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Who Likes Aircraft ?

fwi.....Hi Man.....yeah,that one did get away didn't it? Was that in 70's? Pretty amazing what kind of hardware & technology could be picked up for in the day...
In mid 60's, North American A-T6/SNJ's lined the fence @ TUC & were being pawned for as little as a C note. Do You have a Bird under You presently? Only ticket i got was my solo on my 16th, but have always managed to find my way into a left seat occassionally throughout the years, i'm fond of Lockheed Twins, Beech 18's cuz i grew up in them, stockers to high mods equivalent to Learstars for the Locks.....in 75 i worked a minute for Hamilton A/C, who were doing the Westwind Beech 18, PT-6 turbine cargo conversions. Last plane built was a D model, but stretched 9.5 ft, split evenly fore & aft of spar & cabin raised 9". This one got Garret Dash Tens for push'n.....A/C was built for Connie Kalitta. Stop myself from rambling any further here for now.
..boy do i Love Airplanes
 
Can't believe I found some pics online...but, there she is.

Brew.jpg

Still miss my time on Brew. Six years, or so, as the engineman.
 
fwi said:
Many years ago I stopped into Buckeye airport in AZ because I spotted a Connie sitting there, so I got to talking the owner and he offered to sell me the L749 for $10K.......it did not have a current C of A and probably needed a lot more $$ to get it (safely)in the air but then again.....I still think of what a beauty it was, if only I had the money then!.
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Gosh!
What a deal!
Kind of like saying you saw a 70 Hemi Superbee back in 1985 for a "whopping" $15K
 
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning!
This airplane was Bad ***!
 

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Bladecutter said:
fwi.....Hi Man.....yeah,that one did get away didn't it? Was that in 70's? Pretty amazing what kind of hardware & technology could be picked up for in the day...
In mid 60's, North American A-T6/SNJ's lined the fence @ TUC & were being pawned for as little as a C note. Do You have a Bird under You presently? Only ticket i got was my solo on my 16th, but have always managed to find my way into a left seat occassionally throughout the years, i'm fond of Lockheed Twins, Beech 18's cuz i grew up in them, stockers to high mods equivalent to Learstars for the Locks.....in 75 i worked a minute for Hamilton A/C, who were doing the Westwind Beech 18, PT-6 turbine cargo conversions. Last plane built was a D model, but stretched 9.5 ft, split evenly fore & aft of spar & cabin raised 9". This one got Garret Dash Tens for push'n.....A/C was built for Connie Kalitta. Stop myself from rambling any further here for now.
..boy do i Love Airplanes
Click to expand...

Hi Blade, yes that was in 1977 or 78. I also worked in flight ops for several non scheds from 69 to 72...... TIA, Universal, World, Airlift. Trained as DC-8 F/E but was unable to pass FAA physical because of eye problems, but I did get to fly a lot in those wonderful stretch DC8-61's and 63's as observer and while in training.
A friend captain had me sit in the left seat (while he did paperwork at the Navigator station) on a flight from JFK to LAS while at cruise with 252 pax onboard....so we are sitting there cruising over the rockies and all of a sudden the aircraft starts banking left then right and back again..... crew realized it was the old INS (remember those) needing more waypoints! as those old INS's only held so many and when you don't add new ones, it will turn the plane around and head right back where it came from!
 
Hot off the press for you Airplane Mavens:

Here is one for you Tuck and 69a100 (John)
The Air Forces Newest Tanker Program's KC-46 "Pegasus" performing a In Flight Refuel test

Note: This Test took place on 27 Jan 2016 here at Edwards AFB

Yup, for you keen eyed fans that is the Sierra-Nevada's Mt. Whitney off in the distant.
 

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BTW: I have that KC-46A Air Refuel Test on video here at work but I cant seem to ZIP it for export.
 
Photon440!
awesome clip!

I never knew but Dr. Strangelove was actually supposed to be a "take-off" of Dr. Edward Teller, Father of the Hydrogen Bomb!
 
Bladecutter, I was involved in an effort to get a Howard Super Ventura airworthy again. It's been sitting derelict up in Chico, CA with no engines on it for years. We did a bit of work to it, but the owner got distracted with a free Lockheed PV-2D that he was given that we got flyable. It's now restored and on the west coast airshow circuit. I always wanted to get that Howard Super Ventura fly able again because it truly is an aerial hot rod! It beat the first Lear jet coast to coast because it was able to go nonstop with the wet wings it had. Gotta love the sound of twin Pratt & Whitney R-2800's. Incredible airplane.
 
Steve C , a Man of my Heart! The Man I know with # 14 Howard 500 told me of a Howard near Davis.... Chico is same area no? A Howie with no motors, George told me was a 250, the Lodestar conversion. I know I already said it, but there is still confusion amongst many. The 500 was not a Ventura comversion. Ventura was 350 Super Ventura.... There was one 400 built which was pressurization conversion on Super Ventura, where Dee & Ed realized They would have to build the airframes to achieve Their desired potential.... 500's fuse formers were every 6" and wings built wet, reshaped for higher altitude.... Sea level cabin @ 16k!
Steve, if You know of a 350 super, I would love to see some photos...... Out of 60 350's, I haven't been able to locate any. Came across a great story about one, briefly... DEA popped one hauling weed in mid 70's, requisitioned the bird for their own use and had a ball chasing down twin beech, twin bonanza, 206, DC-3 etc.... They painted it black, white cabin roof and trim colors were tasty layout, meant to look badder. Anyway not too long ago some bean counter pipes up & asks whatever happened to that 350 you guys confiscated & requisitioned? One cop looks under a lamp, another cop lofts paper work off his desk, they both scratch their heads and say to bean counter, "darn, it looks like we misplaced it. " That was the official quote that went into the official report.....
Some cop got himself a Super Ventura and has it stashed somewhere in this world. The 500 I'm connected with is for sale and it's a runner @ half TBO. Those are TWO stage blowers on those 2800's, lots of spares....
figure 1.5 - 2M to get back to C of A, but to go unlimited racing @ Reno....... Clay Lacy entered a DC-7 in 71 Cali 1000 unlimited @ Mojave, He placed 6 out of 16, flew the lowest and turned tighter than the A-26, throttled back when the warbirds had to pit. His avg was 325mph and winning Sea Fury was 344mph. Proves I can race my motorhome and a Howard 350 or a 500 would be formidable competition for Reno. Know anybody that can play this Bird(500) I'll get You hooked up with owner. Peace, bc
 
Bladecutter,
I don't have any pictures myself of the Super Ventura I worked on. I'll poke around and see if I can find something on it.
I do seem to recall hearing something along the lines of that story of the DEA and the Howard.
The super Ventura was very similar to the 500, basically a non-pressurized version of it, hence much lighter and faster. It also had a wet wing. Something on the order of 2200-2400 gallons usable fuel on board IIRC.
Your friend is correct, there is another Howard near Davis...its at Nut Tree airport in Vacaville. It is a converted lodestar and it was converted to tricycle gear (yuck). It's sitting derelict there currently. There's also a standard Lockheed lodestar sitting up at Yolo airport northwest of Davis that is currently getting worked on in preparation of ferrying it out.

The problem with running a Howard at Reno is its short-course racing, unlike the days of the Mojave races. It's not about endurance as much as out and out speed. I'm not sure a Howard would indeed be competitive there. They've raced Grumman F7F's at Reno in the unlimited class. Same power as a Howard in a smaller, lighter package. While they do well, they still can't quite hang with the top contenders.
 
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