Vintage shots from days gone by!

[sylvian]

Originally Posted by twin6

Early '29 model A Ford sport coupe. You can barely see the upper end of the landau bar to the left of uncle's neck, and the rear window fabric surround looks like it's fitted with a zipper. The taillight is a '28 carryover into early '29 (Henry loved to use up old parts). The sport coupe was not produced in '28 so that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Sorry to stray off topic but in 1928 Ford produced 79,099 Sport Coupes. I own one of them....

[twin6]

Originally Posted by sylvian

Sorry to stray off topic but in 1928 Ford produced 79,099 Sport Coupes. I own one of them....

Thanks Sylvian, the pie (humble) was tasty. Should have grabbed one of the dusty Ford books first, and spared us that hasty and erroneous post! I'm a business coupe owner (54A), and know those better but that's no excuse. The HAMB's great for setting the record straight once someone strays...

[twin6]

"Now hear this..."

[40two]

Originally Posted by starwalker

Thanks Carsten. My Dad was 91, a WWII veteran, and died healthy except his body finally gave up. My brother and I were both there along with my wife. He said good night to us about 11:30 PM and died sometime during the night in his sleep. He made sure we were in church, made sure we knew enough about being a mechanic that we wouldn't get ripped off, helped us get started in Scouting, drove his Lincoln Town Car until a few months ago, and had a good reputation wherever he went.

sound like he enjoyed the life which was given to him and really made the best of it! nice to know that you, wife, brother and companions are on earth! on my next time in my hometown church i'll send up some greetings up to him, be sure! i'm glad you joined him till there!

now i'm thinkin' 'bout my hometown, in April 1945, a young P51-pilot, David McKenzie (his Mustang was named "princess pat")







was accidentially shot down by a mission-returning B17. he hit the ground just about half a mile from my actual house.. it's a swamp area, so he survived the heavy crash. in 2009 some wreck diggers found out by a warbird discussion board that he's still alivea and sent some remains to the now 89 year old David McKenzie in his retirement home in Boston, MA.. wow!

[11E]

Originally Posted by 40two

sound like he enjoyed the life which was given to him and really made the best of it! nice to know that you, wife, brother and companions are on earth! on my next time in my hometown church i'll send up some greetings up to him, be sure! i'm glad you joined him till there!

now i'm thinkin' 'bout my hometown, in April 1945, a young P51-pilot, David McKenzie (his Mustang was named "princess pat")







was accidentially shot down by a mission-returning B17. he hit the ground just about half a mile from my actual house.. it's a swamp area, so he survived the heavy crash. in 2009 some wreck diggers found out by a warbird discussion board that he's still alivea and sent some remains to the now 89 year old David McKenzie in his retirement home in Boston, MA.. wow!

Is the tail number a bit of artistic guess? It indicates a '41 build (no P-51's then) and records indicate that was part of a block of A-20 Havoc variants (O-53 Heavy Observation version) from 41-3670 to 41-5158 that were never actually built due to a cancelled contract. Just wonderin'.

[40two]

Originally Posted by 11E

Is the tail number a bit of artistic guess? It indicates a '41 build (no P-51's then) and records indicate that was part of a block of A-20 Havoc variants (O-53 Heavy Observation version) from 41-3670 to 41-5158 that were never actually built due to a cancelled contract. Just wonderin'.

think you're right, i just googled for a P-51 named 'princess pat', didn't look for the historical correctness of this shot! but now we're talking i will do research for better details or some pictures, it sure was a P-51D..

thanks,

Carsten

[40two]

11E, now i got it:



Capt. Philip E Petitt, New York NY, 503rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-11325 D7-K "Princess Pat". Previously coded D7-W. This a/c was lost to “friendly fire” from a B-17 during the mission of 7 April 1945. Lt. David A MacKenzie, Medford MA, was the unfortunate pilot forced to spend about a month as a POW by the Big Friend.

the 'friendly fire' let this beauty come down just a ten minutes walk from me and there is to be told some remains just an inch below the grass...

[11E]

Originally Posted by 40two

11E, now i got it:



Capt. Philip E Petitt, New York NY, 503rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-11325 D7-K "Princess Pat". Previously coded D7-W. This a/c was lost to “friendly fire” from a B-17 during the mission of 7 April 1945. Lt. David A MacKenzie, Medford MA, was the unfortunate pilot forced to spend about a month as a POW by the Big Friend.

the 'friendly fire' let this beauty come down just a ten minutes walk from me and there is to be told some remains just an inch below the grass...

