Greetings

[Sweb]

Missed this Intro thread.

My name is Joe (yea, sure). No, really. I'm 53 and have been an aviation enthusiast longer than I can remember. At this age that's probably 1-2 years. We AARP prey forget stuff quickly. We AARP prey...oh.

Anyway, I come from an aviation-oriented family starting with my late Pop. He was a 20 year veteran of the USAF beginning as a cadet in 1943 at the ripe age of 19 when he signed up. He did the usual USAAC training, flew various combat type aircraft beginning with the B-17 in WWII and ending with the B-47 in 1963. Everything in between was fighters. He flew P-47Ns after the war in the Pacific with the 92nd FS. After that he became attached to the 45th TRS (Tac-Recon) at K-14 (Kimpo) in Korea flying RF-51s, then RF80s, RF-84Fs, RF-101s and finally went to SAC and the B-47 to make rank for retirement. Curtis E. LeMay got wood for bombers as some might know so TAC rank advances were few. SAC got all the promotions. Anyway, that's his story in-brief.

I became interested in all things with wings very early and stayed with it in my own way. My Pop was a quiet guy and never much discussed his flying history nor pushed me in any way or manner into aviation. I do remember him asking me to get my grades up in high school to qualify for the Air Force Academy but that was because he was afraid I'd get drafted into that "old crazy Asian war". His reasoning was a fatherly concern.

I entered the USAF at 19 and went to work as a crew chief on KC-135A tankers - A-Frames, as we called them. P&W J57-59W (water injection) straight turbojets. Sheesh, I can still hear my ears ringing from power runs, almost. My airplane was a 1956 model with tail number (5)63649. It was one year younger than I was but old by airplane standards for first-line inventory. It was always broken - especially hydraulically - so I learned a lot and stayed real dirty. From 1974-1978 I was stationed at Grissom AFB, Indiana and air bases abroad including places like Alaska, Guam, Philippines,
England and Spain while on TDY (temporary duty). Then I got out and worked at Chicago, O'Hare Airport with the USAFR 126th CAM (Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance) based there for one year. They also had KCs but they were pretty tired. I moved with my civilian job to Ft Lauderdale, FL in '79 (spring break era - woohoo) so I transfered to the USNR because it had a reserve unit in Miami whereas the AF was in Jacksonville and to far just to do the weekend warrior stuff. While with the USNR I worked on ...nothing! They had nothing but classwork and drill. So, I went to their personnel office and signed the papers to slip into inactive reserve status getting my discharge papers in '82 and officially done with Uncle Sugar. Then in 1986 I joined (sheesh, once in uniform it's habitual from there) USAFR and the 301st ARRS (Airborne Rescue and Recovery Squadron) at Homestead AFB, Miami, Florida and stayed one year working on the HC-130H. It was a really dull job otherwise I might have stayed to finish out my 20. But, with 4 planes and manning strength at 110% the only thing that needed maintenance were the facilities so I found myself pushing a broom more than I cared to.

I have a younger brother who became a pilot but his profession is Air Traffic Controller. He has 1.5 years 'til retirement, the lucky b@$&*%d.

Between all the military stuff and after I managed to obtain a Bachelors degree in Aviation Maintenance Management from Lewis University in the Chicago area 11 years after high school at 29 years old. I went to work immediately with a company in Miami, FL, and after 4 years of that started my own company. It was an FAA certificated Part-145 repair station. I had that for 14 years and sold it in May, 2003. I repaired aircraft systems accessories including pneumatics, hydraulics, electro-mechanical, lighting and furnishings. The debacle following the events of September 11, 2001 caused many companies like mine to eventually fold but I sold mine before it took me down. Then I went to work for a fellow in Shelbyville, KY, doing the same job and in 2006 came to Lake Mary, FL again doing the same thing.

Currently I have on my building board a 1/4 scale S.P.A.D. 13 C-1 R/C model. The top wing is boned out and as soon as I get over this flu I will move on to the lower wing. My other hobbies include acoustic guitar and oil painting. Oh, I did have 7 hours logged at a Cessna flight school (152) but at the time had to make a choice between college or a pilot's license. You know, flying around in those little barf-boxes never did anything for me anyway.



Sorry for the exhaustive drivel. I have the flu and some of this just might be the rantings of delerium.

[Geedee]

hi Joe and welcome to the site.

Please feel free to drivel !....delirium ?...isnt that radioactive ?

[Airframes]

Hello Sweb, and welome from England. An interesting history, and similar interests, although I've had to give up guitar due to arthritis.

[FLYBOYJ]

Welcome!

[ToughOmbre]

Welcome Sweb!

TO

[Wurger]

Hello Joe and welcome to the site. Greetings from Pland.

[Sweb]

Glad to meet you all. I didn't mention that I've been an avid modeler on/off and have put together countless kits over the years. I prefer 1/48th and larger these days. I can see what I'm doing much better.

[Marcel]

Welcome

[v2]

Welcome!

[Gnomey]

Welcome!

[Wildcat]

Welcome aboard Joe.

[Njaco]

Welcome to the forum Joe! Sounds like you'll fit right in!

[Wayne Little]

G'day Joe welcome to the forum mate!

[Heinz]

G;day and welcome mate.

[Lucky13]

Welcome to the family mate!