4th of July Cruise Pics
- Thread starter PeakCompletions
- Start date
Back in the day.
Gentlemen,
Over the last 30 years I've had a chance to fly with a lot of really cool Warbird pilots, some active duty but most retired. Here are a few below.
Frank Borman, USAF fighter pilot, USAF test pilot, Astronaut and Commander of Gemini 7, and the first man to fly to the moon as Commander of Apollo 8. Frank was flying a P-63 King Cobra here in Lakeland, Florida.
Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, America's last ACE. The only Air Force pilot to score 5 air to air victories during the Vietnam War (one Navy pilot did it as well). 4,000 hours of fighter time, including 800 combat hours in the F-4 Phantom during 339 missions. In this show in Camarillo, California he was flying a T-38 Talon.
Army Air Corps WW2 ACE and legendary Airshow performer Bob Hoover. Bob made ACE flying Spitfires over Italy before being shot down and making one of the most daring escapes of all time. Best friend of Chuck Yeager and a USAF test pilot. Bob and I are both flying the last show of our career's here at Luke Air Force Base, AZ in December 1999. In this show Bob was flying a Rockwell Shrike Commander.
Great guys and fond memories.
Chip
Gentlemen,
Over the last 30 years I've had a chance to fly with a lot of really cool Warbird pilots, some active duty but most retired. Here are a few below.
Frank Borman, USAF fighter pilot, USAF test pilot, Astronaut and Commander of Gemini 7, and the first man to fly to the moon as Commander of Apollo 8. Frank was flying a P-63 King Cobra here in Lakeland, Florida.
Brigadier General Steve Ritchie, America's last ACE. The only Air Force pilot to score 5 air to air victories during the Vietnam War (one Navy pilot did it as well). 4,000 hours of fighter time, including 800 combat hours in the F-4 Phantom during 339 missions. In this show in Camarillo, California he was flying a T-38 Talon.
Army Air Corps WW2 ACE and legendary Airshow performer Bob Hoover. Bob made ACE flying Spitfires over Italy before being shot down and making one of the most daring escapes of all time. Best friend of Chuck Yeager and a USAF test pilot. Bob and I are both flying the last show of our career's here at Luke Air Force Base, AZ in December 1999. In this show Bob was flying a Rockwell Shrike Commander.
Great guys and fond memories.
Chip
Last edited:
Triheart7
GT Owner
THamonGT
GT
Bob Hoover was a very close friend of Carroll Shelby's and spoke at his Memorial Service as to Carroll's WW II experiences as a flight instructor. They were very close.
skyrex
FORD GT OWNER
Incredible pics!! :thumbsup:thumbsup Better than anything I saw in the Vegas skyline during the 4th. :cheers
Nafod
GT Owner
The Strike Commander show was very impressive...great presentation of energy management.
Thanks for the photo's.. Fun days flying formation..
Thanks for the photo's.. Fun days flying formation..
Last edited:
GTHunter
GT Owner
Indy GT
Yea, I got one...too
Chip- Yet ANOTHER one of your great posts! Your formation interview was priceless. LMAO thinking about how that must have gone and then not knowing where the magneto switch was on Ray's plane. Having to ask Ray over the radio where to look.
I can only imagine what was going through the other pilot's minds as this newbee can't even get his plane started....and then we are to fly next to him within 10 feet? OMG.
Priceless Chip!
I can only imagine what was going through the other pilot's minds as this newbee can't even get his plane started....and then we are to fly next to him within 10 feet? OMG.
Priceless Chip!
Fracman
GT Owner
There was something about one of those planes.....
After enjoying the pictures that Ray posted of the planes, there was something that seemed familiar about one of them...
My grandfather was a WWII vet from the pacific theatre and brought back an admiration of planes and flying that he still maintains to this day. I spent most of my childhood summers in west Texas with my grandparents and we took many road trips in the area, one of the most memorable was my first airshow in 1983. I can still hear those engines roar in my mind... My grandfather walked me down the line of planes describing each one, their differences, and what he liked about each. He took a picture of me in front of one that I have always kept.
Once I took a look at Ray's posted picture I dug up mine... it seems that one particular warbird has been well cared for in the 29 years since I last saw her.
