For The Love of Old Airplanes

[jay_merrill]

We got off on a tangent about airplanes in another, outboard related thread, so I thought I'd open up the topic here.

I have a commercial pilot's license and have flown a variety of aircraft but my love has always been for old, radial engine aircraft. For me, this began as a teenage SAR aircrewman, flying regularly in Grumman Albatross (HU16) seaplanes in the USCG. The sound of the engines on these planes (Curtis Wright 1820, same engine as on the B17) was always music to my ears. Many years later, I was offered a ride on the Collings Foundation B24, courtesy of an aviation journalist friend of mine. What a thrill!

Anyone else have any favorite "birds?"

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

The closest anyone in the family came to one of those, was a PBY Catalina that my uncle flew.

My favorite commercial radial motored plane would have to be the C-121 Constellation with it's Wright R-3350-34's.

We get to fly Lufthansa's “Tante Ju” (also known as "Iron Annie N52JU") occasionally here, a Junkers Ju-52, that's been refitted with Pratt & Whitney's.

My personal wish is one of these, a De Havilland DHC-3 OTTER.

 

[JB]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

Been in a lot of airplanes in my time. Learned to fly a Piper J3 just like the one my next door neighbor flys about in regularly. I will try to get a pic of that.

I have 2 favorites.

Republic SeaBee. There was one based at the small airport I gofered at during my High School years.

A particular Douglas R6D-Z (Navy version of DC6B), 128424, which now sits in the museum at Pensacola. She was a "vipper", that is what the "Z" in her number means, plushed out to fly CINPACFLT about, assigned to VR-21 at Barber's Point NAS in Hawaii. We spent many hours hand polishing her, and I spent many more in the Radioman's station going to exotic places around the world in the late 50s. A particular distinction is that my daughter was ground crew for her at the time she was retired in the late 70s.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

Great examples!

Anyone know what this:

and this:

have in common?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

the bottom one looks like one that 'Sky King', flew in some of his latter episodes. any one remember watching Sky King.

 

[mainexile]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

the bottom one looks like one that 'Sky King', flew in some of his latter episodes. any one remember watching Sky King.

TD,

Yeah, I had the hots for Penny.:redface:

 

[thurps]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

F4U Corsair

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

OK! Hold on now, here are some more favorites!


Heres a Piper for JB ...

... a Republic Sea Bee ...

... and Red Bull Douglas DC-6B

P-51

Supermarine Spitfire

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

F7F-3P Tigercat

Curtiss P-40N Warhawk

Lockheed P-38J Lightning

Chance Vought FG-1D Corsair

De Havilland 88 Comet

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

YakovlevYak-9

T-6G Texan

Beechcraft Staggerwing

F4U Corsair

Grumman XF8F-1 Bearcat

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

B-25

P-38

B-17

Beech 18

Aeronca LC

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

You're halfway there, TD. The first airplane is a Cessna "Bamboo Bomber," which is the first airplane that Sky King flew. Many people get it confused with a Beech 18, which is similar in configuration and size. The main difference, however, is that the Cessna was built of wood and fabric, while the Beechcraft was an aluminum airplane.

The second one is a 1950s era Cessna 310, which is the plane that became famous in the TV show. This aircraft was a very succesful model for Cessna, eventually evolving into the model shown below. I have a bunch of hours in one and liked it. They're known for being a bit dangerous if you lose an engine on takeoff, and they are a bit nose heavy in the flare, during landing, but are very capable airplanes.

PS: LOL @ ST .... dude, you are a true airplane junkie! I like that! BTW, the twin engine floatplane is a Beech 18, the one that I mentioned get confused with a Bamaboo Bomber sometimes.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

Lockheed 12 Electra Junior

Gee Bee Z racer

Douglas DC-3

Dornier Do-24ATT

Like I said before, this is ALL Jay's fault!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

Wow! A Dornier seaplane with three PT-6 turbines on it - that thing must be a climbin' fool!

 

[SnappingTurtle]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

PS: LOL @ ST .... dude, you are a true airplane junkie!

 

[Phantom_II]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

It's not that old, but I've always been very fond of the F-86 Sabre.

And while I hate these with a passion, they pay the bills

and I just love it when they go down in flames,

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

The first time I ever saw the Blue Angels was at NATTC Memphis, in Millington, Tn. I was "TAD" there, going to school to become a USCG aircraft mechanic. The Angels were flying F4 Phantoms and practiced for 2 days before the show. They flew two sorties a day (morning and afternoon) and were so loud over the base classrooms, that our instructors basically gave up trying to teach, and we all sat out on the grass watching the "show."

Aside from the fact that I had a grandfather who had one of the first pilot's licenses ever issued, I think those F4s are what made me want to learn to fly. The "cool factor" was just too high, so off I went to the base flying club! My first flight instructor was - you guessed it - an f4 jock!

Here's sort of a cool video - its an RC f4!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQiVz-Ht154

 

[mainexile]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

The first time I ever saw the Blue Angels was at NATTC Memphis, in Millington, Tn. I was "TAD" there, going to school to become a USCG aircraft mechanic. The Angels were flying F4 Phantoms and practiced for 2 days before the show. They flew two sorties a day (morning and afternoon) and were so loud over the base classrooms, that our instructors basically gave up trying to teach, and we all sat out on the grass watching the "show."

Aside from the fact that I had a grandfather who had one of the first pilot's licenses ever issued, I think those F4s are what made me want to learn to fly. The "cool factor" was just too high, so off I went to the base flying club! My first flight instructor was - you guessed it - an f4 jock!

Here's sort of a cool video - its an RC f4!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQiVz-Ht154

Jay,
For three years, I worked at NAS Pensacola, the home of the Blues. If they weren't on the road somewhere, every Tuesday morning at 0800 they would take off to practice their routines. We all took our coffee breaks about ten minutes later to go outside and watch the boys perform. I never failed to be thrilled and impressed by their performances. My own experience with the Phantom was a "courtesy ride" off the Forrestal. Bow catapult (OMG!!!) and arrested landing. Better than any carnival ride I've ever been on.

 

[Phantom_II]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

Here's sort of a cool video - its an RC f4!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQiVz-Ht154

heheh...

The one in the photo I posted is RC as well... But it's a bit bigger.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: For The Love of Old Airplanes

the bottom one looks like one that 'Sky King', flew in some of his latter episodes. any one remember watching Sky King.

You betcha. I had a huge crush on Penny for a while.