# Chance encounters with Warbirds...



## FAC (Aug 31, 2006)

I thought maybe we could talk about the times we have seen Warbirds at places other than orgainized events. I always enjoy these chance encounters more that viewing a public display.

Growing up in the 60's, I lived near enough to Republic Field on Long Island, NY to see quite a few warbirds in flight. They flew Hellcats on a regular basis, a B-17 G with a lifeboat attached, AT-6's galore and many others. It was the noise of radial engines that first gave them away and it seems that sweet noise never leaves.

Today, I was at our County airport fixing a computer, as I left the building I looked out over the field and above the roof of a low building I saw the un-mistakable rudders of a B-25. As I walked towards them-(like a bee to honey)- a B-17 G was sitting there also, my pace quickened. Then that noise, I look down the runway and here comes a B-24 on final, I have never seen one in operation. The driver taxied that plane right between the B-25 B-17, did a 180 pretty as you please and shut down. It was not an orgainized event, they were on their way to some airshow and this was just a stopover, very few people there. But there was atleast one Vet there, a Navigator with the 15th AF, Dressed in his Uniform, he described to us his shootdown, the plane exploded and he was blown out. He evaded with the aid of the OSS and partisans, eventually he returned.

Since my dad flew 50 missions in both the B-24 and the B-17 with the 15th, seeing those aircraft and talking with that Vet was a stiring event for me.

Doug


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## evangilder (Aug 31, 2006)

Cool stuff, Doug. It sounds like the Collings foundation on their final leg of their summer tour. They have been touring this year with those three aircraft.


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## quayhog (Sep 1, 2006)

About 1978-79 at Sacramento Executive airport there was an aerial photography company that had two photo version P-38's. I saw them fly a few times. Sacramento Exec also had an adjacent duster strip that operated TBF's as crop dusters. 

I currently reside in southern California and I've seen some of Chino's museum aircraft operating near VCV (SBD, P-51, B-25) .


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## redcoat (Sep 1, 2006)

About 18 (?) years ago I was up a ladder painting the window frames of my house when a USAAF A-10 flew over at around 1,000 ft, I nearly fell off


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## loomaluftwaffe (Sep 1, 2006)

well, because my country is so ****in poor all i see are some old Phil. Airlines DC-3s turned into homes (for people, animals, bugs, etc)


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## syscom3 (Sep 1, 2006)

Occasionaly I see (and hear) the B25 and B17 based at Orange County/John Wayne airport fly over my house as it enters the approach pattern.


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

I've been pretty lucky, worked at Mojave airport, a warbird mecca. Just about every flying warbird has been through there. Actually sat in a number of WW2 warbirds, flown in a PBY and C-47 and worked on a bunch of early jets. 

Locally there's a Spitfire, P-51, several T-6s, a Vampire and a Mig-17.


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## evangilder (Sep 1, 2006)

Any chance of you posting a pic of that Vampire, Joe?


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

evangilder said:


> Any chance of you posting a pic of that Vampire, Joe?


Actually it was a Venom (my mistake). Here's a photo...


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## pbfoot (Sep 1, 2006)

I'm blessed with Russells 109' Spit, and Hurri the CWH Lanc ,and Cat,plus the Lizzie soon . Plus an abundance of every type of aircraft doing laps over the Falls so much so that I know when to look up just by the sound . Got flocks of helicopters and am about 7 miles away from Niag Falls AFRES/Ang base with 130's and 135's . Because of the traffic there are VFR routes for sightseeing with altitudes depending on weight and speed. And followed by the question what type of 130 is this?


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## k9kiwi (Sep 1, 2006)

We live down the coast from Ardmore airfield in Auckland, home to the Warbirds society. Welcome to the NZ Warbirds Association.

They use our area for training and build ups for shows, so we get free airshows all year round.  

C-47
Harvards (bout 8 of them)
Spitfire
P-40
P-51
PBY
Tiger Moth
de Havilland Beaver
de Havilland Devon (used for Nav and EWO training in the past)
Aorespace Airtrainer (what we used to call the "Plastic Rat" in the RNZAF)
YAK 52
Polikarpov
BAC Strikemaster
Vampire
Hawker Hunter
A4K (still fly them every now and then these days for check outs from Blenhiem)

The trick with the old Airtrainer is it has a naturally aspirated carb, an airshow trick was to fly two across the airfield. As they came over the field at around 50 to 60 feet, one would flip over top of the other upside down.

