Geedee's 2022 adventures :-)

Final set from the Mighty Osh....I simply have sooo many pics to trawl thru this thread would go on and on and on etc

Was hoping to get a ride on the Trimotor but every time I got there, all flights where booked including the following days too !. Couldn't commit to a time due helping Eric / manning the race tent etc etc. This year maybe


I even managed to grab a pics of one of those things that according to Legend, are soo ugly the Earth repels them !



Patty Wagstaff put on an 'Extra' brilliant display...



And then we had a bit of a looney 5 minutes when a drunk managed to steal a plane a get off the ground. Later identified as the notoriously drunk Ben Whabnoski !. Brilliant crazy flying by Kyle Frankiln !!



Now I know about using a high shutter speed freezes the props...but these where feathered during an impressive aerobatic routine with very well controlled energy demonstration.



Speaking of aerobatic twins, y'all be familiar with Matt Younkin and his twin Beech display. Very majestic and great sound track too



Airventure 2022 was the first time I have ever seen a B-29 fly. Man they are impressive in the air. More about the B-29 to follow shortly !!



2022 was also the first time I have witnessed a Honor Flight. EAA joined with Old Glory Honor Flight and American Airlines and flew Vietnam Veterans into the show. The sheer buzz when they touched down and parked up on the ramp was electrifying indeedy !



Final pic from Osh was this Osprey clattering around



Then it was back to camp ground, pack up, jump in the back of the Chipmonster for the return flight Milwaukee then thumb a lift from an airliner and back home.

The adventures continue shortly

Great shots Gary!

Thanks all

Now some of you may know that I have a bit of experience as crew on a number of WW2 USAAF Bombers and Fighters but since the tragic incident in 2019 followed closely by that pandemic that's been doing the rounds, I have not been physically hands on with Warbirds for a few years. That changed in Sept last year.

One of my claims to fame is that I am the Commemorative Air Force United Kingdom Wing Executive Officer...have been for a few years now...and last year I joined the CAF B29-B24 Sqn. In fact I am the first English dude to join according to current Squadron members so no pressure on me really and I had to be on my best behaviour !

I was able to get on the Squadrons Airpower History Tour that operates yearly with a view to getting trained as crew on Diamond Lil. I have over 150 plus flights as FE on Witchcraft but 'Lil is a different babe compared to what I am experienced in so it was a case of mentally rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in !. This with also manning the gate / PX and cockpit tour positions throughout each day and answering visitors questions not only on the Bombers but also the Stearman / Mentor and 'Ike's Bird made for very FULL days indeedy !.

While on the Tour, I flew into Pittsburg - Baltimore - Washington - Kentucky - Indiana - Arkansas and Texas....it was busy

Right, enough of me dribbling and on with some pic's. I'll start off with 'Lil. Last time I saw her was at Oshkosh back in 2005 and there has been considerable work carried out internally to make her more representative of the Bomber variants. I won't go into her history as that's a simple internet search if you want to find out more about her.

My first day on the ramp...





Once she had 'parked up, I was inside for the familiarisation to start




Huge changes here since I saw her last...non of the bomb rack where there back in 05. this is my view from the bottom of the cockpit steps looking back to the tail....one of the positions I manned each day to control visitors



Noticed on one of the information boards a phot of Lil when she was pink and flown over here to the UK back in '93. The photo I'm pointing at is one very similar to one I have as this was taken at Boscombe Down airfield...3 miles from home. Little did I know then that in the future I would be aircrew on her !



A few internal pics



And yes, I am sat on the hammock seat at rear gun position...and very comfy it was too on a few of the longer flight






Up at the pointy end, Joe and Curtis where doing an exceptional job of taking care of the driving



On one of the move flights I installed the belly gun and had a quick play. Have to say that field of operation was severely limited and fighting the slipstream made it all the more harder to swing the gun




And finally parked up in her spot at the Squadron base



More to follow

WOW.

You right so and so.

Wow indeed what a georgeous airplane and you did a very good job taking these pictures. Somehow all look just the bizz.

Envy isnt green btw. Its my face colour. It realley is. What a machine.

And i saw FiFi strutting here stufff

The excellent pics make the vicarious experience that much betterl.

Great shots Gary!

Thanks all

These are some random pics

Saw this bad-boy in the parking lot at the hotel in Pittsburg on my first night on the Tour. Never did manage to track the owner down for a chat



So the Tour is not just about the '24 / 29 , we also have a Stearman / Mentor and 'Ike's Bird' that we offer ride experiences in.



I was put on the slot for a move flight in the Stearman from Joint Base Andrews at Washington down to Kentucky....a distance of around 550 miles between airports but was bumped on the day, so had my third flight in Fifi on that leg. We were just short of 2.5 hrs flight time in the '29 and it was a full day slog with fueling stops in the Stearman !. Hoping to get that seat this year when out later.

As you can imagine, we were very busy at each stop with a never ending sea of visitors going thru the bombers and all ride flights were fully booked sometimes days in advance.



At the Arkansas stop we had 'Miss Cherie' join us for the duration and she was kept quiet busy !!



More to follow

Beautiful. But you didn't put kitty litter on that oil.

Geedee said:

Thanks all

These are some random pics

Saw this bad-boy in the parking lot at the hotel in Pittsburg on my first night on the Tour. Never did manage to track the owner down for a chat

View attachment 703002View attachment 703003

So the Tour is not just about the '24 / 29 , we also have a Stearman / Mentor and 'Ike's Bird' that we offer ride experiences in.

View attachment 703004View attachment 703005View attachment 703006View attachment 703011View attachment 703012View attachment 703010

I was put on the slot for a move flight in the Stearman from Joint Base Andrews at Washington down to Kentucky....a distance of around 550 miles between airports but was bumped on the day, so had my third flight in Fifi on that leg. We were just short of 2.5 hrs flight time in the '29 and it was a full day slog with fueling stops in the Stearman !. Hoping to get that seat this year when out later.

As you can imagine, we were very busy at each stop with a never ending sea of visitors going thru the bombers and all ride flights were fully booked sometimes days in advance.

View attachment 703007View attachment 703008

At the Arkansas stop we had 'Miss Cherie' join us for the duration and she was kept quiet busy !!

View attachment 703013View attachment 703014View attachment 703015

More to follow

Click to expand...

My girl FiFi saying hi. It must be me but when i see here and her name i just have to chuckle.
Big bad distructor of cities and what do you call her? FiFi.

Mind you, this one is called fluffy

Lovely shots Gary!

And then we have Fifi

First time I saw her was back in Sept 2008 when I went to the 'CAF Airsho'. This was the period when she wasn't flying as she was being re-engined. Again, little did I know that I would end up as aircrew (under training) on her years later !



Some external pic's from Sept last year. Yes, she is a big girl !



My viewpoint when on fire-guard ready for start up

This was my viewpoint from the top hatch on 'Lil as she arrived at the airport...



And this was taken during a ground run up the following morning

What a pretty purl she has. Love that babe.

Great shots Gary!

I wonder how many active duty Air Force pilots on that base were wishing to fly it.