Bingo!


"44-11325 (339th FG, 503rd FS) lost Apr 7, 1945. MACR 13953"

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html

It's always nice to have the "real picture", historically. Wasn't trying to sharpshoot, but the "41" prefix caught my attention.

[hudson48]

Parked in your lounge room?

Originally Posted by sylvian

Sorry to stray off topic but in 1928 Ford produced 79,099 Sport Coupes. I own one of them....

[Rent A. Trip]

Cha Cha

[lordairgtar]

Originally Posted by yellerspirit

Nice pic of early Checker cars. Almost non existent now.

[Deuce Daddy Don]

Originally Posted by swi66

Johnstown PA 1906

"Good dog"!!----Just don't piss on my spokes!!

[40two]

Originally Posted by 11E

Bingo!


"44-11325 (339th FG, 503rd FS) lost Apr 7, 1945. MACR 13953"

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html

It's always nice to have the "real picture", historically. Wasn't trying to sharpshoot, but the "41" prefix caught my attention.

Hey, 11E, not sharpshooting at all, so i had the intention do dig a bit deeper in history!! thanks! this thread is my time machine. not far away from the spot where McKenzie hit the ground my r/c P 51 came down, too, now the wreck is a wallhanger two feet above my workbench.. (don't wanna post pic, it's o.t.)

[Deuce Daddy Don]

Originally Posted by 11E

Bingo!


"44-11325 (339th FG, 503rd FS) lost Apr 7, 1945. MACR 13953"

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_1.html

It's always nice to have the "real picture", historically. Wasn't trying to sharpshoot, but the "41" prefix caught my attention.

Caught my attention too!!---Of course NAA built P-51 mustangs in 1941!
We lived just 1 mile from where they built them!---All LAX area now.
I used to go to sleep(?) at night listening to the chatter of the '50s as they test fired each Mustang coming off the assembly line into the bunkers during WWII.
Following day the test pilots would fly out over the Pacific ocean & wring them out!
B-25 Mitchell's were also built there at North American Aviation facility.

[11E]

Originally Posted by 40two

11E, now i got it:



Capt. Philip E Petitt, New York NY, 503rd Fighter Squadron. P-51D 44-11325 D7-K "Princess Pat". Previously coded D7-W. This a/c was lost to “friendly fire” from a B-17 during the mission of 7 April 1945. Lt. David A MacKenzie, Medford MA, was the unfortunate pilot forced to spend about a month as a POW by the Big Friend.

the 'friendly fire' let this beauty come down just a ten minutes walk from me and there is to be told some remains just an inch below the grass...

You have to dig deep to find specific A/C, as a name like "Princess pat" is not really distinctive and was born by several planes. "PP" with markings of WR-R also fit the profile of 44-14704, which, inexplicably is not accounted for on Joe Baugher's excellent website. it falls neatly in here and is conspicuous by it's absence. I attribute this to faulty recollection as the USAAF and USAF were typically quite assiduous about accounting for their aircraft.

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/hauver.html


14702 (55th FG, 338th FS, "Miss Donna") lost Lhee near Tweelo, Netherlands Feb 24, 1945. MACR 12621. Pilot evaded. 14703 (67th TRW) crashlanded Mar 2, 1952. 14710 (352nd FG) lost Jan 4, 1945, pilot KIA.

This is not uncommon. As recently as Vietnam, I stridently recalled Typhoon Hester as being Typhoon Agnes, and my own Sqdn. CO swore that FireBase Fiddler's Green was round when my pics and others prove that it was square. That's why we all check each other on stories before putting "facts" to paper because anybody can recall anything incorrectly.
Rarely are mis-recollections deliberate, more often, they are genuine recall failures that have been perpetuated over time until someone else who was present pops up and can say "No, vehicle G-37 was actually this because here is a picture of it with me standing on it". Then there's always the issue of official military records being typed uin error (clerk typists aren't infallible, and just because the nat'l. Archives show a document that says "X" doesn't mean that Private Snuffy didn't type the doc up wrong where it becam part of the official record. Happens all the time. There is no substitute for a photo and testimony of someone documented to have served on that vehicle/aircraft/etc. to authenticate what all the markings were and meant. Thankfully, in most circles, this kind of detective work passes for "fun"

[lewislynn]

Originally Posted by yellerspirit

I've never seen one of those before, not even in the movies.

