I got a call Thursday night from Rocket and warbird driver Doug Rozendaal in Mason City. Knowing that I like to take pictures and write stories he asked if I would like to go to Dallas on Saturday so he could pick up the P51-C for the CAF at South St. Paul. (it was wintering at the Cavanaugh Air Museum)
My schedule was iffy for Saturday, so I told Doug I would make some calls for him and on the first call, RV-7A builder Bernie Weiss said he was game for an adventure. Bernie and Doug made plans for the trip and late on Friday, my schedule freed up. Since there were now 3 of us on the trip down, we went to the RV-Heavy (Bernie's Bonanza). It is a better photo platform, and a more comfortable travelling machine, too.
We left early and headed to Mason City to pick up Doug. Bernie leans the big Conti as the sun rises behind him.
The wind was howling out of the north, so we were soon turning downwind for 30 at MCW.
Second Stop - Muskogee, OK for gas and to meet one of Doug's airshow friends, Mike Anderson. Good airplane people there. I snuck in the hangar and found 2 warbirds - this is the cockpit of of an SNJ-5 painted in Japanese colors - I'm pretty sure the Dynon, the 396, and dual SL-40s are not historically correct, but very much appreciated by the pilots!
I rigged up a temporary APRS tracker for the flight - here Bernie models the Rube Goldberg antenna mount.
Plane tanks filled and our tanks drained - we were off on the short flight to Addison. It is a single runway airport just north of Love Field and there is a lot of traffic! Here is the view on short final.
They have quite a museum at Addison. Dozens of warbirds and very nice staff of volunteers. We were greeted on the ramp by a beautiful T-28.
Inside we got our first look at the P-51C as some of the original Tuskegee Airmen gave a panel presentation and discussion.
Here is a Douglas Skyraider EW plane as seen by the spinner of Grumman Avenger.
To be continued........
Redtail Retrieved!
Redtail Retrieved - Part 2
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