"The list"

[Sacha]

Man, if you don't get chills up your spine when a Corsair takes off at an air show or does a low pass, you are in the wrong line of work. I still can't imagine what it must have been like to takeoff and land one of those off a Carrier!

I grew up with all these friends of my Dads hanging around the house or out at the local airport. Most were QB's dating back to just after the War. P47 guys, B17's. One was an Original SR-71 test pilot. I wanted to ask a lot of questions, hear some stories but I thought I should be seen and not heard so I kept quiet.
Now they are all gone and I wished I had asked for stories. I know they would have been happy to. Oh well.

 

[Dan Roman]

I probably sound like I'm telling yarns here, but for anyone that knows me it's all verifiable. So here's another. In the last couple of years I just found out I have a neighbor here in Hawaii that was a member of the 352nd "Blue Nose Bastards of Bodney. He was a P51 ace. Sandy Moats.

I saw a show about the battle of Y29 and low and behold there he was.
Again, lot of living history around and we are fortunate that we can still meet and talk with them.

 

[Dan Roman]

Man, if you don't get chills up your spine when a Corsair takes off at an air show or does a low pass, you are in the wrong line of work. I still can't imagine what it must have been like to takeoff and land one of those off a Carrier!

No kidding, my Dad went from instructing in the BT 19 and AT 6 into the Corsair. They said go taxi it around for awhile and when your comfortable, fly it. Well that's what he did, he said he was going through 3000' before he realized the gear was still down!

 

[Sacha]

Too funny. I can only imagine. Then I get snapped back to reality when I have an Ops Agent tell me that until the door is closed, she owns my Aircraft and its up to her who rides my jumpseat, not me. What the hell happened?

 

[jonjuan]

I probably sound like I'm telling yarns here, but for anyone that knows me it's all verifiable. So here's another. In the last couple of years I just found out I have a neighbor here in Hawaii that was a member of the 352nd "Blue Nose Bastards of Bodney. He was a P51 ace. Sandy Moats.

I saw a show about the battle of Y29 and low and behold there he was.
Again, lot of living history around and we are fortunate that we can still meet and talk with them.

Yawn. Move on, geezers.

 

[jonjuan]

Too funny. I can only imagine. Then I get snapped back to reality when I have an Ops Agent tell me that until the door is closed, she owns my Aircraft and its up to her who rides my jumpseat, not me. What the hell happened?

What happened? You forgot to tape up your colostomy bag.

 

[vetrider]

Yawn. Move on, geezers.

I beg to differ, this thread took a definite turn for the better. A rare and pleasant occurrence. Who can't relate to and/or appreciate Dan's story about his dad and the Corsair? Good stuff.

 

[Sacha]

Do you suppose any young Aviators will ever tell stories about when they met this really cool Pilot named "jonjuan" and how he inspired them with his great tales of flying......

I don't.....

 

[fob727]

Agreed!

 

[808pilot]

find your local QB hangar and have a member invite you for a meeting... lots of legends with stories that make us younger guys feel like pussies... the honolulu hangar is killer... handful of aces and generals as well airline guys from way back....
Dan let me know if you ever wanna go...

 

[Dan Roman]

Thanks I'll PM you

 

[SIG600]

Too funny. I can only imagine. Then I get snapped back to reality when I have an Ops Agent tell me that until the door is closed, she owns my Aircraft and its up to her who rides my jumpseat, not me. What the hell happened?

How'd that work out for her?

find your local QB hangar and have a member invite you for a meeting... lots of legends with stories that make us younger guys feel like pussies... the honolulu hangar is killer... handful of aces and generals as well airline guys from way back....
Dan let me know if you ever wanna go...

So true.

 

[HAL]

find your local QB hangar and have a member invite you for a meeting... lots of legends with stories that make us younger guys feel like pussies... the honolulu hangar is killer... handful of aces and generals as well airline guys from way back....
Dan let me know if you ever wanna go...

808 is right. I've seen too many young 'hot shots' not give a hoot about the history and living legends all around them in aviation. If you ignore what these guys have to say, you're not only missing out on some valuable information and priceless characters, you're a moron too. You should just leave the industry with your backpack and iPod dragging down the concourse behind you!

HAL