When did you first become interested in Warbirds?

[Readie]

I was always interested in anything with a petrol engine as a small lad. My life long love of Merlin engined Spitfires was triggered by a display at Manston which I went to with my dad when I was about 5. The sheer power and noise made my neck tingle then and 50 years later it still does.
I admire Tempests, Typhoons,Hurricanes,Sea Furies, lancasters,P51's,Mosquitos, Bearcats but...given one it would be a Vb Spitfire. The perfect fighter in my opinion.
Cheers
John

 

[jjp_nl]

I've been interested in WW2 Warbirds since I was a kid. My old man was (and to a certain degree still is) a bit of an aviation nutter as well, so I guess it was part of my upbringing.

The other day we went through my grandmothers stuff as she passed on a while ago (God bless her). So, out came all these photo-albums and 8mm films (my grandfather used to be quite a photographer and filmer) from when my dad was a kid and even from way before my dad was even born (dating back to the war-years when my grandfather and grandmother were still dating, those typical boyfriend/girlfriend pic's) These films and photo's have been digitized since and I've found multiple pictures of my dad as a kid playing with what most likely was his first Spitfire modelkit (crazed and glue-soaked clearparts and no paint, you get the idea). Must have been around the early sixties.

One of those strong memories from when I was like 4 or 5 years old was having two of my dads 1/32 scale-models hanging on the ceiling of my bedroom. The matchbox 1/32 Spitfire F.22/24 and (most likely also a Matchbox) 1/32 BF-109E Galland (the pilot figure in the BF-109 even has a Galland style mustache on it so dad did his research for sure when he got older) Also there were always aviation books and magazines laying around in the house. So in that regard the apple didn't fall all that far from the tree.

 

[jetmech]

My father was a crew chief in the USAAC, serving with the 36th and 432nd fighter squadrons in the South Pacific. Dad started his aviation career in 1940 at Langley AFB Virgina. He worked on P-40s, P-39s, P-38s, B-24, and other various aircraft. Even though Dad was assigned to these squadrons, he served most of his time on detached service going wherever there was a plane in need of repair. He often talked of the pilots, Bong, McGuire, Lindberg, McDonald and many others who flew his plane at one time or another.

In wanting to assure that the historical time in which he served would not be forgotten, Dad utilized various methods to impart it into each of his three children. He would often take us to the museum at Wright Patterson and spend the whole day watching movies in the theater or discussing the various aircraft with us. We would also attend as many local airshows as possible. We would spend hours going through his photo album and often times he would buy model planes that he want me to assemble for him. It was neat to walk into the house and see whole squadrons of aircraft hanging from the ceiling.

Today after retiring from a 34 year career in the USAF I am now crewing a P-51 Mustang along with a T-6 Texan. Both are painted with the historical 325th checkertail markings. For the past three years, both aircraft have been at Oshkosh. You may also have seen the Mustang at the Gathering of Mustangs two years ago in Rickenbacker AFB. OH. Dad was overjoyed when I took him to see the planes and without missing a beat at his age of 95 he asked where we kept the P-38.

I enjoy being around the old warbirds and listening to the veterans who contributed to the efforts that give us and others the freedom we share today. May their efforts never be forgotten and their aircraft maintained for as long as time allows.

 

[Readie]

My father was a crew chief in the USAAC, serving with the 36th and 432nd fighter squadrons in the South Pacific. Dad started his aviation career in 1940 at Langley AFB Virgina. He worked on P-40s, P-39s, P-38s, B-24, and other various aircraft. Even though Dad was assigned to these squadrons, he served most of his time on detached service going wherever there was a plane in need of repair. He often talked of the pilots, Bong, McGuire, Lindberg, McDonald and many others who flew his plane at one time or another.

In wanting to assure that the historical time in which he served would not be forgotten, Dad utilized various methods to impart it into each of his three children. He would often take us to the museum at Wright Patterson and spend the whole day watching movies in the theater or discussing the various aircraft with us. We would also attend as many local airshows as possible. We would spend hours going through his photo album and often times he would buy model planes that he want me to assemble for him. It was neat to walk into the house and see whole squadrons of aircraft hanging from the ceiling.

