Aviation BS and Photo Thread

Not as great of photos as the others in here. But I thought it would be fun to share how my dad's engines keep showing up in places OTHER than the wing, where they belong...
(Wish I could shrink them a bit)

First photo is of a P&W R-1830 Twin Wasp which punched a hole through a brick wall. His B-24 was hit over France, he made it back to the English coast, had his crew bail out, and he turned the bird to crash out in the English Channel. The fire on #3 & 4 was so fierce that the trimmed-in yaw couldn't hold it. The plane turned on its' own after dad bailed out, and it crashed in the town of Chichester. (11May44)
The city museum has a display about it (the card shown in 2nd photo below) and they make mention of the letters from the kids. All true. My mom used to read those letters to my siblings and me every year on the anniversary of the event.

The third & fourth photo is of the recent (Feb'24) recovery of his B-17's Wright R-1820 Cyclone from the bottom of Lake Muritz, Rechlin, Germany. The 88mm FLAK took his right wing off right after bombs away. Only two of eleven survived, one is still MIA, and the plane crashed into the lake. This 25Aug will mark the 80th anniversary of that event.
The reason it took so long to recover it was because the Russian Communists occupied that area for 7 decades. The museum in Rechlin is putting together a very nice display to be revealed this August. (fingers crossed - I will be there)

I was in Chichester for the 75th. I have a piece of that wall. You can still see the patch/scar in the wall. Rechlin says they will present me with a piece of the Cyclone. Can't wait!

B-24 Twin Wasp


B-17 Cyclone

Official mission photo

 

Great history. Thank you for sharing.

 

Visiting family in Colorado and checked out Centennial Airport. Really cool air traffic control tower.

 

Did you eat at the Perfect Landing while there? Flying into Centennial was by far the most memorable flight I had during my flight training. We stopped there to grab dinner before heading out again.

 

I didn't. Is it unique or extra special?

 

It was special, and appears to still be. A good good restaurant with amazing views of the airfield and Rockies.

https://theperfectlanding.com/

Part of the fond memory was a P51 flying a low approach over us as we were exiting the runway and then having it parked on the ramp in front of the restaurant as the sun set over the mountains. One of those moments where you just soak it all up.

 

Way back when...

At Denver Stapelton Airport, a great little restaurant was set up on the airport perimeter right at the fence line. One full wall of the restaurant was floor to ceiling glass looking out at the runways. Every table had a couple of headsets and tower frequency was dialed in. You could hear the chatter and watch the takeoffs & landings associated with it.

The best part was the food! Truly delicious.

The second best part was the atmosphere (other than runway view & sounds). The restaurant was the 94th Aero Squadron. The building was designed as a wee French farmhouse, complete with bicycles and hay bales. Half the roof and side looked as if it took an artillery shell or two. The bar was in the basement and the route to get there was lined with sandbags (bunker style). The waitresses all worn WW1 Nurse uniforms. On the walls hung all WW1 aircraft & military memorabilia. My new Bride & I went there on our honeymoon and returned every couple of months (lived in COS).

Sadly, it burned down while I was away on active duty. I miss it.

 

https://x.com/navalinstitute/status/1805977133967138975?s=46

 

https://x.com/airandspace/status/1806037455440634143?s=46

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade

 

https://x.com/giniesigonney/status/1806180827891405165?s=46

 

"Wrong Answers Only"

P-61, FW 190, P-75

 

I think it's pretty cool that they have converted many of the P51s to two seaters. It would be awesome to hitch a ride in one someday.

 

Camaro, Seagull plane, Two-Tails

 

I just love me an F2A!
The P-39 is not bad either.

 

Car, bird, storm

 

Haha.

'Twin boom, twin engine'



'canted at wing root'



(kinda a stretch, the corsair is pretty unique in that wing root cant)

'supercharger intake at bottom'

 

A shout out to EAA Chapter 92 (Orange Co. CA) and their volunteers and pilots for hosting Young Eagles @ Chino Airport today. Also a shout out to Yanks Air Museum for hosting the event. Today my 14 year old got to right seat an SR22 (very nice). Also pictures from the Yanks Museum. Both Yanks Air Museum and Planes of Fame are at the Chino CA airport, both support Young Eagles and both are fantastic.

 

Nice Beech staggerwing

 

https://x.com/navalinstitute/status/1808274505720107138?s=46