the kid put earmuffs on, the dad made the mistake of telling his kid the harrier (which he'd just thought was an F-16) was a quiet one, upon going into hover the kid was screaming his head off.......

DIOGENIS · 09-02-2006, 04:55 PM

Although there is an airfield nearby, military spotting constitutes a crime in my country.Luckily the Archangel Air Show in Tanagra last year (which proved to be a great success considering it was the first one in Greece) gave many people the chance to be more familiar with military aviation.

zuluecho · 09-07-2006, 05:01 PM

i'm very lucky like that i guess... when i first moved to my new home (3years ago) i had no idea what was in store.. as on very sunny summer day a lone Spitfire (MkIIc) takes to the air.. and graces us all with a wonderful loops and 8s routine... its like a mini airshow at home.. i have some pics of it on my personal page.. it is such a dream watching it fly by.

Aggie08 · 09-15-2006, 06:24 PM

I was on my way back from kansas city last weekend and I saw an F-18 havin some fun to the side of I-35. It was practicing at McConnell AFB, which seems to house only KC-135s. Vertical, level out on the deck, vertical again... So much fun to watch. I don't get many F-18 sightings.

For each home football game we have a flyover. The last game I went to we had a pair of navy Vikings fly over. We've had longbow apaches, f-16s, marine f-18s, and the year before I was here I heard there was a b-17 that came in so low it made everyone poo themselves. gameday rocks!

Chief · 09-15-2006, 06:33 PM

OK, I live near the Willow Grove Naval air base and when I was in middle school occasionally we'd see F-14s, F-18s, Blackhawks, Cobras, and A-10s

Also on labor day they'd have an air show and they have a B-17 and occasionally a B-25 fly over our house. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera until now. Otherwise, I'd a takin' a few shots.