My Zero's First Flight!

[PeakCompletions]

Great Looking plane Ray. What part of West Texas are you in. I am considering a fly-in at the Hangar Hotel in Fredricksburg, in June with my L-39. It'll give you a great chance to look into the Jet Market. View attachment 24959

I have flown a couple L39s now and am really liking them. just can't find the right one right now :biggrin the two pictured look incredible. LOVE the camo scheme!!!

The front ZA is SICK!

 

[PeakCompletions]

i know the t34 is not a tail dragger but the configuration of the cockpit etc is supposed to be great for training to be in warbirds no?

 

[Waldo]

i know the t34 is not a tail dragger but the configuration of the cockpit etc is supposed to be great for training to be in warbirds no?

I can't comment on training for older warbirds, but the T-34A/B/C were used for decades as the USMC, USN, and USAF primary flight trainers before military pilots moved on to intermediate jet, prop, and helo trainers. I learned to fly the T-34C before moving on to the T-2C Buckeye and the A-4 Skyhawk.

I've thought about purchasing a T-34B, but I would have to sell the GT in order to fund it. If I ever hit the super lotto mega-millions jackpot, I would have a T-34B parked right next to my F4U.

Have fun,
Waldo

 

[ChipBeck]

I know the T34 is not a tail dragger but the configuration of the cockpit etc. is supposed to be great for training to be in warbirds no?

Ray,

I have some time in each of them and the T-34 IMO is more fun to fly than the T-6. I have a few friends who would disagree with that. The T-34 is an excellent trainer for warbirds but since your Zero is a single seater and landing a tail dragger is COMPLETELY different from landing a tricycle gear A/C like the T-34 you are going to have to be completely comfortable in a similar tail dragger before you take off in that Zero as you are going to have to land it successfully the first time you attempt it. Let me put it this way.....if 100 experienced pilots with 500 total flight hours each but no tail dragger time got into that Zero and took off, I would bet that fewer than 20% would successfully land it without ground looping and doing substantial damage or totaling the A/C. The T-34 is not easier to fly than the Zero will be, but it is much easier to land than the Zero will be. That said, the T-6 based Zero (assuming it lands like a T-6) isn't real tricky as far as taildraggers go. With solid piloting skills and if you are comfortable in the air, 6 to 10 hours doing touch and go's with an instructor in a T-6 and you'll be good to go in your Zero. But no amount of practice landings in the T-34 will get you ready land the Zero.

Chip

 

[Wwabbit]

i know the t34 is not a tail dragger but the configuration of the cockpit etc is supposed to be great for training to be in warbirds no?

Sort of, maybe, no, depends on where you are going with it. The T34 will not prepare you for the T6. T34 is a great airplane,(in spite of the wing spar issue) fun with a bit of warbird appeal. Economical to operate and a great formation training platform. But it's a Bonanza and won't challenge you in the cockpit and certainly not in ground handling. That's where the T6 eat's everybody's lunch. Chip is right. With a locking tailwheel, anybody can get it off the ground, but the fun starts on the landing roll out. I had one for years and years. Bought it to build time for the P51 and P47. Turns out the P47 is a good trainer for the T6! Get a few dozen landings in the back seat of a T6 with a really good pilot up front as rescue. If you get comfortable in the back seat you'll do fine. While you're at it, grab a Supercub or equal and just do landings, landings, landings, in all kinds of winds until it's like sitting on your couch. Then go have fun. But be really careful. They called the T6 'The Pilot Maker', it undid a few.

 

[Mike Mosing]

That's my ZA and have since add Authentic Faux Aim-9X missles.

 

[tpraceman]

Ray you are my hero. And not because of your toys but they are sweet.
Your son is in line to have a great life with a really fun dad

 

[CH53Driver]

This is awesome. I'd love to see a video of it where you get to hear that big air cooled radial up front.:thumbsup (the T-34 would also be a cool airplane to get time in...someday I will get my tail dragger cert)

 

[ChipBeck]

Chip is right. With a locking tailwheel, anybody can get it off the ground, but the fun starts on the landing roll out. I had one for years and years. Bought it to build time for the P51 and P47. Turns out the P47 is a good trainer for the T6!

