Ready for a little red, white and blue today? Well, no pyrotechnics, but here we go!
“Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At ’em boys, Give ‘er the gun! (Give ‘er the gun now!)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing’ll stop the Army Air Corp!”
Well, I’ve said it before. For me, few things are sweeter in this life than the sound of an angry Rolls Royce Merlin engine — especially when it’s flying through the skies as part of a P-51 North American Mustang. Luckily, living just outside of the approach to the flight path of our local airport (Livermore), I get to hear that on a somewhat regular basis.
Why? Well, I’m gonna tell ya! Thanks to a couple of gentleman out here, this happens on a frequent basis. The first is Stu Eberhardt, with “Merlin’s Magic.” And the plane carries it’s own form of a hidden Mickey (okay so it’s out in plain view) with the Sorcerer’s Apprentice just ahead of the name on the side of the engine cowlings! The next is Duane Doyle, with “Red Dog XII.” Thanks guys!
When it comes to airplanes, I have a thing for World War II aircraft of all kinds. But the P-51 Mustang holds a favorite place in my heart. That comes from attending the Reno National Championship Air Races off and on for more than twenty years. That has included everything from sitting in the general admission grandstands to enjoying the pits with aircraft getting ready to race to sitting in a VIP box just behind the flight line with good friends to spending a week doing coverage for a community access video project. Thanks to the good folks at Pylon1, even if I can’t make the trip, there is always plenty of great coverage of the event.
And if you really want to get into this, here’s one for sale! Just what everyone should have!
One of the most impressive sights I recall from years past was a massed fly-by of P-51 Mustangs and a B-17 Boeing Flying Fortress. In formation in the skies above Stead Field, it was something impressive.
Out of thousands of airplanes built during the war, only a mere handful survive today. Those that do fly keep alive the spirits of the men and women used them as tools of freedom in our defense during those uncertain times. Of all the 12,700 B-17’s produced, only 14 survive today in flyable condition, with 4 more under restoration to flying condition, 6 in storage and 4 more known to be waiting for recovery — two under the icecap in Greenland (where they will most likely stay) and two more in Papea New Guinea.
Thanks to a great non-profit group, the sights and sounds of the B-17 are heard around the country during the spring and summer months. The Collings Foundation keeps ’em flying! Their B-17G, affectionately known as the “Nine-O-Nine” may not have seen combat duty during the war, but she brings the memories of those days with her where ever she lands. It is not uncommon to find someone who flew on a plane of this type during the war around during one of the tour stops. These folks are worth a listen if you get the chance.
“Nine-O-Nine” recreates what could be called an every man in service during the war. From the web page for the aircraft: “The original “Nine-O-Nine” was assigned to combat on February 25, 1944. By April 1945, she had made eighteen trips to Berlin, dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs, and flown 1,129 hours. She had twenty-one engine changes, four wing panel changes, fifteen main gas tank changes, and 18 Tokyo tank changes (long-range fuel tanks). She also suffered from considerable flak damage.
After European hostilities ceased, “Nine-O-Nine”, with its six-hundred patched holes, flew back to the United States. While the rigors of war never stopped the historic “Nine-O-Nine”, she succumbed at last to the scrappers guillotine, along with thousands of other proud aircraft.”
Along with the B-17, you can also expect a B-24J Consolidated Liberator, known either as “All-American” or “The Dragon and His Tail” to be on hand. Out of over 18,000 Liberators built, I know of only three that could be considered flyable, and only this one does so on a regular basis.
But, harking back to what this series of columns is all about, what would you think about the chance to go for a flight in one of these two beauties? Well for the right price, you can do just that! For a tax-deductible donation of only $400, you can enjoy a thirty-minute flight.
Last year, while I wasn’t able to afford that amount (I did buy a few souvenir t-shirts), I was able to let some folks know about the opportunity who could. They both flew out from Livermore aboard the “Nine-O-Nine” on late afternoon flights. At an altitude of about two thousand feet, they enjoyed a fine flight across the San Ramon and Livermore valleys before heading toward Mt Diablo and a quick pass over the Diablo Valley. Huge smiles were evidence of a great experience for both.
“Nine-O-Nine” doing what it does best: taking folks for a flight above San Francisco’s
famed Golden Gate Bridge. Photo from the Collings Foundation.
The Collings Foundation is not alone in offering experiences of this kind.
Others include the Experimental Aircraft Association and their B-17G, “Aluminum Overcast” touring the Midwest, East and Southern States, also offering flight experiences ($300 for members of EAA or $395 for non-members) and the opportunity to purchase a limited edition B-17 flight jacket to commemorate your flight.
The opportunities to enjoy a flight experience are not limited to heavy bombers of World War II. Many other types of vintage aircraft are available around the globe. Check out this link for some of the other possibilities awaiting you.
Looking for something a bit more tame? Maybe something back to the days of bi-planes and barnstorming? How about the Vintage Aircraft Company of Sonoma, California? Scenic rides of the Sonoma Valley without aerobatics last 15 to 20 minutes and can be yours for only $120 for one passenger or $170 for two!
Stallion 51 offers a chance to take the controls of a rare twin place or training P-51 Mustang. An Orientation Flight includes a preflight briefing, the flight and then a post-flight briefing — complete with a video of your flight as a souvenir. Their web pages don’t list a price, but if you’re as crazy as I am about the P-51, this might be just the thing for you.
So how about something international? Why not try your hand at Air Combat? Warbird Aviation of Brisbane, Australia offers the chance to try your hand in Korean War era T-28 propeller driven trainers. The T-28 is in my opinion the nosiest trainer out there, and looks to be just a whole lot of fun to fly.
And if you really have it bad, say have seen “Top Gun” one too may times, here’s what you’ve been looking for! Fly the top of the line Soviet fighters in Moscow! FlyMig.Com has packages to get your blood pumping in no time flat!
Here’s what a package includes:
– Single-entry Russian visa.
– Round trip transportation to and from airport/hotel.
– 5 days and 4 nights accommodation at the Hotel with highest European accommodation standards.
– Excursion to the State museum of Air Forces in Monino.
– City tour around Moscow, visit to the museum.
– Round trip transportation to and from Zhukovsky Military airbase/Hotel.
– Security clearance at air base.
– Pre-flight training and planning.
– Pre-flight medical check.
– Approximately 30 minutes flight.
– Certificate after the flight confirming the achievements.
And you get to try out your choice of aircraft from the L-39 trainer (at only $3,200) or the MiG-29 ($8,700) or the Su-27 (a deal at $11,000!) Those last two are current front line fighters, so you know this is going to be hot.
So there you have it! Another batch of things you thought you couldn’t do, but you certainly can!
So? What’s next in the series? Well, Roger is contemplating the choices… But among the options, how about spending a night in a real castle? Or joining the folks going fast and making left turns at a NASCAR speedway? Why not look for adventure on the open prairies? Steam along on the water at a leisurely pace? Maybe even take on the role of a childhood hero as volunteer firefighter? All this and more coming in future columns!
Thanks again to everyone who has used Roger’s Amazon Honor System Pay Box and shared a buck or two! You keep him plugging away to bring more goodies for the next week!