When did you first become interested in Warbirds?

[Eighthaf]

My cousins, who had the coolest models. The TV show 12 O'Clock high, as well. That's what got me started, what kept me around was that I'd found I have a real interest both in the machines and in the history they created.

Pretty geeky; I was maybe six when the bug bit, and you're practically begging to get beat up if you dare to breathe a word of what you do in your spare time (like reading books about air battles).

I didn't care, and I've never lost interest.


Eighth

 

[Lucky13]

HI group!
I built my first model with my ol' man back in the day when you could buy the Matchbox 1/32 SBD Dauntless, never looked back. I'm also interested in WWI, Korean and Vietnam airwar.

 

[Maharg]

When did you first become interested in Warbirds?

This is a realy difficult question Medvedya, I can't remember ever not being interested in warbirds. When I was about 5 my Dad built me a model of a Fokker D.VII and from them on I have been building models and collecting info on WW1 ,WW2 and Korean War aircraft.
If I could have a wish granted, it would be to fly one of the WW2 fighter aircraft.

 

[Kilroy]

Let's see now HMM!, me and some freind's were playing baseball up in the field up the street from my house when i was about 12/13 yr's old that was in like 63 when out of no where a jet fighter did a high speed low level pass over the field we were playing on, From that moment up until i started wearing glasses i knew what i wanted from life. To be a fighter pilot, but they require 20/20 vision, so that killed that idea

 

[spit_ace'43]

I've always wanted to be a pilot. When people asked me what I wanted to be, I simply said, "I wanna fly stuff" That turned into flying Search and rescue for the Coast guard and then now that I'm in High School it's "I'm gonna fly the baddest **** in the sky; and I'm going to shoot some motherf*ckers down while I'm at it" Naturally I picked up WWII history because of the historical importance and the intensity of dogfights.

 

[Sgt. Pappy]

Initially it was all about the F-16's and F-15's that the guys on TV wouldn't shut up about. After a while, in grade 7, my WWII-obsessed buddy wouldn't shut up about Messerschmitt 109 this, Me-262 that. He got me interested in the WWII era, saying how intense the air battles were - no computers, comp.-guided missles, laser-aimed weapons, or extremely high speeds that would send the skin on your face packing.

Instead it was 109's in low-level dogfights at treetop level, Spitfires lifting off from grass fields, rittled with bomb-holes and firey wrecks, B-25's almost falling off carrier decks and Corsairs moving dirt.

Like Spit_Ace 43, I, too felt like being a pilot. Instead, I chose to be a mechanic and now i work at a museum, restoring Merlins. And after years of my previously-gr.7 friend talking about the Messerschmitt 109, I got interested in its prime rival - the Supermarine Spitfire. Ever since then, I don't think anything other than the F4U Cosair has ever been so close to my interest. But even with the Corsair in mind, the Spitfire's still my fave.

 

[Trautloft]

as a child i been interested in zoology and ww2.
later,around the age of 14, i developed a particular interest in ww2 war machines, mostly planes and panzers. once i bought a book : all aircraft of ww2 , and from that time on...

 

[Jackson]

before I was born

 

[eagle1]

