Small Scale Military Headquarters

On January 6th, the Planes of Fame was celebrating it's 50th anniversary with a huge monthly event. The museum holds 'themed' monthly events on aviation which usually includes a seminar by pilots/veterans relating to the topic, and then a flight demonstration over the museum by a warbird that relates to the topic as well. For the 50th, they went all out and put on a mini airshow sending many of our most famous planes into the air. It was fantastic! I was told a few days earlier there might be a camera ship in the air, and that I'd be able to fly in it to take photos. I was very excited because I knew we'd be sending up a lot of planes. The longest air-to-air shoot I've been on was in the B-25J Mitchell bomber last May, and that lasted about an hour and 15 minutes. I was told shortly before strapping in to the twin engine baron this time that the estimated flight time would be 2 hours in the air. Wow! I was so excited, I love any type of flying, and the more time in the air the better! What I had forgot... during air-to-air shoots we just make left hand turn orbits for the entire flight time as the planes meet up with us and fly away. So, we ended up spending 2 and a half hours making left hand turns over the airport. Over and over and over and over. I don't get airsick, but by the hour and a half mark, I think we were feeling the nautiousness start to set in. By the end of the flight, we were ready for mother earth But it was a great flight, and SO many warbirds formed up on us!

We had the following form up with us:
- Two North American P-51D Mustangs (called 'Spam Can' and 'Wee Willy II') - World War 2 fighters.
- A Vought F4U-1A Corsair - World War 2 pacific war fighter.
- A Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat - Post-World War 2 pacific war fighter.
- A Curtis P-40N Warhawk - World War 2 fighter used in the European and Pacific theaters.
- A Supermarine Spitfire MK IX - World War 2 British (RAF) fighter.
- A Boeing P-26A Peashooter - A very very post-WW1 early monoplane (single wing) plane.
- A Republic P-47G Thunderbolt (called 'No Guts, No Glory') - Famous European theater fighter.

PHOTOS ARE © BRITT DIETZ AND MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION.

<P><B>North American P-51D Mustangs ------------</B></p><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><B>North American P-51D Mustang 'Spam Can' ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 3.jpg"></P>
<P><B>North American P-51D Mustang 'Wee Willy II' ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Vought F4U-1A Corsair ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><B>F4U-1A Corsair and F8F-2 Bearcat ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 3.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Curtis P-40N Warhawk ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><B>P-40N Warhawk and Spitfire MK IX ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Supermarine Spitfire MK IX ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Boeing P-26A Peashooter ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><B>Republic P-47G Thunderbolt 'No Guts, No Glory' ------------</B></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 1.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 2.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 3.jpg"></P>
<P><IMG src="http://www.bobafettmp.com/Temp/photos/f ... 4.jpg"></P>

WOW, very nice, thanks.

Awesome pics!!

Amazing.. Not sure whether the planes or the photography are more impressive.

Britt, are those two-seat trainers or modified single seaters?

Thanks Britt,
We always appreciate seeing the real thing, since most of us only see XD.

You've got a tough job there buddy!

Love the Pics - thanks for showing them.

OUTSTANDING---THANKS for the pics!!! ---RED---

I am so digging that bearcat Britt.

Mark

Cool pics thank god I got DSL in time.

Great pics and awesome you got to fly in the B-25! When will they take the ME-262 up

Grunt1, actually, they are not trainers. Behind the pilot, as we all have seen in the XD aircraft, there's the HUUUUUUUUUUUGE radio system. Since now we have very very small radios that can fit in the cockpit dash, there's no need for the back radio anymore. So, by removing the radio, we can put a very cramped seat back there for 'museum member supported flights.' It's realllllly a tight squeeze, but heck... you're flying in a P-51D Mustang, I don't think anymore minds! Our P-51s, P-38, P-40, Corsair, and a couple other aircraft have this.

p51 wrote:Grunt1, actually, they are not trainers. Behind the pilot, as we all have seen in the XD aircraft, there's the HUUUUUUUUUUUGE radio system. Since now we have very very small radios that can fit in the cockpit dash, there's no need for the back radio anymore. So, by removing the radio, we can put a very cramped seat back there for 'museum member supported flights.' It's realllllly a tight squeeze, but heck... you're flying in a P-51D Mustang, I don't think anymore minds! Our P-51s, P-38, P-47, P-40, Corsair, and a couple other aircraft have this.

P51
Iwould like to see the back seat of the Corsair, do you have any pics?

Unfortunatly no. I'll see if I can snap a shot when I'm next out at the museum.

thank you very much.

p51 wrote:It's realllllly a tight squeeze, but heck... you're flying in a P-51D Mustang, I don't think anymore minds! Our P-51s, P-38, P-47, P-40, Corsair, and a couple other aircraft have this.

Makes perfect sense, and hell no.. I don't think anyone would mind and if they did... I'll take their spot!

There is a new museum out my way that started doing guest flights. They have a lot of trainers they use and for some reason haven't converted any of their standard corsairs or mustangs to a two seater. As soon as they do..