tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post7303030284854644846..comments2024-03-25T03:14:41.019-06:00Comments on Confessions of a Middle-Aged Adolescent: No Sound of Ghostly WingsStephen Fitzpatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06377636491269666540noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-45642149472941707992010-08-06T12:01:00.832-06:002010-08-06T12:01:00.832-06:00One of the guys had an interesting story about it ...One of the guys had an interesting story about it when it first got here. The pilot was showing off revving it up when it jumped the wheel chocks. He slammed on the brakes, but only one side caught and it slewed around. There was much excitement as the wing went right over top of a guy. Still, if you *have* to go...might as well be Indiana Jones style with a cool old fighter.King Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01549915427200751212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-25613296391878534122010-08-06T11:55:26.904-06:002010-08-06T11:55:26.904-06:00When I called, they said it was just about to take...When I called, they said it was just about to take off, so I rushed over there. They let me (& a couple others) go through the museum and to the fence to get a good view. Cool. Chatted with a couple of similar picture-taker guys who were knowledgeable.<br /><br />Unfortunately we couldn't see it start up, taxi, or take off...and it didn't do a tower flyby. All business...in the air when it went by. Didn't get a pic. Oh well.<br /><br />Rumour is that it's going to Wetaskiwin for their airshow. There's a Mustang and another (Goodyear-built) Corsair there.King Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01549915427200751212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-82707230055425452342010-08-03T15:57:26.797-06:002010-08-03T15:57:26.797-06:00I checked with the museum today, and the Corsair h...I checked with the museum today, and the Corsair had engine trouble and couldn't fly out on Saturday. They said to keep phoning for updates. I want to go see it fly by like I did with the B17 a couple of years ago.<br /><br />With cool/vintage planes, it's a tradition that they loop around and fly by the tower at tower height (which the B17 did) - watch for it. I'll try to remember to post the takeoff day & time here...but I'll be a touch excited.<br /><br />Paul TKing Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01549915427200751212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-16356251019857469462010-07-28T23:34:26.799-06:002010-07-28T23:34:26.799-06:00OK, I was wrong. It was designed to take the 37mm ...OK, I was wrong. It was designed to take the 37mm gun, but instead wound up with a little pansy 20mmColinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03636118154806287309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-91146034514650099552010-07-28T11:31:05.834-06:002010-07-28T11:31:05.834-06:00One of the first planes my dad ever worked on was ...One of the first planes my dad ever worked on was the PBY. The other was the Mitchell. I always loved the "bug-eyed" rear gunner stations on the PBY.<br />As for the P38, "Oldsmobile 37mm cannon" for the win.Colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03636118154806287309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-32315893435388619322010-07-28T10:23:26.922-06:002010-07-28T10:23:26.922-06:00Dude, that is synchronicious: there are a lot of f...Dude, that is synchronicious: there are a lot of flying boat models at the Alberta Aviation Museum (and a full scale Vickers Viking), and while looking at them I told the girls about a recurring daydream of mine where we own a Catalina, live in the South Pacific and fly cargo around the islands, "Tales of the Gold Monkey" style.<br /><br />And the P-38 is almost too gorgeous to be real; it looks right at home next to the planes from Crimson Skies.Stephen Fitzpatrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06377636491269666540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-54210836301148124972010-07-28T09:38:00.906-06:002010-07-28T09:38:00.906-06:00While the Spitfire is undoubtedly the classiest wa...While the Spitfire is undoubtedly the classiest warplane of WWII, I have a thing for two planes: The original Lightning, and the workhorse PBY Catalina. The B25 Mitchell follows closely behind. <br />My affection for the PBY stems not from WWII history directly, but from after WWII, when Jacques Yves Cousteau acquired one for his research purposes. It was the acquisition of the model that jump-started my interest in Cousteau, oceanography, and life sciences. <br />And the Lightning? Sheer speed, firepower, and an very unconventional appearance.Colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03636118154806287309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6934321506981803994.post-88504709714543636652010-07-28T01:39:06.038-06:002010-07-28T01:39:06.038-06:00I have a soft spot for the Corsair as one of my fa...I have a soft spot for the Corsair as one of my fave WWII planes, but I'll always love the Spit more. The Mustang's in there somewhere too, maybe 2nd or 3rd.<br /><br />Cool trivia about the mountains, adds a little style to otherwise bland and boring Kokanee.<br /><br />A spot o' pedantry: the Spitfire used Rolls-Royce Merlin and Griffon, per this page: http://www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk/engines.htm<br /><br />Interesting note (which I remembered from the book Spitfire Command, and confirmed on that page): with the introduction of the Spitfire Mark XII, the engine changed direction of rotation (Griffon vs. Merlin) which altered the compensation the pilot needed to do on takeoff, leading to a few exciting departures until they got the hang of the new engine.Tottyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04252515652206509990noreply@blogger.com