Official Aviation Thread...

[BlackbirdM3]

Damn now I wish I had paid more attention! It was definitely polished, but I thought it had more red on it than yellow. 🤷waffles♂️

Like I said, there are lots of them in the bay area. They do visit each other. There are (I think) 3 over in half moon bay, a couple down in Holster, one of the best restoration shops is in Salinas, there are two at Santa Rosa, two at Schellville (just up the road from Sears Point) although one of them hasn't seen the light of day in decades. I saw the other one out flying on Sunday. There is one at Nut Tree in Vacaville. I could almost say they grow on trees here.

Will

[jpod999]

Damn now I wish I had paid more attention! It was definitely polished, but I thought it had more red on it than yellow. 🤷waffles♂️

[BlackbirdM3]

I took my car to Blackhawk Cars and Coffee this last Sunday. On the way there I drove past the Livermore Airport and saw what my untrained eyes IDd as a P51 coming around to land. The noise those radials make...amazing. Does anyone have any idea if a P51 is hangared here in Livermore?

There are several at Livermore. There is an NACA D model (tall tail) that is polished, as well as a very rare H model, but that hasn't flown in 60 years. You likely saw Mike Couches NACA bird. http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51...erial/44-84864

Stu Eberhard also is down in that area, he owns a D model called "Merlins Magic"

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/44-73129

Could also have been Tony Banta in Kimbery Kaye.

http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/survivors/serial/45-11559

There are quite a few P51s in the bay Area. Off the top of my head I think I can name at least 6.

Will

[jpod999]

I took my car to Blackhawk Cars and Coffee this last Sunday. On the way there I drove past the Livermore Airport and saw what my untrained eyes IDd as a P51 coming around to land. The noise those radials make...amazing. Does anyone have any idea if a P51 is hangared here in Livermore?

[superj]

cool

[BlackbirdM3]

Here is their restored Harpoon. Its got quite the story as well. Former air tanker.







Here is the rebuild thread about 062. These guys did an amazing job, and did it fast. http://www.warbirdinformationexchang...f2a52c4bddfa43

Will

[george graves]

Hell yea. When I was in Modesto, there was a bunch of older gents that were nuts about restoring these old birds. Must be the same group of guys? And that engine start up was glorious!

[BlackbirdM3]

What happens when you have the nicest Lockheed PV2 Harpoon in the country? You get another. The Stockton Aviation Museum revived a former air tanker about 8 years ago that was about to be scrapped. They got it sorted and flew it out. As it turned out, it was a rare Harpoon.

Skip forward 8 years. The group acquired another one. This one has been sitting at the Nut Tree Airport for decades. It last flew in 1995. This happened over the weekend...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xogR7L17-M&feature=youtu.be

I wasn't there to see it, but I'll do my best to get over there to give them a hand.

Here is the thread that talks about the project.

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66385

A pic of mine that I shot a few years ago of it.


I can't wait to see it fly again.

Will

[FLYNAVY]

No, that would be an E30 M3....

Will

haha fair

[BlackbirdM3]

The Lord's Chariot......I miss her.......

No, that would be an E30 M3....

Will

[george graves]

Found this to be interesting. https://www.faa.gov/news/safety_brie...Procedures.pdf

I guess if all your navigation, and radios are out, you signal that to the chase plane by just switching on-off your nav lights off and on at random. As if to say "Yea, I'm messed up"

2nd favorite is when they cut in front of you, deploys flares, as if to say...."follow me or else."

[FLYNAVY]

The Lord's Chariot......I miss her.......

[BlackbirdM3]

Got to do a backseat pax ride for the first time, little perks of the job.

Looks like fun.

Will

[cale]

Got to do a backseat pax ride for the first time, little perks of the job.

[BlackbirdM3]

Finally passed my instrument check ride last week! So nice to have it done so I can now just relax a little bit and enjoy some cross country flights for commercial.

Congratulations. Enjoy the cross country flights.

Will