Today after retiring from a 34 year career in the USAF I am now crewing a P-51 Mustang along with a T-6 Texan. Both are painted with the historical 325th checkertail markings. For the past three years, both aircraft have been at Oshkosh. You may also have seen the Mustang at the Gathering of Mustangs two years ago in Rickenbacker AFB. OH. Dad was overjoyed when I took him to see the planes and without missing a beat at his age of 95 he asked where we kept the P-38.

I enjoy being around the old warbirds and listening to the veterans who contributed to the efforts that give us and others the freedom we share today. May their efforts never be forgotten and their aircraft maintained for as long as time allows.

Well said
Cheers
John

 

[Tangopilot89]

I have been fascinated by aviation since I was young(er). As I live right on the doorstep of an active runway, and a main approach to an airport, I have heard and seen many aircraft fly over my head all my life. Since then, I have visited many aircraft museums across the UK (one each in Malta and the US), read countless books and watched many documentaries on aircraft. My dad, also keen on aircraft, was mainly responsible for all this and was also where I found out my grandfather was a Lancaster pilot during the war. I have also accumulated countless models over the years. As my fascination never stopped, I have ended up working with aircraft where I have had the privilege to work on EF2000s, Harriers and Tornadoes. However, WW2 warbirds have always been my main interest. I have shown my support for the B-17 Sally B and have also had the unique privilege of a one-to-one guided tour of her. I remain in her Preservation Society because I strongly believe that these historic aircraft be preserved and kept where they belong, as a reminder of what they did for us.

Andy

 

[brucejscott]

My father was in the military and an avid modeler. His personal area of interest was WW II pacific naval aviation. It was from him that I aquired my love of history, the military, aviation and modelling. I started building planes from about age five because this is what I figured normal people did. I still think this way. It's the ones without a hobby like modelling that I consider to be abnormal and stressed out.

 

[Lighthunmust]

My Grandmother, who was a pilot, told me bedtime stories about the Flying Tigers when I was 6. I watched the series Twelve O'Clock High on prime time TV. I saw "Flying Tigers" starring John Wayne on TV sometime around age 8. My father was a private pilot, my uncle was a F-84 pilot, and my great-uncle was a RAF Mosquito pilot. Stories about flying led to model building of WW2 and later aircraft. Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona had many different types of WWII bombers and piston engined transport aircraft being converted to fire bombers. There was even a F-86. In the 1960's and early 70's you could walk right up to them. Pretty Heady stuff for a kid. By the time I was 14 I had visited the old air museum at Orange County Airport (now John Wayne) in California, The USAF museum in Dayton, Ohio, The Canadian Museum in Ottawa, and the Smithsonian collection when it was housed in the old War Department buildings in D.C. So began my life long love of warbirds. My grandmother is now 96 and still likes to tell stories about airplanes.

 

[Gixxerman]

I think I was bred with it.
My dad was in the RAF, a Vulcan navigator so an interest in aircraft, the RAF and subsequently our allies the opposition's kit naturally followed.
All the boys of my gen in my family have it to one degree or another.......and it only occurred to us talking about this that although our sister seemed to have little in the way of a great interest in planes she was the only one that went and worked for an aircraft company for several years!
It must have seeped in well!

I suspect it also helps being a certain age.
When I was a boy growing up aware of these things WW2 was only 25yrs ago.
Many various family members had either fought in the armed forces - or worked in the war effort, most especially females in the family.
They all experienced the war very directly personally.
It's something I can look back on see very clearly in my own growing up and it's totally absent in the next gen.
In one sense I'm glad of that but in another I think it's a pity there is so little interest.....or if there is an interest its fairly superficial.

Still, I'm sure the echoes of the wars trauma is no bad thing to be leaving behind.
I sometimes wonder just how much the attitudes of certain generations have been shaped (consciously subconsciously) by that trauma.

 

[P-38Lightning]

My interest started when my grandfather brought an old World War Two scrapbook up to my house. it had a lot of pictures in it, and suddenly i found myself wanting to find out about all the airplanes in the book. I also build a lot of models, and seeing some of those models helped to keep my interest alive.

