Camarillo Airshow, "Wings Over Camarillo" August 22-23, 2009

[ONE_HELLCAT]

Originally Posted by evangilder

The Mk XIV Spitfire wasn't done, and stayed in the maintenance hangar. I look forward to seeing that fly again.

That's annoying. I was told before I left they would take it out to display, like they've done for the B-25 before. I shouldn't have left, but school started on the 24th.

[wheelsup_cavu]

Originally Posted by evangilder

The CAF hangar is on the west end of the field. You were about 200 yards from it if you were at the hangar with the WWII vets.

I posted 40 galleries of photos from the show on my website. They are at:
Van Gilder Aviation Photography, Wings Over Camarillo 2009-

Enjoy!

The pictures are great.
Thanks.

I looked at my program directory at the show and saw CAF listed on it and couldn't figure out what it meant.
I intended to go by and check it out because I didn't know what CAF meant.
After I started wandering among the warbirds with my group it completely slipped my mind.

Reading the whole flyer might have helped me know what CAF meant.
I just got it out and looked at it again


Wheels

[trackend]

Now that was a thread worth looking at Eric superb images and by the posting sounds like you lapped up the day, any Idea how bigger a crowd you got? the bigger the better as obviously you know popularity is the life blood of any airshow and it looks like it has the potential to get way bigger.

[RabidAlien]

CAF=Commemorative Air Force (formerly "Confederate Air Force" before someone got their panties in a wad about the name)

[evangilder]

Cheers guys. I think the Mk XIV Spitfire stayed in the hangar because they had the Griffon still out of the airframe, which was put on a few days ago.

The CAF is a great organization with 70 chapters worldwide. There is a chapter not far from you, Wheels, In Riverside. The name change wasn't that big of a deal, and it is certainly more fitting for what they are all about. The main things is that they keep these old birds flying, as an organization.

I don't have the numbers on attendance at the show, but it sure looked more crowded than in previous years from my vantage point. The CAF PX and ride program had some brisk business and I think both days were good for them for fund raising. The aerial displays were definitely more numerous, and that will certainly bring people ou for Sunday.

[ONE_HELLCAT]

Maybe. But yeah, I got the newsletter. It saddens me that after three years of working on the Mk XIV, I missed it, and I'll probably miss its first flight, unless it happens around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Do you have pictures of that, or Joe's SNJ?

[wheelsup_cavu]

Originally Posted by evangilder

The CAF is a great organization with 70 chapters worldwide. There is a chapter not far from you, Wheels, In Riverside. The name change wasn't that big of a deal, and it is certainly more fitting for what they are all about. The main things is that they keep these old birds flying, as an organization.

I think it's right up the road at Riverside airport.
Another place right in my backyard I have missed.

The attendance at the show seemed good to me too.
I have no clue about how many were there either.
I didn't see many empty booths and the food lines always had people in them.


Wheels

[evangilder]

I'm going to try and catch up with the Spitfire when it makes it's first flight. The only shots I have of before the maintenance began is on film, and it was on the ground.

I remember the day Joe's SNJ arrived, in pieces in the back of a truck. I may have film shots of that somewhere, but don't know if I scanned them. Anyway, here are 2 shots of the Spitfire from 2003 that I scanned a few years ago, and a shot of Joe's SNJ as it was displayed at the show.

[wheelsup_cavu]

Here is a video from the show that MysticPuma made.

YouTube - Wings over Camarillo August 2009

I met him, Monguse and 352ndPersecutor at the show.

If the following it to OT Eric just edit it out or let me know and I will.

MP and Monguse also did the "Not my time to Die" IL-2 movie.
Not My Time To Die

MP and Monguse are interviewing Art Fiedler and other pilots for a 325th Fighter Group/ 317th Fighter Squadron checker tail documentary.
Art Fiedler 317th FS P-51 Ace chats about his USAAF career. Audio file link. - Topic Powered by Eve Community

Just in case the link doesn't work.

PHP Code:

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/23110283/m/5641000696?r=5641000696#5641000696 


From what MP said at the show the documentary is slated for a 2010 release now.


Wheels

[evangilder]

No worries on that one, Wheels. I sent Neil an e-mail (Art introduced us) and we chatted for quite a while. I haven't heard back from Neil yet, but wanted to send him some photos for his documentary.

[wheelsup_cavu]

I've seen him posting at SimHQ's IL-2 forum and the 352nd's website today.
It's where I pulled the video to post here.
You might try getting him at one of those sites.

IL-2 Series: Forgotten Battles, AEP, Pacific Fight... - SimHQ Forums

352nd Virtual Fighter Group - Index

Neil is a character.
I was at the show Saturday.
Did you meet him on Sunday ?


Wheels

[evangilder]

Yeah, I met him on Sunday. Art Fiedler introduced us. He was fun to talk with and some of the stories he told about the exploits of the group were amazing. I look forward to seeing his finished documentary.

[wheelsup_cavu]

Originally Posted by evangilder

Yeah, I met him on Sunday. Art Fiedler introduced us. He was fun to talk with and some of the stories he told about the exploits of the group were amazing. I look forward to seeing his finished documentary.

I am looking forward to seeing his finished documentary too.

Neil interviewed Eric Carter, the last surviving pilot of RAF 81. Squadron.
I haven't seen the whole video but what I have watched was good.

Originally Posted by Mysticpuma @ 1C

Eric Carter video interview-last surviving pilot of RAF 81. Squadron. Link here - Official 1C Company forum

Guys here's the video I recorded of Eric Carter chatting about his experiences in WW2.

I have tried to keep the questions limited so that Eric could chat unhindered by my interruptions and think I have managed to be reasonably successful.

Eric flew Hurricane's with 615 Squadron, and then transferred to No.81 Squadron and was shipped out to Murmansk in Russia, to help the fight against the Germans, who it was feared if they took Murmansk, would have a significant foothold to strike Allied Forces.

He was later transferred to Burma and fought the Japanese and talks about the day the group he was with heard news of the Atom Bomb and wars end.

I have added some images sourced from the internet along with images supplied by Eric himself to break up the footage so it's not just Eric chatting.

I hope you find it interesting. Now, I've uploaded it to Blip TV, as the file is 1hr and 16 minutes long, and this was the only free hosting site I could find that could take such a large file.

The footage has been compressed to flv format, but the audio and video (if you keep it default size), is more than viewable (I hope you agree).

Now, the one thing I would point out is that on the morning of the interview, by tie-clip microphone broke, so I had to use by emergency backup. It's the very obvious white tie-clip microphone, which frustrated me, but it's all I had available, apologies for it frown

So, without further ado, here you go:

Eric Carter last surviving member of RAF No.81 Squadron - War Memories

Cheers, MP.

PS. Once I have finished the Checkertails Movie/Documentary, I will do this for each of pilot interviews I have filmed and release them on the internet.

Wheels