Formation with Warbirds!

Halls, TN Airshow. Bulldog Flight Formation Team. After the Friday afternoon practice we were giving airshow sponsor rides.

I was leading a flight of 3 RV's. The TBM Avenger and Mustang took off after us. I purposely stayed over the airport to watch them.

The Mustang joined up on the Avenger and they continued to fly around over the airport.
I was following them around at a safe distance just enjoying the sight!

Finally, I got up the nerve...
I radioed the TBM Avenger and asked if my RV flight of three could join up on his flight. He said "we're doing 180 knots!".
Then immeadiately his #2, the Mustang, said "I can fly slower". The Avenger pilot then asked me what speed would work for us, I said "160 kts will work". He said "OK, I'll slow to 160". I asked the Avenger pilot to give us a left turn. I put my two wingman in right echelon and we did a slick join up sliding right up behind the Mustang, joining up on the Avengers right wing! It was awesome!

Our passengers had a blast! My passenger, Ian Cochran took the photos shown here.
Thanks Ian!

My #2 was David "Tater" Bray and my #3 was Tommy "Vader" Palmer. Both RV-8's

This flight was a dream come true for me! All the formation training I've done really came to fruition on this flight!!!

If you've thought about learning to fly formation I highly recommend it!

There is a clinic next month!
Pine Bluff formation clinic September 23rd-25th

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/2016PineBluffClinicgroupurl/info

Mark

Cool pics!!

fantastic!

Drone, That is so cool. Good on you and the Bulldog guys. See you at the Pine Bluff clinic. Lizard sends

Wow !

Having been there and saw it happen, I can only add to the other comments and think .... How cool was that !!!

I would also say that Mark was very lucky but an old instructor once said that "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity!" This is the perfect example of being a good carded formation lead ..... AND then being in the right spot doing the things the sponsors asked. That put him in position to show those P51 / TBM guys what the RV grin was really about!

It was also very gracious of them to invite him in tight! That's a pretty nice personal endorsement all on it's own!

Great job Drone!

Bill

PS, do you think the P51 pilot was looking over there thinking ....Man, I wish I could fly one of those

BillSchlatterer said:

PS, do you think the P51 pilot was looking over there thinking ....Man, I wish I could fly one of those

Click to expand...

Only one way to find out... Offer to trade airplanes for the next flight...