 

[rayco79]

Hi,
How did this all begin. I remember when I was around 7 or 8 years old,Living in South Africa{moved here from there 41 yrs ago] my father returning from a auction sale he had been to, with a model of a Lancaster he had purchased. Can't remember the manufacturer or the scale, must have been 1/72, green plastic and lots of bits. Stuck it together and painted it blue with some old house paint Dad had in the shed.
It was many years later that the Keilcraft balsa kits caught my attention. Burnt up a lot of those while lighting the fuse for the little solid fuel rocket engine. From there it grew into control line, tow line gliding, a little R/C {too expensive for me} and finally 1/72 plastic models from Frog and Aifix. Purchased and built all that I could find till finally settled with 1/72 scale WW1 aircraft. Loved all that wonderfull rigging that just HAD to be included in the finished model.
When the wife and I decided we had to get the children out of there and move to Canada, I left behind a decades worth of models which were given to my brother in law. None of them remain as his children used them in war games I guess, and they were all shot down in flames.
Just sort of eased into WW2 Aircraft after we got here. Tried a couple of WW1 aircraft but had been there, so here i am, still fiddiling with lovely bits of plastic, but in 1/32 scale this time around, not as much as I would like to anymore, but when I decide to retire one day, and if she with the big stick doesn't want to spend all our time roaming to exotic locations,my modeling time may get back to what it used to be. One can only hope.
Ray.

 

[parsifal]

I was a kid when i saw the movie "Battle of Britain". i think thats what started it.

As I grew up I worked for a guy that had flown against the japanese in WWII. He used to describe their tactics and skills. I found i was fascinated by all of this and just could not get enough information.

Years later i joined the RAN. I got several "work experience" style days on the carrier as a JTO, and decided I wanted to fly from that time. Was rejected from the selection process, but was selected for tactical warfare training. Decided if i couldnt fly them, I could direct them.

Spent six months at HMAS Watson, our tactical warfare school, before being posted. Eventually I got a job and working in the operations room of the carrier and trained as a PWO. Deployed to the indian ocean, to watch aircraft operating as near as damn it to a hot situation, and came away convinced that airpower and aircraft were the future solution to many issues that we faced.

Soon after the carrier was paid off, by that time i had done a stint in small ships and was last posted to the Antarctic supply ship. Was discharged medically unfit in 85, went back to uni and studied strategic studies a bit more. All the time maintained my interest in airpower and all things flying. By this time was heavily into the "professional wargaing scene, testing and designing for the australian Dersign Group (ADG).

I have helped design a couple of air games for operational level games. Have undertaken reviews and testing of a a number of sims. Still I wish i could actually fly one day, but my medical condition wont ever allow that to happen.

 

[Canberra Man]

Hi Smoke.
Sorry for the delay. The museum is Dumfries Galloway Aviation Museum. I usually refurbish cockpits. I learnt my trade in the Royal Air Force. I was with 617 Squadron and worked on Avro Licnolns and Canberras. We took the Canberras on detachment to Malaya for 6 months in 1955.

Ken

 

[Arossihman]

Since i was old enough to pick out my own book at the library! I always gravitated towards warbirds!

 

[Nig]

My son now has this but I used to sleep under it. anyone else got one?

 

[Njaco]

I would have loved to have a bedsheet like that!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Heck I'd love to have it now

 

[pbfoot]

I would have loved to have a bedsheet like that!

Remember its a Spit Cockpit and it didn't have self sealing tank in the fuselage

 

[vikingBerserker]

LMAO

 

[Sagittario64]

I was hooked on planes the moment i first said their name in the "Childen's dictionary of letters and things" made up book title but im sure weve all read a book like that in our earliest years

 

[Canberra Man]

I became interested in warbirds in the thirties, I was eight when it hit and my mates were niggled when I gazed upwards instead of playing cowboys and indians. During the war, I made models, flying ones even until balsa wood became unobtainable. My eyes were forever cast heavenwards. After the war, national service called, when my turn came, the air force wasnt recruiting so I ended up in the Royal Artillery on ack ack. Three months after demob I volunteered for the RAF. Trained as Electrical fitter and joined 617 Squadron working on Avro Lincolns and later, the Canberra which we took to Malaya for 6 months. Still had the itch in civvy street and was with Air Cadets as Warrant Officer for 30 years. Got a few gongs!

Ken