P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Wed May 31, 2023 3:37 pm
It's amazing what a few emails can accomplish...
About a month ago I saw that the CAF Airpower History Tour https://www.airpowersquadron.org was coming through the Northeast with their B-24, B-29, P-51, AT-6, C-45, etc. and there were a few gaps in their calendar.
So I decided to inquire and see if there was any possibility / interest in having them stop by the Sikorsky Airport KBDR to sell rides.
I knew the B-29 would never come in due to the length of the runways here, but maybe at least the B-24, since Collings operated their Liberator out of here without issue. But sadly both require at least 4000' of runway for safety.
So they were out and that's where the topic fell off...
Until I received an email from the crew with P-51D Gunfighter. They were excited to make our little museum a tour stop, and they'd be bringing the AT-6 "Nella" along with them! Now we've got an event!
The Connecticut Air & Space Center did get a chance to host the YAF with their B-17G "Yankee Lady" back around 2018. But this was before the museum was established in a portion of the Curtiss Hangar and not really open to the public.
Fast forward to last week and I get another email... this time from the Indiana CAF wing, and they want to get in on the stop as well with their C-45! Well of course we don't want to be bad hosts!
At the same time... I saw a post from Thom Richard who flies his P-40N "American Dream". He was enroute to the American Airpower Museum to fly their P-51D for the Jones Beach Airshow this past weekend, and then proceed to Geneseo for the airshow this coming weekend.
So I figured, if he was in the area, perhaps he'd like an invite to drop in, and check out our little museum? Sure enough he was! He came in Tuesday morning for a few hours and we gave him the grand tour.
On final. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Over the numbers! Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Curtiss and Curtiss!!! The 1929 Curtiss Hangar and a WWII Curtiss P-40 share space on this historic airport! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Yours truly with Thom. Always a gent! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Not long after, this guy showed up! While Thom was visiting, "Gunfighter" showed up after being delayed a day due to bad weather in Tennessee. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Winds were uncharacteristically prevailing out of the East, which caused the fighters to use runway 11. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Touch down! Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
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Originally we had scheduled with the pilot of "Gunfighter" to taxi over to the museum for a quick 1 to 2 min photo shoot (while still running) and then proceed over to the FBO Three Wing to shut down and be hangared until Saturday.
But I guess when he saw the P-40, he decided this was the place to shut down too! So by sheer luck and timing, we had these two beauties' out on our ramp... Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Needless to say, it wasn't difficult getting some of our members down there on a Tuesday morning! Photo by. Roger D. Salls
CASC Volunteers Dave Crumb and Tadd Shiffer playing around with Gunfighter! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
CASC President Mark Corvino, and longtime CASC / BOD member and Vietnam vet Rich Jersey check out Gunfighter! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Two of the greatest WWII USAAC fighters on our ramp, with the Vought plant in the background. Note: the two double humped hangar bay doors was final assembly where over 7000+ Corsairs rolled off the assembly line. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Detail Shot. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Both fighters at rest for a bit.
Before we knew it, Thom had to depart to get up to Geneseo for the coming airshow this weekend. The P-51 was taxied over to Three Wing Aviation to be hangared until Saturday. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
CAF Pilot Pete Scholl pushes Gunfighter into Three Wing Aviation's Hangar. A big thank you to everyone at Three Wing for helping us with taking care of the Mustang! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Done! Snug as a Mustang in a stall...until next weekend. Thanks Three Wing Aviation! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
If you're in the tri-state area, come on out to the museum, and maybe even go for a ride!
P-51 Flight Experience Prices:
$2500.00 for a 20 Minute Flight Experience
$4000.00 for a 40 minute Flight Experience
Jeff Linebaugh (Ride Coordinator)
(901) 606-6735
jeff@p51gunfighter.com
https://www.p51gunfighter.com
AT-6 Flight Experience Prices:
$475.00 for a 20 Minute Flight Experience
$675.00 for a 40 minute Flight Experience
Sandy Travnicek (Ride Coordinator)
(719) 439-4837
stravnicek@icloud.com
https://waspsquadroncommemoratveairforce.fullslate.com
C-45 Flight Experience Prices:
$295.00 CoPilot Cockpit Seat
$150.00 VIP Cabin Seats
Glenn Olsen
630-776-5186
Glennolsen@earthlink.net
http://www.indianawingcaf.org
Open: 10am -4pm
Both Saturday and Sunday
General Admission:
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Kids 6+
$7.00 Veterans
About a month ago I saw that the CAF Airpower History Tour https://www.airpowersquadron.org was coming through the Northeast with their B-24, B-29, P-51, AT-6, C-45, etc. and there were a few gaps in their calendar.
So I decided to inquire and see if there was any possibility / interest in having them stop by the Sikorsky Airport KBDR to sell rides.
I knew the B-29 would never come in due to the length of the runways here, but maybe at least the B-24, since Collings operated their Liberator out of here without issue. But sadly both require at least 4000' of runway for safety.
