Since we are talking vintage aviation...

That belly drop tank on the Republic F-84F Thunderstreak pictured in the illustration with the B-36, my friend has one of those belly tanks, we got it from a local metal recycler that had it as a weather vane, the yard shut down and we bought it from him.

 

You guys really come up with some unique planes. All very interesting.
I too have become an enthusiast of the Ercoupe. I like the military painted ones my self.
Thanks for all the rides.

 

truly green.

 

RB 57F

 

Awesome looking 18.

 

Lots of man hours in the 25 and updated 18.

 

Hope this allowed, this is what I've been working on:
https://www.vintagewingsinc.com/



....and here she is today:


Long and interesting history of this WWII North Africa Vet! If you're on Facebook, check out the group page. It gets updated just about every day.

 

This is Bell XP-77, Top Secret even for a time after WW2. All molded plywood.
My Dad worked on this in WW2,it was for Army by Bell,but Dad was Navy,even before the war though he was a plywood specialist,they built 2 of them. Gov. bean counters would not give them the engine it was designed for.
Give a much smaller engine{had to add lead for balance too} an then bitch about it not going fast or high enough. Zero radar mark.
Wounder why ????

Alum thin skin was add to outer,for display end of war. One crashed,one just rotted away as a air base road marker out front in the 50s.

 

Ahh so you have fallen into the wonderful pit of passion, for the DC-3. I know how the addiction is. I have been an aviation nut since day one, and the DC-3 to me is the best aircraft ever designed for its time and for its purpose. Donald Douglas really nailed it, it instantly knocked the Boeing 247 out of the competition, and the rest is history. I am sure that your group has been in touch with Basler turbo conversions in Oshkosh Wisconsin, and probably with Buffalo Joe McBryan in Yellow Knife in Canada. The air-frames alone are now worth a lot more money than they have ever been, because of the turbo conversions. Your group is very lucky to have gotten your DC-3 for the amount of money that you all laid out. Very impressive group that you all have to get this grand lady of the sky's back to her original condition. This is a shot of the Basler shop in Oshkosh, its a very impressive operation and they produce a high quality product that lets the DC-3 continue to be a cost effective freight hauler world wide. The turbo conversion makes sense because the ability to have high octane fuel, to feed the Pratt and Whitney 1830's in remote places, literally just doesn't exist anymore. But with the advent of Jet-A fuel, it allows the DC-3 to be able to still get out to the very remote areas and function quite well. The artwork and photography is by me.

 

Washington crossing the Delaware with close air support.

 

You know, in the world of jets, there are only a few that have really caught my attention. Its a short list.
1. The original Northrup flying wing, the jet powered one, not the prop prototype.
2. The North American F-86 Saber Jet.
3. The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
4. The Lockheed F-104 Star-fighter.
5. The Lockheed SR-71
6. The Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ( AKA ) "Warthog "

The Warthog made the list, because simply there is nothing like it, that does the job it was designed for.
It has an amazing history.
I think its cool that George Washington was smart enough to choose the very best in close air support !

 

Top photo N928J was Jimmy Buffett’s. I was lucky enough to get a ride around Lakeland Florida in it during the Spring Sun-n-Fly-In event. It is now part of bar located just outside his restaurant at Universal Studios in Orlando.

 

Buffets plane was at Oshkosh the year I took these photographs. I never rode in Jimmy's plane but I did fly in the Albatross that belonged to Dennis Buhen, the guy that got Jimmy into the Grumman aircraft, awesome planes!

 

Clark Field. 1945

 

Bet it had a Ranger in it

 

Beautiful Waco and Stinson. Lippy