Where It All Began...........
Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:55 pm
I got this enail this morning from Jack Lenhardt.
Jack,
These are very kind words. I have printed them and put them on my
bulletin board in the office for all to see along with your photo.
Thank you. Jack
-------Original Message-------
From: JOHN COOK
Date: 08/17/06 09:58:39
To: Jack Lenhardt
Subject: Re: Pictures
Hi Jack,
I found a bunch of slides over the weekend and will make some prints for you.
I did find one of me in the cockpit and one sitting on the left main. I was maybe 9 or 10 and remember it has a magical moment in my life.
I remember it took a while to work up my courage to ask if i could sit in it and you said if I could make it up there I could climb in! I took some doing but I made it.
I also got a ride in your T-6/SNJ I think a purple or dark blue
one? That was a great place for a young kid to be growing up! In almost 30 years since then I spent 10 years in the Navy, became a
Navy aircrewman on P-3s, did 2 cruises on carriers, was a A-6 Intruder weapons loader and served in Desert Storm.
I've also flown in many different warbirds and antiques. But, I always remember where it all started for me.
Best Regards..................Jack
Jack was a real unknown warbird pioneer. His FM-2 restoration in the 70s was one of the first to have an accurate warbird paint scheme. It still flies today
exactly has he restored it (same motor/prop ect) At his grass strip in Hubbard, OR in the 70s you could find his FM-2, 2 SNJs, Beaver, DC-3, various vintage
helicopters and Bill Compton's F6F. Nowadays, how many guys would let a 9 year old climb over their freshly restored warbird with or without supervision?
Answer-nobody I know of!
Jack Lenhardt flying his freshly restored FM-2 N20HA
Me and my FM-2 taken by Jack Lenhardt
Jack,
These are very kind words. I have printed them and put them on my
bulletin board in the office for all to see along with your photo.
Thank you. Jack
-------Original Message-------
From: JOHN COOK
Date: 08/17/06 09:58:39
To: Jack Lenhardt
Subject: Re: Pictures
Hi Jack,
I found a bunch of slides over the weekend and will make some prints for you.
I did find one of me in the cockpit and one sitting on the left main. I was maybe 9 or 10 and remember it has a magical moment in my life.
I remember it took a while to work up my courage to ask if i could sit in it and you said if I could make it up there I could climb in! I took some doing but I made it.
I also got a ride in your T-6/SNJ I think a purple or dark blue
one? That was a great place for a young kid to be growing up! In almost 30 years since then I spent 10 years in the Navy, became a
Navy aircrewman on P-3s, did 2 cruises on carriers, was a A-6 Intruder weapons loader and served in Desert Storm.
I've also flown in many different warbirds and antiques. But, I always remember where it all started for me.
Best Regards..................Jack
Jack was a real unknown warbird pioneer. His FM-2 restoration in the 70s was one of the first to have an accurate warbird paint scheme. It still flies today
exactly has he restored it (same motor/prop ect) At his grass strip in Hubbard, OR in the 70s you could find his FM-2, 2 SNJs, Beaver, DC-3, various vintage
helicopters and Bill Compton's F6F. Nowadays, how many guys would let a 9 year old climb over their freshly restored warbird with or without supervision?
Answer-nobody I know of!
Jack Lenhardt flying his freshly restored FM-2 N20HA
Me and my FM-2 taken by Jack Lenhardt
Last edited by Jack Cook on Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:21 pm
Thats a nice story Jack. Like that pic too. I got one somewhere from when I was about that age my brother took of me with a T-6. Its funny how that aviation bug bites at an early age. 
I never really got a chance to be around warbirds until I was in my early twenties working on helos in the oil patch. Started hanging around that Cajun Wing CAF bunch, & oh well I was hooked. 
Robbie
I never really got a chance to be around warbirds until I was in my early twenties working on helos in the oil patch. Started hanging around that Cajun Wing CAF bunch, & oh well I was hooked.
Robbie
FM-2
Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:40 pm
John Dimmer, the current owner of the FM-2, let Jack fly it again after 25+ years about 2 years ago. That was something special to see! Jeff Wright was going to give Jack a couple hours in the SNJ to get him up to speed after so many years. But Jeff got out after one trip around the patch and watched from the grass. After flying the FM-2 again, Jack said it felt just has good has he remembered. I've got some shots of Jack & John D. afterwards that I'll post tonight.
FM-2
Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:47 pm
John Dimmer & Jack Lenhardt after Jack's flew the FM-2 again after 27 years!
Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:48 am
Does he have a son or something named John Dimmer who races old Formula 1 race cars?
T J
T J
JD
Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:10 am
or something
???
Yes, his whole family is into vintage race cars and go to
a lot of worldwide rallies.