Funny how the WW2 aircraft training progression worked out 'eh? Start new pilots out in the Stearman (the yellow peril) which is a very tricky tail dragger especially in a cross wind, then to the T-6 which is a bit easier but faster, then to the P-51, 47, 38, etc, all of which are easier to land than the T-6 but faster still. My Glasair III lands at 120 mph but it's a breeze to land compared to my Pitts Special S1-T that landed at 75 mph. I've flown everything from hot air balloons to the supersonic (barely) T-38 and nothing is harder to land than the single seat Pitts.

Chip

 

[RALPHIE]

Some taildraggers and others -

The Chino Air Show:

http://home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Chino/Chino.html

 

[Wwabbit]

This is awesome. I'd love to see a video of it where you get to hear that big air cooled radial up front.:thumbsup

Well then,, enjoy.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SHH0--fEN4&feature=relmfu

and nothing is harder to land than the single seat Pitts.

Chip

Yep and add a bit of downhill runway and no wind. That's a party. :willy

 

[FlorIdaho Chris]

I agree completely with Chip on the need for real tail dragger (actually called "conventional gear") experience. In fact it is not even legal to fly a conventional gear aircraft without an FAA approved instructor sign off. Many old timer pilots like my dad don't even think you're a real pilot until you are competent in a tail wheel aircraft. I learned in my dad's J-3 before moving to a Stearman. These days I get my kicks in a WACO. Have fun Ray!

 

[PeakCompletions]

Thanks for all the input guys!!

I have been looking hard at the WACO as well :biggrin and almost picked one up a year ago...

Chip - all great advice and have taken it to heart. Looking at the T6 schools and still thinking i will look at a T34 to build time and then do the school for the T6 and beyond...

someday.. a P-51, F4U or P-47 would be my dream!

Thanks guys!! We need to all fly to a rally sometime. There are some BADASS Warbirds and Planes on here!!!! :cheers

 

[timcantwell]

Congrats! I almost bough a T6 Texan back in the 1980's. Not sure if that would have been a good thing or not!

 

[ChipBeck]

GT Forum Fly In.

We need to all fly to a Rally sometime. There are some BADASS Warbirds and Planes on here!!!! :cheers

Ray,

I think you have a great idea here. Maybe not to the Rally cause I can't fit my GT into my dinky plane but a GT Forum fly-in sometime at a central location like.....say.....Midland, Texas! Hopefully we can find a member in that area who has a nice hanger where we can socialize and plenty of cool cars to look at in addition to all of the aircraft. Dinner and drinks and we can fly home the next day!! :biggrin :cheers

:banana

Chip

 

[THamonGT]

Yes, Chip Great Idea. I could fly The Company Plane----SW and enjoy with all you Fly Boys. Tomy

 

[Wwabbit]

Ray,

I think you have a great idea here. Maybe not to the Rally cause I can't fit my GT into my dinky plane but a GT Forum fly-in sometime at a central location like.....say.....Midland, Texas! Hopefully we can find a member in that area who has a nice hanger where we can socialize and plenty of cool cars to look at in addition to all of the aircraft. Dinner and drinks and we can fly home the next day!! :biggrin :cheers

:banana

Chip

A capital idea! I'd love to meet some of you guys.

 

[AJB]

John.... So we will have a chance to see many of these P-47 and P-51 aircraft this August 5th At Willow Run Aiport during Thunder over Michigan ..correct...?
andy (AJB)

 

[Wwabbit]

John.... So we will have a chance to see many of these P-47 and P-51 aircraft this August 5th At Willow Run Aiport during Thunder over Michigan ..correct...?
andy (AJB)

You betcha. I'll be there with a P47. There will be 2 of us. And I think there is going to be more than a dozen P51's. It's always a fun show.