To Ray and all those that are preserving and sharing these valuable pieces of American history/engineering: your efforts have and will continue to inspire future generations of Americans, thank you!
Thanks for sharing these Ray!
Here is the plane in question with a 6-year old fracboy:
After enjoying the pictures that Ray posted of the planes, there was something that seemed familiar about one of them...
My grandfather was a WWII vet from the pacific theatre and brought back an admiration of planes and flying that he still maintains to this day. I spent most of my childhood summers in west Texas with my grandparents and we took many road trips in the area, one of the most memorable was my first airshow in 1983. I can still hear those engines roar in my mind... My grandfather walked me down the line of planes describing each one, their differences, and what he liked about each. He took a picture of me in front of one that I have always kept.
Once I took a look at Ray's posted picture I dug up mine... it seems that one particular warbird has been well cared for in the 29 years since I last saw her.
To Ray and all those that are preserving and sharing these valuable pieces of American history/engineering: your efforts have and will continue to inspire future generations of Americans, thank you!
Thanks for sharing these Ray!
Here is the plane in question with a 6-year old fracboy:
Last edited:
that is too cool!!! i am going to email the owner with that picture :cheers
thanks for sharing buddy!!!! :banana
thanks for sharing buddy!!!! :banana
Tomcat
GT Owner
I just stumbled upon this thread.
Great avaition stories...
I was an F-14 RIO in the late 80s and early 90s and now retired.
I met Bob Hoover in a reception at the airshow for the Portland Rose Festival in (I think) 1990. He had been an inspiration to me after I saw him fly the North American P-51 Mustang when I was probably 8 or 9 years old. As I recall, he had just gotten his flying certificate back after a bout of cancer.
I was "rushing" the Blue Angels for the #8 slot (events coordinator)...and he genuinely listened to my story and graciously talked with me.
Biff
Ps- There are some F-14 "Aardvarks"...that was the name of my sister squadron on the USS Enterprise, I was a Black Lion.
Last edited:
Awesome story and welcome to the group Tomcat!!
I have been doing all my advanced training with an ex-Tomcat driver, Navy TopGun instructor turned oil man here in Midland :biggrin
His RIO is his business partner, having survived some incredible missions together in the Gulf war, they decided to continue the partnership. I have had the honor of having his RIO ride in my backseat on several occasions and it is amazing what a difference having a Navy trained backseater can do for you when you are twisting it around :thumbsup
Thank you for your service!
Here are a couple of pics of me flying some old iron... a lifelong dream for me since I was a little boy realized last December when I got my pilots license... I basically duplicated the WW2 training syllabus going from a Super Decathlon for my primary training right to the SNJ (AT-6)... and then to Boo Man Choo, P51 Mustang...
I have been doing all my advanced training with an ex-Tomcat driver, Navy TopGun instructor turned oil man here in Midland :biggrin
His RIO is his business partner, having survived some incredible missions together in the Gulf war, they decided to continue the partnership. I have had the honor of having his RIO ride in my backseat on several occasions and it is amazing what a difference having a Navy trained backseater can do for you when you are twisting it around :thumbsup
Thank you for your service!
Here are a couple of pics of me flying some old iron... a lifelong dream for me since I was a little boy realized last December when I got my pilots license... I basically duplicated the WW2 training syllabus going from a Super Decathlon for my primary training right to the SNJ (AT-6)... and then to Boo Man Choo, P51 Mustang...
Tomcat
GT Owner
SH!!! I am not worthy!
If you don't want to make the names public...email to me (tbaranek@earthlink.net).
My Brother, CDR Dave "Bio" Baranek (former CO of VF-211) wrote a book, "TopGun Days" from his Top Gun instructor experience and I was a P'cola Instructor so there is a chance one (or both of us) knows your Texas running mates.
Thanks for paying your taxes!
If you don't want to make the names public...email to me (tbaranek@earthlink.net).
My Brother, CDR Dave "Bio" Baranek (former CO of VF-211) wrote a book, "TopGun Days" from his Top Gun instructor experience and I was a P'cola Instructor so there is a chance one (or both of us) knows your Texas running mates.
Thanks for paying your taxes!