The Randy Sohn memorial airplane thread

[Steve C.]

The Confederate Commemorative Air Force will be in St. Louis the last part of August.  This is about 30 minutes from where I live.  Anyone that thinks they might make it, let me know.  Next best thing to a tractor pull.

They're bringing Fifi (B-29), Diamond Lil (B-24). Gunfighter (P-51), a Stearman, a Texan, and an Expediter.  They're offering tours and rides in all the planes.

If you click on "Schedule" on the page linked below, it'll tell you the other locations of the tour.

National Air Tour of Historic WWII Aircraft

https://www.airpowersquadron.org/st-louis-mo?fbclid=IwAR02QhiuiRynALrk0iLI_jsMKktC3xxXvlgd8bTQOPYkDKd_32A3S7Lzbe8

[hardtail]

Flight in a P51 would be bucket list for me ♥️

[twostepn2001]

Last weekend they had the SNJ Texan and JRB Expediter along with the B-29 Doc at the WASP (Women Air Service Pilots) Museum at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas giving rides. Also had the great-granddaughter of one of the Wasp's doing a photo shoot dressed as her great-grandmother.

[TomH]

😊

[sandhiller]

Ok

Their is a plane in this pic.

You will have to zoom in to find it.

Just above horizon? center of pic

Best I could do with my phone.

She flew by while I was fencing.

Prop plane by the sound, at least 4 engines???

Appeared OD green from a distance.

Did not show a signature on my flight radar.

At same time their was an Air Force 747  from Offutt? headed NW

and an Army Blackhawk maybe Denver? To Ellis?

Anyway it's raining, I'm wet and wanting to dry off in the Ranger a bit.

May not be able to tell from the too far away pic.

The big tail stood out to me but I'm far from knowledgeable.

 

[Steve C.]

This would be quite an experience.

 

[Steve C.]

 

[Ian Beale]

Seems to fit here -

"Interesting news for aviation and military history buffs"

Remanufacturing Catalina PBY amphibians

https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2023/07/interesting-news-for-aviation-and.html

And another "old is new again"

“Basler conversion revives DC-3 beyond its 75th birthday”

https://www.flightglobal.com/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birthday/97499.article

[mike newman]

10 hours ago, Ian Beale said:

Seems to fit here -

"Interesting news for aviation and military history buffs"

Remanufacturing Catalina PBY amphibians

https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2023/07/interesting-news-for-aviation-and.html

And another "old is new again"

“Basler conversion revives DC-3 beyond its 75th birthday”

https://www.flightglobal.com/basler-conversion-revives-dc-3-beyond-its-75th-birthday/97499.article

Interesting re the   PBY    aircraft....In Dad's first log book, he recorded      flying the New Zealand Governer General, around the extensive NZ coastline...this not long after WW2   started.....I cannot recall the rather cryptic comment from Dad, re the vexed issue of ''defending ''   our , for the main, deserted   coast line......

Mike

[hardtail]

On 5/17/2023 at 6:14 PM, sandhiller said:

Ok

Their is a plane in this pic.

You will have to zoom in to find it.

Just above horizon? center of pic

Best I could do with my phone.

She flew by while I was fencing.

Prop plane by the sound, at least 4 engines???

Appeared OD green from a distance.

Did not show a signature on my flight radar.

At same time their was an Air Force 747  from Offutt? headed NW

and an Army Blackhawk maybe Denver? To Ellis?

Anyway it's raining, I'm wet and wanting to dry off in the Ranger a bit.

May not be able to tell from the too far away pic.

The big tail stood out to me but I'm far from knowledgeable.

 

Prop, 4 engines, big tail and military colors maybe a Hercules?

[sandhiller]

1 hour ago, hardtail said:

Prop, 4 engines, big tail and military colors maybe a Hercules?

Seems like I have seen an increase in military aircraft since this spring. 

Training or transport I'm guessing 

I sit in the flight path of at least three air bases. 