The down side is simple. You got 29 seconds to be back upright before the fuel cuts out.

Also at Ardmore is the Mosquito build up. This is not a restoration but a full build using salvaged parts from many airframes. A guy out west Auckland spent years making the molds required for forming the shells.

And we have F-86 restorations going on to static display standard. Next time I am out there with my son i will snapp some pics for you all.


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

pbfoot said:


> what type of 130 is this?


I think it's a KC-130


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

Here's my former part time employer...

Mojo Jets


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## pbfoot (Sep 1, 2006)

Then whats that between the outer engines and the big fuel tanks and there is a bulge on the port aft side of the fuselage I've never seen one before


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

pbfoot said:


> Then whats that between the outer engines and the big fuel tanks and there is a bulge on the port aft side of the fuselage I've never seen one before


Refueling pods. The buldge I think carries either another refueling drogue, staging lights or chaff dispensers. 





Navair


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## timshatz (Sep 1, 2006)

Was flying out of N57 about 5 years ago. Working on the bird I owned that had a cranky radial. Tinkering with this and that, trying to get it to turn over. Had to get it out of there before an air show the next day. 

Anyway, the day before the airshow, they usually brought all the Warbirds in (locally known as the "Real" airshow before the paying public showed up) and most of the guys would do a once over just for fit before doing the real deal the next day. One dude had a P51 that used to show up and he did it that day. 

I've got the cowling off, the tail of the bird I'm working on is pointed towards the runway (about 15ft from the tail) and I'm working facing up the active with a friend of mine on the other side of the bird working on the other side. I looked past him and saw the 51 drop into the pattern a good mile or two out. Said, "Hey, go back to the tail and let take a look at the rudder hinges while I fiddle with the peddals" (no problem, I just wanted to position him back there for when the Mustang went by). He gets back there about the same time the 51 crosses the threshold hauling *** about 10 feet off the runway. I look at my friend and point at the now closing Mustang. He turns (the thing was going so fast it really wasn't making much sound) and locks onto it about 30ft away (and closing). AND THAT DUDE WAS HAULING! He blows by us (still right on the deck) about 20 ft away and pulls up at the end of the runway in a slow roll. Look back at my friend and his eyes were the size of grapefruits--but he was grinnin' like a fool. 

Usually, at airshows, the fly bys are out in the middle of the field and pretty sedate. This was close enough to catch a load of propwash and heat from the engine. One of the best (and shortest) airshows I've ever seen.


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)




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## pbfoot (Sep 1, 2006)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Refueling pods. The buldge I think carries either another refueling drogue, staging lights or chaff dispensers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I can't find any other pics with those huge outer tanks


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## Gnomey (Sep 1, 2006)

The best chance one I had was when we were down on Loch Tay and a Spitfire flew straight up the Loch fairly low, gutted I didn't have my camera...


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

pbfoot said:


> I can't find any other pics with those huge outer tanks


Neither can I but my boss has a painting of one in his office refueling 2 special ops Jolly Greens....


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## pbfoot (Sep 1, 2006)

And all the refuelling prones on the KC's seem to come out of the rear of the outer tank


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## FLYBOYJ (Sep 1, 2006)

GOT IT! It's an MC-130H "Talon II." 







Wing Aircraft


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## evangilder (Sep 1, 2006)

Nice shot of the Venom, Joe.

Down at KCMA, we get plenty of action. Bill Reeseman has both his MiG-15 and 17 there. There are about a dozen T-28s at the far end of the field near an EC-121 (Militarized Constellation). There are several civilan owned CJs, Mustang and a couple of PZL Iskras. There is a wide variety and vintage of Cessnas and Beechcrafts as well as some cool ones like the Ercoupe. There is at least one Stearman there.

Then the CAF has the Bearcat, Hellcat, Wildcat (on and off), T-34, several T-6/SNJs, Spitfire, PBJ, Mustang, C-46, C-131 and a static Yak-3. Add to the mix a couple next door and on our ramp, a vintage Martin 404 airliner, B-25 and a Percival Prentice.

There are others that I am sure I have forgotten, but we get regular fly ins from Santa Paula and Van Nuys, which also have an extensive amount of vintage birds.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 2, 2006)

down here we never get any warbirds, and it's very rare to see any modern military aircraft other than helicopters going to RNAS Culdrose, other than those on exercise on Bodmin Moor... although out on dartmoor we did see an F-15 once.......


