Warbird Information Exchange
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/

Airtanker Memories
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=40156
Page 1 of 12

Author:  Lt51506 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:50 am ]
Post subject:  Airtanker Memories

A few days ago, I was asked to start a thread concerning my collection of airtanker photo's. While this is by no means all of them, I figured these would be good for a start. Many of them have not see the light of day for over 40+ years. A majority of them are from my late fathers collection when he was flying out of Hemet-Ryan Air Attack Base. The rest are from my own collection that were taken during my working years. There are a few that I included that were in the collection, however, I am not sure where they came from. Knowing the pilots that Dad flew with, it could have been any one of them, so thanks to my extended family for thinking enough to preserve our heritage of aerial firefighting.

That being said, I have tried to provide some basic information regarding each image. Most of the images are from the early 60's up through the late 80's. I'll apologize right now for the quality of these. Like me, they are a bit worse for wear. I have attempted to clean them up as best I can, but I am in no way a photo guru. Enjoy!

Image
Jim Stone, Tom Stein (Dad), Keith Sorrells, Marty Kosar and unknown, Oct 1969, Hemet Ca.

Image
Hemet-Ryan as it looked in the very early 60's. This is looking West from the Hemet Valley Flying Service hanger.

Image
Ramona AAB as it looked circa 1965.

Image
Hemet Valley Flying Service lineup, Hemet Ca., 1965, Photo courtesy of the Steve Whitby Collection

Image
Hemet Valley Flying Service lineup, Hemet Ca., 1965, Photo courtesy of the Steve Whitby Collection


Image
Tanker 72 reloading at Hemet, Ca., May 1967

Image
Tanker 96 and a 7 year old ramp rat. Hemet, Ca March 1967

Image
Dad looking over the flightline, Hemet, Ca May 1970

Image
HVFS lineup, May 1968

Image
Resurfacing the reload pits, 1968

Image
Tanker 97...there's that ramp rat again! Hemet, Ca December 1969

Image
Dad looking over the flightline, Hemet, Ca May 1970

Image
Working fire, Oct 1970, Hemet Ca

Image
Something from the mid 60's, Hemet Ca.

Image
Bad things happen when a tanker pilot forgets to shave!

....to be continued.

Author:  Lt51506 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Image
Starting the day with a full ramp. Hemet, Ca Oct 1970

Image
Tanker 54 with new paint and a few parts missing. Hemet Ca, Spring 1968

Image
Sis-Q Flying Service Tanker E49, Hemet Ca, Oct 1970

Image
HVFS Tanker E83, Hemet Ca, Oct 1970

Image
HVFS Tanker 84, Fresno Ca, mid 70's

Image
HVFS Tanker 84 with 54's nose in the background. Fresno, Ca mid 70's

Image
HVFS Tanker 54 at Burbank. Sept 1970

Image
Sonora Flying Service, Columbia, CA . Date unknown, probably the early 60's

Image
SLAFCO Tanker 53, Boise ID mid 80's

Image
TBM Inc., SNJ, Location and date unknown

Author:  Lt51506 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, Burbank Ca, Sept 1970

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, Hemet Ca Sept 1970

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, Chino Ca, Jun 1969

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, Chino Ca, Jun 1969

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, reloading at Chino Ca, Oct 1970

Image
TBM Inc. Tanker E78, prop change at Chino Ca, Mar 1968

Image
Central Air Service tanker 42, Boise ID, Jun 1977

Image
Central Air Service tanker 42, Boise ID, Jun 1977 (B-25 and TBM fuselage's unknown)

Image
TBM Inc., Tanker 68, Boise ID, date unknown

Author:  Lt51506 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Image
TBM Inc., Tanker 68, Boise ID, date unknown

Image
B-17 Tanker E61, Boise, ID, Date unknown.

Image
Aero Union Tanker 18 making a test drop (just a tad low I think), date and location unknown

Image
TBM Inc. Tanker E78, prop change at Chino Ca, Mar 1968 (Dad let the ramp rat loose again)

I'll add some more later today, thanks for looking :)

Author:  b29flteng [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great stuff!!!! :D

Author:  bilwor [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Keep 'em coming, these are great "ramp rat" and all.
thanks for posting,
bill word

Author:  TAdan [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great stuff! Thanks so much for sharing them with us. It must have been a thrill to grow up with "your own" squadron of Avengers. :D

Author:  bomberflight [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

WOW ! Your image collection captures a pre-warbird movement way of life that few outside the air tanker community can imagine today.

I'm going to say it again ..... WOW !

Thanks for sharing these with WIX :drink3:

Author:  LadyO2Pilot [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great...keep em coming !!!

Author:  The Inspector [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Great stuff! Thanx for posting, it's fun to see the old 'Poor Sailors Airline' 737's in the original scheme sitting in the back ground of a few of the pictures. A friend who I worked with @ BADWRENCH worked for SIS-Q and converted the F7F's to tankers, one of which is now in John Sessions' collection as 'Bad Kitty'

Author:  Craig59 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

WOW!!! Quite the treasure trove of photos - thanks so much for sharing.

According to the everyone-should-own-a-copy, B-25 Mitchell in Civil Service by Scott Thompson (how'd I do Scott?), B-25 N2888G (44-86872) was restored in 1986 for static display at Robins AFB, GA.

Author:  bdk [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Lt51506 wrote:
Image
TBM Inc., SNJ, Location and date unknown


http://www.warbirdregistry.org/texanreg ... 12227.html

Note the 3-bladed counterweight prop on the SNJ.

These photos are all fantastic. Thanks for posting them!

Author:  C VEICH [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 10:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Fantastic thread, thank you for sharing.

Author:  the330thbg [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Wow!

Very, very cool!

My new favorite thread!

Thanks for sharing

Author:  Lt51506 [ Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Airtanker Memories

Glad everyone is enjoying these! Here's some more.....

Image
S-2A water drop, Hemet Ca, date unknown

Image
Hawkins & Powers PB4Y-2, Tanker126, Rohnerville Ca Sept 1977

Image
Hawkins & Powers PB4Y-2, Tanker126, Rohnerville Ca Sept 1977

Image
Hawkins & Powers PB4Y-2, Tanker B24, Boise ID Aug 1972

Image
T&G Aviation PB4Y-2 Tanker C30 Hemet Ca, Oct 1980. Photo from the Collection of Steve Whitby, Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

Image
Rosenbalm Aviation PB4Y-2, Tanker 84, Medford Ore August 1968

Image
TBM Inc. F7F, Tanker 64, Hemet Ca, Sept 1970

Image
TBM Inc. F7F, Tanker 64, Hemet Ca, Sept 1970

Image
Reeder Flying Service, Tanker D28, Boise ID August 1974

Image
Reeder Flying Service, Tanker D28, Boise ID August 1974

Image
Reeder Flying Service, Tanker D26, Twin Falls ID, Nov 1972

Image
Reeder Flying Service, Tanker D27, Twin Falls ID, Nov 1972

Image
Reeder Flying Service, Tanker lineup, Twin Falls ID, Nov 1972

Image
HVFS C-119 Tanker 82, Hemet Ca, Apr 1980

Image
HVFS C-119 Tanker 86, Hemet Ca, Jul 1980

Image
HVFS C-119 Tanker fleet working fire, Oct 1980. Photo from the Collection of Steve Whitby, Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

Image
HVFS C-119 Tankers working fire, Oct 1980. Photo from the Collection of Steve Whitby, Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

More later :)

Page 1 of 12 All times are UTC - 5 hours
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
https://www.phpbb.com/