Fighter Female Firing Fifties

[Dave Hadfield]

Liz Needham at Wanaka recently. She's part-owner of that P-40N.


fwx image



oldfokker image


Gavin Conroy image

test firing on the ground here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTYGDVrZQPI

That's quite an eye-opener -- firing one's guns during an airshow pass. Talk about realism... I know they did it before, in 2008, but it always makes me shake my head in wonder and admiration.

Their regulatory body, the NZ CAA, must have some people who are really good to work with.

Dave

[Stephan Wilkinson]

I assume they're blanks. Nobody would fire slugs from a five-degree nose-up position on the ground unless they have a hella tall wall in front of them...

[Dan K]

Gavin Conroy image

Love it...my latest screensaver.

[Dave Homewood]

How about a link to the forum thread where you lifted these photos from:

http://rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?bo ... 88&page=12

There are many more Warbirds Over Wanaka 2012 photos there...

[JDK]

Yes, they're blanks.

I'd be interested in reliable references to the last live firing at an airshow; certainly no-one batted an eyelid at live rocket and gun firing by current military aircraft in the 1950s at airshows. When did that stop? Are there any places where a normal public airshow includes live firing today? (I'll exclude press military live firing demos. That's not 'an airshow'.)

The NZ CAA guys are indeed 'good to work with' - in part because some of them are poachers as well as the gamekeepers.

Liz Needham is in good company - how many other female P-40 pilots can you name?

Regards,

[jmkendall]

Sue Parrish?

[Mudge]

Yes, they're blanks.

I'd be interested in reliable references to the last live firing at an airshow; certainly no-one batted an eyelid at live rocket and gun firing by current military aircraft in the 1950s at airshows. When did that stop? Are there any places where a normal public airshow includes live firing today? (I'll exclude press military live firing demos. That's not 'an airshow'.)

The NZ CAA guys are indeed 'good to work with' - in part because some of them are poachers as well as the gamekeepers.

Liz Needham is in good company - how many other female P-40 pilots can you name?

Regards,

Live firing in the U.S.? Surely you jest. (I know...don't call me "Shirley".) In the U.S., guns are bad. People are afraid of them and the noise they make. Most don't even know which end the round comes out of.

Mudge the armed

[Dave Homewood]

Very funny stuff Mudge. I love your posts!

[Chappie]

Very cool. Just read in Warbird Digest about Ron Fagen's P-51D 'Twilght Tear' being equipped with functioning .50s. I would love to see this as a new trend in the warbird community. Imagine the added realism to a Tora-Tora-Tora show!!

Chappie

[ErrolC]

How much of an issue is the FOD from the casings?

[Mudge]

How much of an issue is the FOD from the casings?

OOPS...hadn't thought about that. The EPA would be on them like stink on _ _ _ _. Everything fun has been legislated out of existence here. Sic Semper Politicos

Mudge the fun loving

[Dave Homewood]

At Wanaka most of them probably went straight down the rabbit holes. Maybe they should poison bait them and score some actual kills!

[muddyboots]

When I was doing that dig at China Lake you could literally walk around the ranges and pick brass up by the fistful.

[JDK]

Well, that was about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Yes, Sue Parrish. Any more?

[PinecastleAAF]

Everything fun has been legislated out of existence here.

Hardly. I have 7 ww2 armored vehicles, 2 quad mounts and lots of guns and nobody has ever given me a problem about it.

So there.