# Greeting for the T-34 Mentor gathering



## evangilder (May 2, 2009)

Hey guys! I am in Palm Springs for the next couple of days for the Gathering of Mentors. There are 15 T-34s here! Last year, there were 10. There are varying degrees of skill sets and formation card folks, so there will be some formation clinics and flying and a heck of a lot of fun.

How did I get down here? Well, I flew, of course.  Here I am in the back of the T-34 on the way down. I was in the lead of a 2 ship. I have a blog started with the daily updates on what's happening at Musings of an aviation nut

Just had to post this shot though. I put about 8 up in the blog last night.


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## Geedee (May 2, 2009)

Sweet !

Looks like a great field of view from that seat, also quite a roomy office to sit in !

Now...wheres the jealous smilie !


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## FLYBOYJ (May 2, 2009)

Great stuff Eric - BTW Doug says hello - is his words "Eric is *the* photo man!" I told him about your potential new gig and he said he's not surprised.

If you see Jim Ostrich tell him hello for me. I'm planning to inspect his L-29 in July.

Take care, fly safe!


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## evangilder (May 3, 2009)

Hey Joe, I relayed your message to Jim. He said hi back. It was a rough day out there. Heavy winds and gusts made for some real hard work for the pilots today. Thank goodness these guys are good at what they do. New shots on the blog, but here are a couple from today.


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## FLYBOYJ (May 3, 2009)

Very Cool!!!!


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## GrauGeist (May 3, 2009)

I hope you know that I'm green with envy, Eric!


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## Gnomey (May 3, 2009)

Aren't we all GG . Great stuff Eric, looking forward to the final write-up and pictures.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 3, 2009)

Very cool my friend! Keep us posted on all the fun you are having!


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## Micdrow (May 4, 2009)

Awsome stuff as always Eric,Glad to hear you are having fun!!!


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## evangilder (May 4, 2009)

Thanks guys. I got home yesterday evening. I had a blast, but was exhausted. I am working on the photo edits and hope to have them posted by the weekend. One of the interesting things seen on display was at Fox Field, an Argosy and a KC-97. One of Paul Mantz's B-25s was in the same area.


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## FLYBOYJ (May 4, 2009)

Eric, there's also an A-20 in that hangar that had an executive conversion. It was said it was once owned by Howard Hughes. Behind the KC-97 is a C-119.


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## evangilder (May 5, 2009)

Oh yeah, I remembered there was another one there, but it was obscured in the photo. I was concentrating on trying to figure out what that Argosy was, I forgot about the 119. It would have been cool to get down there to see that stuff, but we had places to be.


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## Lucky13 (May 5, 2009)

I'll have that KC-97 thank you very much! KC-97, that's the rebuilt Boeing 377 Strato.....cruiser, right? 

Btw Eric, could you enjoy it a-n-y-m-o-r-e, to rub this with your flying in our faces, eh?

You...you...yoouu....oh b*ll*cks!   






Great pics btw!


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## evangilder (May 5, 2009)

Not trying to rub anyone's face in it (well, maybe _yours_. ). To get an opportunity to do this is a lifelong dream and ambition for me. It took me about 40 years for that ambition to get there, so I get a tad excited when these opportunities come up.


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## lesofprimus (May 5, 2009)

Great stuff Eric, looks like u had a bang up time.... Lookin forward to the pics...


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## evangilder (May 7, 2009)

I got the photos posted to my website. You can see them at:
Van Gilder Aviation Photography, May 1-3, 2009- Gathering of Mentors-

Enjoy!


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