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## cheddar cheese (Sep 2, 2006)

We get aircraft over here all the time...Mainly Hawks, the odd Hercules now and then and a few months ago 3 F-18's...As well as the Helicopters (Mainly Chinooks and Lynx, sometimes a Puma or two)

Once my dad thought there was some Mustangs doing aerobatics...turned out to be Tucano's though


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Sep 2, 2006)

you've gotta laugh, whenever there's a piston engined aircraft around every always says it's a spitfire... what made me laugh more though was at this year's Culdrose airshow when the welsh guy sitting near me tried to tell his kid about the aircraft, he has two catagories, big/small and loud/quiet, whenever a "loud" one (to him, jets were the loud ones, piston the quiet) came the kid put earmuffs on, the dad made the mistake of telling his kid the harrier (which he'd just thought was an F-16) was a quiet one, upon going into hover the kid was screaming his head off.......


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## DIOGENIS (Sep 2, 2006)

Although there is an airfield nearby, military spotting constitutes a crime in my country.Luckily the Archangel Air Show in Tanagra last year (which proved to be a great success considering it was the first one in Greece) gave many people the chance to be more familiar with military aviation.


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## zuluecho (Sep 7, 2006)

i'm very lucky like that i guess... when i first moved to my new home (3years ago) i had no idea what was in store.. as on very sunny summer day a lone Spitfire (MkIIc) takes to the air.. and graces us all with a wonderful loops and 8s routine... its like a mini airshow at home.. i have some pics of it on my personal page.. it is such a dream watching it fly by.


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## Aggie08 (Sep 15, 2006)

I was on my way back from kansas city last weekend and I saw an F-18 havin some fun to the side of I-35. It was practicing at McConnell AFB, which seems to house only KC-135s. Vertical, level out on the deck, vertical again... So much fun to watch. I don't get many F-18 sightings.

For each home football game we have a flyover. The last game I went to we had a pair of navy Vikings fly over. We've had longbow apaches, f-16s, marine f-18s, and the year before I was here I heard there was a b-17 that came in so low it made everyone poo themselves. gameday rocks!


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## Chief (Sep 15, 2006)

OK, I live near the Willow Grove Naval air base and when I was in middle school occasionally we'd see F-14s, F-18s, Blackhawks, Cobras, and A-10s

Also on labor day they'd have an air show and they have a B-17 and occasionally a B-25 fly over our house. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera until now. Otherwise, I'd a takin' a few shots.


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## Aggie08 (Sep 24, 2006)

We just got another f-16 flyover, they had to buzz the game early because of bad weather so I didnt get to see them but very much heard them. It was so low my skull nearly rattled off. They came much lower than they usually do. USA! USA!


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## DIOGENIS (Sep 24, 2006)

Now that would be an interesting site to look at, an f16 - Mirage 2000 dogfight!
Picture taken from the Archangel Airshow last year, source unknown


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## Aggie08 (Sep 24, 2006)

Amazing! Great shot!


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## daishi12 (Oct 1, 2006)

My Grandparents lived in Yorkshire, so it was always interesting with the aircraft around there.

There used to be a live fire range out to sea a few miles from their house so A10's on firing dives where fairly common.

Air/Sea rescue Sea Kings, Harriers and once a BAE Lightning.

The three most memorable sightings were :-

whilst out on a drive through a wooded area 2 A10's flew right over the car at about 400ft - incredibly loud.

driving along a road on the North York Moors, 2 Tornados flew along the valley -- below road level

and finally when I was walking down the beach by my grandparents a Vulcan at about 200ft flew over my head - the damn thing crept up behind me, didn't hear it until it was right over head


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## syscom3 (Oct 1, 2006)

Yesterday eveneing, a P51 went screaming over my house.

Estimated speed was about 250 mph, altitude about 1000 ft.

Direction of travel was due south.

It sounded beautifull!!!!!!!


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## DaveB.inVa (Oct 1, 2006)

I've seen FiFi a bunch of times and each time have made it out to watch her fly out. One weekend a couple years ago I knew FiFi and Diamond Lil were coming in to a local airport, I knew roughly when they'd left and when they were supposed to arrive. I had been mowing the yard and came in for a while to kill some time. I heard something coming over, it was different than the DC-3's you see around here. I ran out and just as soon as I made it out the door I saw FiFi fly directly over my house. I was hollering and jumping up and down. It was great!!


