Cavanaugh Flight Museum

[Geedee]

As promised, here's a bit about the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Rocketter and I stopped off at on the way to the CAF Airsho 08 in Texas.

The museum is situated in Addison, Dallas and has planes representing WW!, through to Vietnam. The basic layout is centred aroiund a number of hangars with some 'planes outside. They also do a lot of Warbird stuff and have a huge coillection of awards from their work.

While we where there, I had a fantastic ride in their Stearman and Rocketeer, went up in the Texan...Photo's please Tony !.

It was interesting, seeing so many planes here and there a few days later in Midland for the CAF do. Speaking to some of the guys there, it would appear that most of the planes in this museum are airworthy, or not far off.

Tucked away in the hangars was the He111, that is a big bird !. Sat nesx to it was a Buchon that didnt look quite right to me with that huge rounded spinner on the front. It was nice to see the good old Sherman tucked away in the corner as well. The paintwork on the twinstick 21 was nicely done .

Sheltering from Hurricane Ike was the Red Bull Lightning. That is one very sexy looking 'plane !.

Anyway, enough chat, on with pics.

[Geedee]

Last lot..

[Wildcat]

Great pics Gary, some real nice looking planes there.

[Thorlifter]

Been there many times and seem several of those planes fly. Nice pics.

[renrich]

Good stuff, Thx. They used to have a Sopwith Camel. Is it no longer there?

[Geedee]

Originally Posted by renrich

Good stuff, Thx. They used to have a Sopwith Camel. Is it no longer there?

11 shots up from the bottom, with the Sectioned Merlin in the forefront. If you look to the left background by the Ryan, you'll see the tail of the Camel.

At the time I was in that hangar, I was running out of time as we still had to drive down to Midland so didn't get to see everything or take pic's. Pity really as they are all in a great, cleaned and looked after condition.

Thanks for the comments guys.

[Gnomey]

Excellent stuff Gary!

[renrich]

GeeDee, welcome to the Lone Star state, Texas.

[pbfoot]

real shiney

[ratdog]

looks like theyve added some things since i was there in late summer last year and did you get any pictures of the iskra over by the panther?

[DBII]

Nice shots, I have never seen the Red Bull before. I would love to see it in the air.

DBII

[RabidAlien]

Ditto! RedBull wasn't there last time I went. Just called the wife in, she kinda rolled her eyes and said "so you want to go this weekend, huh?" Question, though....in the hangar with the He111 (that thing sorta just jumps out atcha when you enter, doesn't it?), how'd you get the angle where you're up on the same level as the cockpit? I've never been fortunate enough to find anyone who would let me go anywhere other than the floor.

Dang. I really need to get back there!!!!

[Geedee]

Originally Posted by ratdog

looks like theyve added some things since i was there in late summer last year and did you get any pictures of the iskra over by the panther?

Sorry Ratdog, I did not, sorry. I think I have a shot of the Panther with a little bit of the Iskra in the frame, but no full frontal...oooeeeeer !....shots.

Hey Rabid. when I was there, I cheated and used a very big wooden stairs contraption trhat was in the hangar.

However, if you want cockpit shots and are restricted to the floor, do what I do. You hopefully have a tripod ?. extend it to full length, set your camera on delayed photo...should give you at least 7 seconds before it goes off, then close the tripod legs together and hold it up at arms length. Hey presto, your camera is now probably closer to 12 plus feet off the ground and ready for those awkward shots of cockpits. I do this all the time.

I've added a few shots from another museum where I use this method. The Fairy is absolutely huge on that stalky front undercart leg, but by using my tripod I managed to geta cockpit shot of sorts. Obviously, if using flash youi need to angle the camera so its not pointing directly at the perspex and you should be fine.

It takes a bit of experimenting to get used to this method but can get some stunning results. And there are very, very few people out there taking pictures that do this, which is a shame as you get a totaly different perspective on your subject.

Give it a try !

[rochie]

great pics Gary, must be a full time job keeping that p-38 that polished

[Geedee]

Originally Posted by rochie

great pics Gary, must be a full time job keeping that p-38 that polished

Used to take me 4 hours to clean my Harley and when finished I would just have to take out for a ride...and then clean it again. Keeping the '38 polished must verge on a Compulsive Obsessive Dissorder....I did offer to help but they didnt like the proviso I got to fly in it ! Bum !