So they were out and that's where the topic fell off...
Until I received an email from the crew with P-51D Gunfighter. They were excited to make our little museum a tour stop, and they'd be bringing the AT-6 "Nella" along with them! Now we've got an event!
The Connecticut Air & Space Center did get a chance to host the YAF with their B-17G "Yankee Lady" back around 2018. But this was before the museum was established in a portion of the Curtiss Hangar and not really open to the public.
Fast forward to last week and I get another email... this time from the Indiana CAF wing, and they want to get in on the stop as well with their C-45! Well of course we don't want to be bad hosts!
At the same time... I saw a post from Thom Richard who flies his P-40N "American Dream". He was enroute to the American Airpower Museum to fly their P-51D for the Jones Beach Airshow this past weekend, and then proceed to Geneseo for the airshow this coming weekend.
So I figured, if he was in the area, perhaps he'd like an invite to drop in, and check out our little museum? Sure enough he was! He came in Tuesday morning for a few hours and we gave him the grand tour.
On final. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Over the numbers! Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Curtiss and Curtiss!!! The 1929 Curtiss Hangar and a WWII Curtiss P-40 share space on this historic airport! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Yours truly with Thom. Always a gent! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Not long after, this guy showed up! While Thom was visiting, "Gunfighter" showed up after being delayed a day due to bad weather in Tennessee. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Winds were uncharacteristically prevailing out of the East, which caused the fighters to use runway 11. Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Touch down! Photo by. Willow Hill Photography
Originally we had scheduled with the pilot of "Gunfighter" to taxi over to the museum for a quick 1 to 2 min photo shoot (while still running) and then proceed over to the FBO Three Wing to shut down and be hangared until Saturday.
But I guess when he saw the P-40, he decided this was the place to shut down too! So by sheer luck and timing, we had these two beauties' out on our ramp... Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Needless to say, it wasn't difficult getting some of our members down there on a Tuesday morning! Photo by. Roger D. Salls
CASC Volunteers Dave Crumb and Tadd Shiffer playing around with Gunfighter! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
CASC President Mark Corvino, and longtime CASC / BOD member and Vietnam vet Rich Jersey check out Gunfighter! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Two of the greatest WWII USAAC fighters on our ramp, with the Vought plant in the background. Note: the two double humped hangar bay doors was final assembly where over 7000+ Corsairs rolled off the assembly line. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Detail Shot. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Both fighters at rest for a bit.
Before we knew it, Thom had to depart to get up to Geneseo for the coming airshow this weekend. The P-51 was taxied over to Three Wing Aviation to be hangared until Saturday. Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
CAF Pilot Pete Scholl pushes Gunfighter into Three Wing Aviation's Hangar. A big thank you to everyone at Three Wing for helping us with taking care of the Mustang! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
Done! Snug as a Mustang in a stall...until next weekend. Thanks Three Wing Aviation! Photo by. Jerry O'Neill
If you're in the tri-state area, come on out to the museum, and maybe even go for a ride!
P-51 Flight Experience Prices:
$2500.00 for a 20 Minute Flight Experience
$4000.00 for a 40 minute Flight Experience
Jeff Linebaugh (Ride Coordinator)
(901) 606-6735
jeff@p51gunfighter.com
https://www.p51gunfighter.com
AT-6 Flight Experience Prices:
$475.00 for a 20 Minute Flight Experience
$675.00 for a 40 minute Flight Experience
Sandy Travnicek (Ride Coordinator)
(719) 439-4837
stravnicek@icloud.com
https://waspsquadroncommemoratveairforce.fullslate.com
C-45 Flight Experience Prices:
$295.00 CoPilot Cockpit Seat
$150.00 VIP Cabin Seats
Glenn Olsen
630-776-5186
Glennolsen@earthlink.net
http://www.indianawingcaf.org
Open: 10am -4pm
Both Saturday and Sunday
General Admission:
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Kids 6+
$7.00 Veterans
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Wed May 31, 2023 10:46 pm
On the P-40N, what are the small oval objects in the center of the star on either side?
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 12:10 am
GPS antenna..?
Phil
Phil
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 6:07 am
phil65 wrote:GPS antenna..?
Phil
I would agree. Was going to say the same
They are white and cannot be painted, so that's as inconspicuous a place as any.
Thom is always upside down, so that's why he needs two
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 3:09 pm
That rotating beacon is toast if he ever has to make a wheels up landing (on the P-51). All our GPS antennas were always mounted on top but I don't know what new technology is out there.
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 3:41 pm
Awesome thread with some great photography. Goes to show it never hurts to ask right?
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 5:11 pm
Sure a P-40 and '51 are nice, but the H-19 is probably a rarer sight! 
Re: P-40 & P-51 Visit CASC (5-30-23)
Thu Jun 01, 2023 8:02 pm
Yep,that H-19 is pretty cool. Even if they don't fly it they sound good just idling.