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## rochie (Oct 3, 2006)

i once had an apache a couple of hundred yards to my left as i was driving home from work his chain gun was following me for a few seconds then switched to the car behind me it was on the A19 north of dishforth nearly crashed cos i was watching to long


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## Soren (Oct 3, 2006)

rochie said:


> i once had an apache a couple of hundred yards to my left as i was driving home from work his chain gun was following me for a few seconds then switched to the car behind me it was on the A19 north of dishforth nearly crashed cos i was watching to long


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## evangilder (Oct 7, 2006)

Since I work near the Camarillo airport now, I see all kinds of stuff coming in and out. Yesterday, an Aero L-39 Albatross was burning tons of fuel. He must have come in to land at least 6 times! I was on my way out to lunch the other day when the CAF Hellcat was coming in on the short approach and went right over my head with the gear down and low. 

Next weekend is the Miramar show, so I will likely see the CAF bird departing for Miramar late next week. I won't be hitting Miramar this year. I am going to Edwards for their big show in 3 weeks.


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 7, 2006)

Was out with a student yesterday and we encountered a T-6 and a Stearman, wish I had my camera...


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## R-2800 (Oct 13, 2006)

All i get are C-17's KC-10's and KC-135's but living so close to Mcguire AFB its normal but around airshow time the Blue Angels practice right over the house which is a great sight!


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## FAC (Oct 14, 2006)

Chief,

In the mid 70's I was in and out of WillowGrove quite a bit. At that time they used to have about 6 Warbirds on static display near whatever the main road was that went by the base. I never got a chance to walk over to them but as I recall they had an ME-262, and either a 109 or 190 sitting there as well as some I just don't recall. Just wondering if they are still there, if so, I might want to take a ride since I now live in NJ..

Thanks

FAC


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## Henk (Oct 14, 2006)

I have seen a Mirrage III and a Cheetah flying and a Avro Shackleton. I have flown in a Ju-52 one year on a airshow that they held here at our local airport. Have seen a Puma Helicopter, Orex helicopter (upgraded Puma), a Aluette III and a Rooivalk Ground Support Helicopter. 

Wish to see some Warbirds soon and see some airshows but they are to far from my town and I work 7 days a week 6 and a half hours a day so have very little time.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 15, 2006)

just get yourself down to see thunder city's lightenings and Bucc one day.............


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## Henk (Oct 15, 2006)

I just want to see some WW2 aircraft. Here they are pretty rare.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (Oct 16, 2006)

well considdering South Africa's role in WWII arial warfare and your location you're not doing too bad


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 16, 2006)

When I was in South Eastern Colorado on Saturday there were 3 L-29s sitting in an old hangar. I was told they fly on occasion. One was entirely covered so couldn't get a photo of that one.


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## evangilder (Oct 18, 2006)

Cool stuff, Joe. I like the tumbleweed in the hangar.


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## Matt308 (Oct 18, 2006)

Yeah, the tumbleweed makes the pic!


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 18, 2006)

Yep - it matched the rest of the place!


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## Matt308 (Oct 19, 2006)

Ouch. I would think they would want to get that [email protected] thing outta there in a hurry. Anyone who has picked up a tumbleweed knows that it can create a huge mess. While sweeping up after them is bad enough, wouldn't want one of my turbine powered prize possessions to suck up one of those babies?


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 19, 2006)

Agree, but the L-29 is a pretty robust bird, the original operators would put them under horrible conditions and they would just keep running. They actually had the intakes to these guys covered and one in the corner was entirely covered. I learned yesterday that the one which was entirely covered was a "Super Delfin," an L-29 with a J-85 (This is a mod done only in the US).


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## Henk (Oct 22, 2006)

the lancaster kicks *** said:


> well considdering South Africa's role in WWII arial warfare and your location you're not doing too bad



Yes we have a few WW2 warbirds and we also had P-51's that we used when we fought in North Korea with the UN and the US. I do not know where they are today and we had a few Spits, Hurricanes and also B-25 bombers and Lanc's and Oh yes some Mosquito's, the one that took the first picture of Auschwitz Consentration camp that was a South African Re-con Squadron.

The sad thing is that there are not many left of the WW2 era aircraft and most were given back to the UK or were destroyed. The role the South African Airforce played During WW2 were not too bad and did there part like all the Allied airforces.


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 28, 2006)

Today USAFA football is playing Brigham Young - the game started with a fly-by from a pair of F-15s and then a follow up by a B-1B


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