[twostepn2001]

Found this pic of a B-36, B-52 and a B-58 in formation over Carswell AFB in Ft. Worth, Texas in 1958. Then 60 years later, my step-daughter took a similar pic of a B-1B, B-2 and a B-52 over Dyess AFB in Abilene, Texas at a airshow in 2018. Just kind of ironic l thought.

[Rick G.]

Hey there Guy, how ya doin’? Great pics. 
Some time back around the mid 1960s I think it was, my Dad took us to an open house at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Man did they pull out all the stops. Some of the planes I can remember them flying demos with were- B-58A Hustler, one loud momma in afterburner. B-47E Stratojet, B-52F Stratofortress, KC-135A Stratotanker, F-106A Delta Dart, F-101 Voodoo (can’t remember what model) F-100C Super Saber, and other planes, including a couple big cargo planes. That was a show. I got to sit in the cockpits of a KC-135 and a B-52 as well.

Those were the good old days. What a thrill for a kid.

On occasion, in the 1960s, B-58s would fly over our farm in southeast Michigan, up at a higher altitude, but you could tell they were B-58s, out of Bunker Hill AFB in Indiana. Bunker Hill AFB later became Grissom AFB.

Once in my life, I apparently saw a B-36 in flight, although I honestly can’t remember it. My Dad told me about how when I wasn’t quite 3 years old, he took me outside the house to see a B-36 flying over our farm at altitude. He said he could hear it coming a long ways off.

He told me how he pointed it out to me up in the sky and how I watched it intently while he kept telling me what it was. Lol. Man I wish I could remember that. But I guess I can claim I once saw an actual B-36 in flight, according to my Dad. Lol. So this would have been summer of 1958, shortly before I turned 3. 

[TomH]

From the airshow at Owls Head Maine the other week.  C47 and a TBM Avenger.

[Steve C.]

On 7/26/2023 at 1:33 PM, hardtail said:

Prop, 4 engines, big tail and military colors maybe a Hercules?

That would be my guess too, especially way out from any large airports.

They used to fly low-level training missions out of Rosecrans Field in St. Joe, MO.   It appeared as though they were using our house as a landmark.  I was running the planter one day, cap pulled down, headphones on, ROPS canopy overhead, D360 talking through a straight pipe, watching what I was doing, when a great big shadow went right over me. 

I looked up and there was a big ol' C130 going right over me.  Don't know his altitude but I'd guess well under 500 feet.  Gave me quite a start.

[Steve C.]

.

 

[Ian Beale]

I'm assuming that Randy would approve

"Test Pilot | Where US fighters failed over Europe"

Sound barrier effects in some detail so follow it through to the end.  

If you've ever seen mention that the Spitfire was the fastest diving aeroplane of the day it explains why.

The pilot talking of the WW2 testing is Eric "Winkle" Brown   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Brown_(pilot)

 

 

 

[Steve C.]

 

[twostepn2001]

The only example of the XC-99 was put into service and made its first operational flight in July 1950. It was used as part of Operation Elephant in which it broke a record by transporting 101,266 lb of cargo, a majority of which included engine parts and propellers for the B-36, from San Diego to Kelly Air Force Base in Texas.
The XC-99 would go on to break its own record in August 1953 when it transported 104,000 lb worth of cargo from Kindley Air Force Base in Bermuda to Rhein-Main Air Force base in Germany via the Azores islands. The unusual design features of the XC-99 prompted many public spectators to turn out to watch it during the journey.

[Steve C.]

Thought some of you guys would appreciate this:

 

[hardtail]

B58 is a cool looking plane wonder if the Canadian govt handed over plans from the Avro Arrow?

[sandhiller]

I always smile when I see this thread title back on the front page, remembering Randy's contributions and him sharing his very interesting life. 

Thanks guys for keeping it active!

[jeeper61]

Some think 13 is a unlucky number 

 

[Steve C.]

The Brits build some of the most beautiful aircraft ever, and they also built some of the most - unusual - ones.  This one was rather unusual.

 

 

[mader656]

Seemed like a good place to re add my kids first flights.