Hi everybody out there,
Well my first experience at 13 years old was at my nearby airfield at Archerfield aerodrome in Brisbane Queensland Australia. I became good mates with a school friend and his father was in the chain of command of the RAAF base adjoining this airfield which happened to be the original base for Qantas Airlines in Australia.I can still remember the painted over sign on the hanger where the the faded name appeared.That was in the middle 1950's. We used to play in an old Avro Anson alongside the hanger and I was desperate to fly. I visited the RAAF base across Beatty road that was closed off with gates and were opened to allow the few remaining Lancaster bombers and a Mustang P51, in mint condition, owned by a lucky member at the base. My friend and I played amongst the Lancasters that flew occasionally from here although all of the weapons were removed we enjoyed moving around inside the hangers and sitting in all the gun turrets sitting on the ground about the pristine aircraft.
After meeting many flyer's in the local club I finally got to fly in an old Cessna with one of the pilots (I must admit I forged my mums letter approving it and I guessed he already knew that because the writing in the letter was pretty basic,but I guess the nagging over many months got to him) Never the less it was fantastic and had my family been in a better financial situation I would have continued my dream to fly. My father was a Rolls Royce engineer during WW2 and serviced the British fighters at Dyce and the MT B's on the River Clyde in Scotland. In those days 1949-50 I played among the many abandoned MT B's and rescue craft at the Holy Loch,the old MTB and sub base of WW2 later to become the American Polaris missile submarine base Subron 14. I was invited to visit by the members of the base on my first return home to my place of birth,and that was one the highlights of our visit. I got to tour the dry dock from a distance and that was as close as I got,incredible the size off those subs,props as tall as a 2 story building!
My father had such an affinity for the Merlin whenever he heard the sound from nearby Archerfield aerodrome(someone there had a spitty or a hurricane) he would stiffen and look to the skies.
He ended his days and died on duty as an aircraft engineer for The Department of Civil Aviation here in Brisbane on 8th March 1960 aged 63, 2 years from retirement from a life of devotion to his trade. This brave man was also a rifleman at the Somme,France in WW1 and almost mortally wounded in his return from battle, injuries he received would haunt his health for the rest of his life. During his stint at Clydebank shipping yards during WW2 he escaped injury twice during the bombing raids.
I have never forgotten the the sound of that Merlin and nearly visited a couple of airfields in England during my first time back home in 1989,unfortunately the storm of the century then put paid to that! just driving down from Scotland to England on that February was so dangerous,we booked into a Granada just as they announced that trucks were being blown off the Severn bridge!
I really have appreciated your web site and your members photos with their aircraft. The quality of the photos are first class,what a great idea.
One day maybe I will get to fly in a Spitfire and experience the exhilaration of such a flight and experience what my dad carried on about! that was the only conversation about both world wars he would be animated about aside of the
different sound of a Benz 601,he always wanted to see one up close!

cheers

 

[Cota1992]

I always was interested in war movies and I had surgery at the age of 8 that laid me up for several months and I started reading everything I could get my hands on which included lots of WWII picture books from the library, remember those red and black cold war era childrens books on the military?
Anyway, my Dad was a trucker and about 1978 one of his stops was the late great Areo Publishers in San Diego and my Dad said something to the guy in the shipping department about how his son would go crazy in that place and the next thing my Dad knew he had half the cab in his truck full of boxes of factory defect books (Bent covers, page missing here or there, ink bleeds, etc but all very readable) for free and a invite to take as many as he could when ever he delivered there as they were just going to go to be shredded anyway.
My Dad comes home and just starts hauling in boxes from the car and I can't even believe my eyes when I open them up...books and more books!Everything from fighter sqaudron historys to books on Tiger tanks!
My Dad made several other trips to the publishers coming back with a few boxes each time, until they got new shipping guy and the supply was cut off. By then I had a full bookshlef and a few years of reading.
I still remember the first book I read almost straight out of the box the first day was the Checker Tail Clan...

The passion has come and gone since but never totally left me...
Art

 

[Cota1992]

Eagle 1, that's a great story!
Funny how we both are into this from our Dads in different ways.
Art

 

[twobit01]

I started liking warbirds at about age 13 after seeing Baa Baa Black Sheep on TV. Those Corsairs just made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. me and Dad watched it every week. I especially liked the episode with the P-38's in it. I also met and spoke with Greg Boyington for a long time at an airshow where he was appearing. He was fascinating to speak with, and from then on I was hooked. It started with WW2 planes, but moved on to all of them later.

