For Us Plane Lovers

[Lady Amy of York]

Great thread ! My dad  was   a Air Force  man.  Served  during  the  Korean War.  After  the  war  he  was  stationed  for  a few  years  at S.A.C  in   Nebraska  where  he   woked with B-29's.    We always  had pictures  or  models of planes  around  the house.

In the  eraly  90's  dad   and  I   went   to the Air  force  museum  in Dayton,Ohio.   Very  worth  the  trip.



When  my husband  and  I  were living  in California  and  he  was  working  for  the  Navy  we  would  go  to  the  annual  airshow  at  Miramar ( was home  to  the  Top  Gun  fighter  squadron).    It is  an excellent  air  show.  Got  to see  the  Blue  Angels  in  person   afew  times.  What  a thrill  to  see in  person.   Also got  to see  a  Harrier  jet, which are  awesome  to watch  maneuver.   


The  Fort Drum  army  base  here in  upstate  , northern New York where my husband  currently  works   holds  a annual  air  show.  Matter of  fact it  is  coming  up this  month.  The last  weekend  of  June.  Last  year  they had  alot of  vintage  aircraft  from World  War  II.
It is  well worth attending  for  those  who  love  planes.


   

[Sir William Marcus]

When  my husband  and  I  were living  in California  and  he  was  working  for  the  Navy  we  would  go  to  the  annual  airshow  at  Miramar ( was home  to  the  Top  Gun  fighter  squadron).    It is  an excellent  air  show.  Got  to see  the  Blue  Angels  in  person   afew  times.  What  a thrill  to  see in  person.   Also got  to see  a  Harrier  jet, which are  awesome  to watch  maneuver. 

Miramar was my first Air Show and my first introduction to the Blue Angels.  Remembering the first time that I witnessed Harriers at a Air Show. I kept thinking Star Wars!

[Sir William Marcus]

Air Show weekend here has come to a close. It was something special this year as it fell on the anniversary of D-Day.  Below are just a few images from the weekend..

[Noble Dreg]

Thanks for the B-25 pics...Love to see them fly, most impressive with the "invasion" stripes!

So where was the airshow?

[Morgan Dreadlocke]

Late 50's early 60's, Pappy DeBolt flies his R/C plane into the side of a parked Angles jet.  Think it might have been AMA Nats at Nas Alamitos '63.

Why does I remember weird shituff like this?

[Sir William Marcus]

So where was the airshow?

Indianapolis, Indiana @ Mt.Comfort Airport

[Sir William Marcus]

My favorite aircraft is the old reliable DC-8 I have ran around the world turning wrenches on these and loved every second.  I wish I knew how to post photos AAARG!

Gotcha covered brother Carl...

[Ambios]

My favorite aircraft is the old reliable DC-8 I have ran around the world turning wrenches on these and loved every second.  I wish I knew how to post photos AAARG!

Gotcha covered brother Carl...

Thanks for the pix, Sir William.  Soft spot in my heart for the DC8 as well.  As a kid, flew to Japan on a Lockheed Super Constellation in 1957, flew home in 1960 on a DC8.

[Noble Dreg]

Thanks for the pix, Sir William.  Soft spot in my heart for the DC8 as well.  As a kid, flew to Japan on a Lockheed Super Constellation in 1957, flew home in 1960 on a DC8.

Love the Connie!

[Sir William Marcus]

I remember there was a whole bunch of retired Connies back in the 90's at the Pima Air & Space Museum/ 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG), aka the "Boneyard."  If you ever find yourself in the Tucson area take a bus tour, its pretty cool! 

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

I have a sad story about planes and performance squadrons such as the Blue Angles and Thunderbirds

Many many years ago while I was staying with my dad at Cheyenne Frontier days (i think I was in my early teens) As this was July 1977. I woke up one morning to heavy fog and rain (It had been raining all week at Frontier Days that year) I had just tossed on my clothing and was sitting down to eat some breakfast with my sister and stepmother at the time.

We all heard this very LOUD boom and the whole area shock followed by more booms and shaking. I looked outhte camper window to see things falling from the sky. I decided to go running out to investigate (maybe not so smart at5 the time) As I looked around there was a field of debree from one end of the parking lot to the Arena area (just west of were our camper was parked)

Many of the rodeo and horse racing participants camped here at the time. The fog was so think you could see most likey 100 yards. What I noticed in the debree looked like air maps and aircraft debree and then I spied a piece of the canopy of a Thunderbird jet (T-38 Talon) I think they were flying at the time) The name read Captain Charlie Carter.

I looked around and noticed some others gathering about and heard sirens coming in. There were two RV's with creases in them from where it looked like the T-38's wings just barely touched them about 5 or so feet from the ground. About 30 minutes arealier another camper was parked intat location but had left. My camper had been about 25 yards from these two campers and the now empty parking spot.

There was still paper debree falling about and as I headed towards the area the T-38 was sitting on it's one wing on the ground and the other straight up in the air. two bulls lie decapited in the pin one cut in half long ways the other width wise. Looking down the horse track was a parachute and what looked like an ejection seat.

Sadly Captain Carter lost his life in this accident as he avoided the populated camp ground. His co-pilot was a reporter that managed to eject and suffer a broken leg landing in the arena some distance away.

Had Captain Carter ejected with his co-pilot many people would have lost there life that day but he was a hero and went down with his plane to avoid injuring others.

I still remember that day very vivadly almost as if it was yesterday and not 30 some odd years ago. For many years I always looked for the tree on the east end of the faire grounds (west of the Air Force base) That Captain Carters T-38 clipped on his flight path.

I heard reports he had lost power on take off and had no choice but to crash, but this is un-offical. Lucky too that this was early in the moring or the stands could have been full of people to watch the days rodeo and horse racing. Frontier Days were canceled for that day as it should have been for saftey reasons (Plane fuel in the stock pins and a downed plane that could explode. They however never evacuated the camping area just 25 - 50 yards from the downed plane.

Here is a round of HUZZAH'S to those pilots who do performance shows and to those who have lost their lives for this country. And a silent thank you to Captain Charlie Carter who sacrificed his life that day to save the lives of many others including myself

http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/AEROBATIC/Thunderbirds/Thunderbirds.htm

[Sir William Marcus]

What an incredible story and a most fascinating link. I was unaware of it existence, very interesting.

Thank you Lady de Laney

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

You are very welcome for both.

There aren't to many people that would remember that even as there were maybe 200 people in the camp ground that day if even that. And while my sister was there a few years latter in school she wrote a speech on it and had to ask me for the details. It's funny what we remember and what brings those memories to the fore front of our being. I guess just seeing Blue ANgels did it for me.

Once again HUZZAH to Captain Carter and all of those who lose their life for us.

[Sir William Marcus]

[Sir Ironhead]

"Cry havoc!  And let slip the dogs of war!"