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Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Well, if the two buyers and two sellers had gotten together earlier it could've saved a lot of flying, but good for me. Four months after my trip in a Jungmann from Southern California to South Carolina I got a call to ferry an almost identical airplane from North Carolina to Southern California. I started out on July 10 and finished the trip on July 14, what a fantastic way to see America. 2,323 miles in 24.3 flying hours, 96 mph, 21 legs.


Currahee, the famous hill near Toccoa, Georgia, where the airborne troops (Band of Brothers) trained during WW2
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Crossing the Mississippi River at Greenville, Mississippi
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The first day I really went hard, went about 820 miles, and ended up at the Mid America Flight Museum in Mt. Pleasant, Texas
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

The second day was blazing hot, 105 degrees F all afternoon, as I made my way across East Texas, Oklahoma, and the Texas panhandle. Day 1 I covered six states, day two it seemed like a long day, but I started in Texas and was still in Texas when the sun went down...


Pampa, Texas, end of Day 2
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Pampa, Texas, looking at some of the thunderstorms I dodged on the way in, end of day 2
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

On Day 3 I picked up old Route 66 and followed it west.


Santa Rosa airport. Runway 8-26 is built on the roadbed of old Route 66, and if you look closely you can see the remains of the old Mother Road leading up to the approach end of 26. On the other end you can see where the road went off down the hill into town.
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Two photos buzzing airways arrow #67 near Correo, New Mexico
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For more info on the airmail arrows:
https://www.dreamsmithphotos.com/arrow/arrows.html



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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Still very hot, over 100, on Day 3


Old Route 66 comes in from the far right between the wings in this shot, also showing the more modern I-40, and the train tracks, near Seama, New Mexico
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Airways arrow #64 near Seama, New Mexico
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Grants, New Mexico has a neat little museum, closed at the moment, with a newly poured replica concrete arrow, but with an original tower, beacon, and generator shed on it.
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

I had hoped to get to Winslow, Arizona on Day 3, but there were storms on the route in the afternoon, so I ended up stopping at Gallup, New Mexico.


On Day 4 the first stop was Winslow, and I took the obligatory photo in front of the historic 1929 Transcontinental Air Transport hangar
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Then it was off to fly over the famous meteor crater, which I took a good look at....
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

I got to Kingman, Arizona about noon on Day 4, it was 103 degrees F, wind blowing 20 gusting 26 knots, and it was time to stop. Lots of airliners parked at Kingman
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The airport car was an old, red pickup truck, and since I'd been flying along old Route 66 for so long, and it was an early day, I took the truck and drove out of town to the south on Route 66 for a few miles.
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

The range on the Jungmann is pretty limited, about 2 1/2 hours of fuel, so 1 1/2 hours was as long as I wanted to fly. The longest leg I flew was 157 miles, and Barstow was about 180 from Kingman, so too far. This meant that I had to stop at Needles, only about 50 miles from Kingman. Two days earlier Needles had been the hottest place in America, with a high of 120 F. That day it was only supposed to reach 115. I got up at 4:30, got airborne at sunrise, 5:30, and landed at Needles at 6:00, when it was only 90 F.


Take off from Kingman at 0530 on Day 5
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Needles, California, 0600
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I was told that this giant row of hangars at Barstow, California was built just before World War 2, and that originally there were three more rows just like this. It must have been quite a place to be in 1941.
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Author:  Baldeagle [ Sat Jul 18, 2020 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Then it was down the home stretch to Whiteman Airport near Los Angeles. The last time I flew through this area was the first week in March, the mountains to the south around Big Bear were snow covered, and I flew through a few snow flurries. I always jokingly complain about how often people call me to move a biplane between November and February, but this trip almost made up for that, very hot most of the time. It was nice to get over the hill, into the LA area where it was much cooler.

Over the Mojave Desert, looking south at the mountains around Big Bear. Los Angeles is on the other side.
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Same spot, looking north. The light spot is Rogers Dry Lake and Edwards Air Force Base
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All it all it worked out to be a good trip, a lot of hard work, but also some amazing sights. And the new owner seems to be very happy with his acquisition.



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Author:  DH82EH [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 8:02 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Good for you indeed B.E.
I can't think of a better way to physical distance from others.
Great shots. Thanks for sharing your trip with us!

Andy

Author:  Baldeagle [ Sun Jul 19, 2020 11:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Some video:
https://youtu.be/zUmymZfGG90




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Author:  k5083 [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Fantastic trip, thank you for sharing.

August

Author:  Zac Yates [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

What a way to see the country. Thank you for sharing - some spectacular views and places!

Author:  JohnB [ Thu Aug 27, 2020 10:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Great photos, looks like a great trip.

Author:  Dave Hadfield [ Mon Aug 31, 2020 7:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Coast to coast in a Bucker Jungmann Part 2

Wonderful!

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