 

[blu3y4]

since i was about 6........only 9 years ago

 

[otftch]

From my Dad also.He was in the Navy and stationed aboard various carriers.He would bring me photos and we got to go aboard ship when he came home.I was in many Navy aircraft with him.I remember as a kid(I don't know how old but before six) sitting in the radio compartment of an S2F and being cramped. I wonder now how a grown man could work there for hours.
Ed

 

[Screaming Eagle]

I have always been interested in warfare and what the ANZACs did for us and when I went to a nearby airshow when I was in the scouts it kindled my interest in military aircarft. just being around those planes made me want to learn more about them. I then bought a P-51 Mustang model (Mark IV I think), the P-51D being my favourite plane of WW2 and then bought a book on the different planes of WW2. Also I love the Helicopter warfare from Vietnam as well. I am currently building a P-51C Mustang model and hopefully will have pics up soon

 

[Heinz]

I always was interested in war movies and I had surgery at the age of 8 that laid me up for several months and I started reading everything I could get my hands on which included lots of WWII picture books from the library, remember those red and black cold war era childrens books on the military?
Anyway, my Dad was a trucker and about 1978 one of his stops was the late great Areo Publishers in San Diego and my Dad said something to the guy in the shipping department about how his son would go crazy in that place and the next thing my Dad knew he had half the cab in his truck full of boxes of factory defect books (Bent covers, page missing here or there, ink bleeds, etc but all very readable) for free and a invite to take as many as he could when ever he delivered there as they were just going to go to be shredded anyway.
My Dad comes home and just starts hauling in boxes from the car and I can't even believe my eyes when I open them up...books and more books!Everything from fighter sqaudron historys to books on Tiger tanks!
My Dad made several other trips to the publishers coming back with a few boxes each time, until they got new shipping guy and the supply was cut off. By then I had a full bookshlef and a few years of reading.
I still remember the first book I read almost straight out of the box the first day was the Checker Tail Clan...

The passion has come and gone since but never totally left me...
Art

thats a fantastic story, almost a dream

Ah books I spend hours re reading mine.......

 

[ToughOmbre]

September, 1952. Got interested in Warbirds and WW II watching "Victory At Sea" with my dad; one of my earliest memories from childhood. A few years later saw "Wing and a Prayer" and "The Purple Heart" and I was hooked.

 

[RAGMAN]

I was 5 years old when Black Sheep Squadron was on.Also the Waltons had a radio program that had Stuka sirens going.My brother also had those old comics of World War 2...cool reading,for a kid at six...

 

[Screaming Eagle]

i have some of the old 'commando' war stories in pictures comics. they are great. the re-published ersions in the newsagents are nearly $5 for 1 comic! still I go to the flea markets where I can still pick up a whole heap up cheap. Also, just yesterday I picked up a new book about the commando forces of WW2 at half price, bargain!

 

[YakFlyer]

Fantastic drawings, I am in awe!
Good stories, always great to read about people like me!

I sat in the Spitfire when I was 6, no one in my family flew but there was some kind of ignition there and then. That is all I have ever known. My first warbird flight was in a Stearman in '99, a few months later, I did my first solo the day after my 16th. two years later, my PPL, 2 more years my CPL, then my aerobatic rating, 18 months of competing at the junior levels, late last year I soloed the Yak 52, 90 sorties to date or so. I now fly at Intermediate level, and do a good number of figures from the advanced catalogue, although there is a long, long way to go before I can fly that level proficiently. Just about to jump into a Pitts S2 for a job which will be more relevant experience, maybe a chance to have a crack at advanced down the track.

I just love old aircraft, I remember filming the Nanchangs and Yaks praticing on good friday, for the 2000 airshow at Wanaka, I had barely done 10 hours, now, I am amongst those very pilots, some of the greatest characters, and most interesting people I have ever met, and have learn't so much from.
I sat in the Spitfire, the same one, yet again, at Wanaka in '04, having been chatting with Lee Proudfoot, who was very obliging in letting me climb back in after those years, I was 6, in 1989, when I first climbed up, now, in '04, I was 21, how much I had changed, but not the plan...


YakFlyer