Memorial Day Flyovers with the Condors

[evangilder]

What a day! 10 targets and 2.5 hours of flying. Lead ship burned through 75 gallons of avgas, most everyone else was 70-75 gallons.

Anyone who has spent time in a warbird knows how long that is (if you haven't, after about an hour, your bacon starts achin' <your butt gets sore>). After 2 hours, your butt is basically asleep. After 2.5 you are looking forward to stretching your legs and standing for a bit. But it was all for a good cause, Memorial Day services and to get some new shots for the Condors.

We got shots over the Rose bowl and the Hollywood sign, the Getty Center and the Reagan library. Here are some quick edits from today. And to all my fellow vets, THANK YOU!

On with the photos

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Very cool! The Hollywood sign shot is an award winner!!!!!

 

[evangilder]

John F, it was nice to meet you.

And for the uninitiated, this is what 2.5 hours sitting on a parachute, unable to move your legs looks like...

 

[evangilder]

Thanks Joe. It was fun, a little choppy, but the guys did a great job, especially considering the length of the flight. They were pretty beat at the end. We all were.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

2.5 hours - yikes!

 

[evangilder]

Yeah, I have a much bigger appreciation for WWII vets after today than before, and that's saying a lot!

 

[GrauGeist]

Excellent photos, Eric!

Glad the "mission" went down without a hitch!

 

[v2]

Great photos!

 

[evangilder]

Thanks guys. We did have one abort, halfway through the mission. The aircraft in front of us had an aileron trim tab come loose. It wasn't dangerous immediately, but the pilot of the photo ship let him know and since it was flyable, Chris returned to Van Nuys unescorted. The concern was that if it broke free any more, it could start a heck of a lot of vibration.

I had a couple of things that would be good for the blooper reel. I poked my head out the side of the airplane just as we hit a pocket of air. The headset popped right off my head! I thought "Ah crap, David Clark headsets aren't cheap". Then I looked down to discover they were still plugged in. I recovered them off the back deck behind me by pulling the cord!

About halfway through the flight, my seat suddenly dropped. Then it suddenly dropped again until it was as low as it could go. I got on the intercom to let Ken know. His response was "Oh thank GOD, I couldn't figure out what was going on!". Imagine about 150 lbs on man, another 30-40 of parachute dropping about 12 inches, full force. It shook the airplane.

Safe flying was the first order of the day and the Condors passed that one flying colors.

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff Eric, certainly worth the 2.5 hours of butt pain

 

[Geedee]

Thats some great action shots you've posted. And please pass on my thanks to the guys for sorting this flight out and carrying it through. Its great to see this sort of commitment as a mark of respect. We should have more like minded guys over this side of the pond do something like that !.

Did you manage any stick time ?

Thanks for posting

 

[evangilder]

I will pass the word along, Gary. I didn't get any stick time, which is okay by me with the seat all the way down. Besides, I leave the formation flying to the pros.

 

[Messy1]

Cool stuff Evan. Makes me think about moving to the coast. We never see anything like that in Iowa.

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

Great shots.
It sounds like the headseats need to be screwed in instead of plugged in if your going to stick your head out.


Wheelsup

 

[ontos]

Dido all the above Eric, great shots. Never been up in a War bird, sounds great thanks for sharing. 8)

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Great shots Eric!

I know what you mean about 2.5 hours and your ass aching! I used to fly missions (not in warbirds obviously, but vibrating helos) for up to 5 and 6 hours without breaks. Absolutely terrible how your ass and legs feel. 2 hours is the point where things really become uncomfortable.

 

[Thorlifter]

Great shots as always Eric. Thank you.

 

[RabidAlien]

Awesome pics! LOVE the one with the "Hollywood" sign in the background....someone needs to invade and kick the morons/actors out!!! Love the AT6 with the Luftwaffe paint, too (that is an AT6, right? Or do I need to go through aircraft identification again?)!!

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Stupendous shots Eric!!!!

 

[evangilder]

Thanks for the comments, guys. And yes, RA, that is a T-6. They have several T-6s painted in Luftwaffe colors for mock dogfights at shows. They didn't feel it right for Americans to be shooting down Americans, so they have 2 color schemes on the original Condor T-6s.