[11E]

Originally Posted by Deuce Daddy Don

Caught my attention too!!---Of course NAA built P-51 mustangs in 1941!
We lived just 1 mile from where they built them!---All LAX area now.
I used to go to sleep(?) at night listening to the chatter of the '50s as they test fired each Mustang coming off the assembly line into the bunkers during WWII.
Following day the test pilots would fly out over the Pacific ocean & wring them out!
B-25 Mitchell's were also built there at North American Aviation facility.

Did they indeed? I, for one, would be delighted to see any objective evidence that type classified P-51's were being produced prior to 1943 (and even that year it would be but a few...the bulk of P-51 production really begins in 1944). I suspect this would be news to any 8th AF members as well, who were struggling along with P-47 and P-38 escorts that couldn't go the distance. I can find no P-51 numbers that would match your assertion. A-36's with normally aspirated Allison engines do not qualify. NAA did a lot of ground fire testing of their various aircraft as you mention, but I believe a check of your memory vs. reality will reveal that what you were hearing in '41 was something other than what you think it was.
I will crawl on my belly in contrition if you can demonstrate that I'm incorrect about this.

[yellerspirit]

Originally Posted by lordairgtar

Nice pic of early Checker cars. Almost non existent now.

Steve has the keenest Checker knowledge I've ever come across! He knew a 1939 Checker Model A from the back window!

The above was all I had, and I wondered about the taxi, but Steve knew!

Not a good looking front, unique, but not good. The fenders and rear quarters are bad also. I knew I'd posted one years ago http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2009/06/before-big-boxy-taxi-checker-made-model.html With the flip of a switch, the electrically operated top goes into the trunk
This is the landaulet version of the Checker Model A, which was built from 1939 until Checker switched to war production in 1941. The back top was electrically operated and disappeared into the body. It also had a sun roof. During the war, Checker donated the body dies to be melted down and recycled for the war effort.
This is thought to be the only remaining survivor from the 1939-1941 Model A Checker taxi. Photos were taken at the Checker Car Club of America show in 2002 at the Gilmore Museum

A handful of unusual-looking snouts appeared on American vehicles during the late thirties but none matched the monstrosity that premiered on the 1939 Checker Model A. The equally bizarre Sharknose Graham is the only other vehicle that could hold a candle to the Model A.

Checker designer John H. Tuttle is credited with designing the Model A’s bodywork from the cowl back, but the identity of the person who designed the front end is the subject of much debate. Ray Dietrich served as a consultant to the firm starting in the late 30s, however he emphatically denied any involvement with the firm’s taxi designs rig up until his death.

Tuttle’s name also appears on the patents for the cars optional rear landaulet roof, and it’s probable that he also worked on the front end, however it’s entirely possible a third designer, perhaps even Morris Markin himself, designed the front end, whose main claim to fame was that it is so ugly, you could see it coming from up to half-a-mile away.

The headlights were modern oval units mounted to the front fenders in the typical fashion, however those beams were surrounded by massive chrome-plated art-moderne shields unlike any seen on any other vehicle. Body colored louvered valances provided cooling to the radiator which was hidden behind the solid beak that extender downwards from the center of the hood.
The short wheelbase Model A included a purpose-built 124-inch wheelbase chassis with a traditional solid front and live rear axles supported by longitudinal leaf springs. The independent front suspensions found on other manufacturer’s vehicles were easily knocked out of alignment and were far too fragile for taxicab use.

The Model A included a number of more practical innovations such as an automatic signal that alerted pedestrians when the cab was put into reverse, padded finger guards on the rear door edges and rear seats that were stuffed with synthetic rubber cushions.
The Model A was introduced mid-year and was powered by a Continental Red Seal Six, an engine that would become standard equipment until 1965 when the firm adopted a General Motors powerplant. The John H. Tuttle-designed sunroof and landaulet rear top were optionally available on either of the two available wheelbases.

A period review called the Model A:
"...the most radical innovation of the entire taxicab industry this year. Checker's disappearing top is attracting widespread attention in the larger cities where its Parmelee system fleets operate.... The all-metal landaulet can be opened or closed by the driver in 40 seconds, without moving from his seat...the cab is equipped with a glass roof that can be readily opened or closed by the driver at the will of his fare."

The model A was the last prewar Checker taxicab, and only a single survivor, a long-wheelbase model equipped with the landaulet roof, exists. At the start of the war Markin donated the Model A’s body dies to melted down for the war effort.

Info from and read all about the Check taxi cab manufacturer here http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/c/checker/checker.htm

[swi66]

Port Royal PA







Oil City PA

[swi66]