Warbird Information Exchange

As my trip is coming up soon I have put together my plan. It may chance as things come up but here is what I hope for. We will be staying in Franklin, TN for the week.

Wednesday I will take a trip to see Glacier Girl and the Tennessee Air Museum.

Saturday I will be driving down to my Brothers house in LaGrange. On the way down I will stop to see the B-29 at Dobbins AFB and Maybe the CAF Wing in Peachtree GA.
Does anyone know if the P-51 and SBD will be at the Hanger that day (July 15th)? Or what else might be there to see besides the P-63 project?

It is not an A/C vacation so I have to keep the goals within reason.
Any other sites close by that might be worth stopping by, aviation and non-aviation?
Any places to eat that I should not miss? BBQ, Mexican… Man, I could go for some good Southern Red Beans and Rice.

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

While you're in Marietta seeing the B-29 at Dobbins ARB, go a couple of miles north on hwy 41 to the Big Chicken, and turn right (on Roswell St). Go about a half mile or so and you'll see Williamson Bros. BBQ on the left.

OUTSTANDING ! ! !

P.S. - The Big Chicken is a local landmark. It's on the NE corner of Hwy 41 and Roswell St. You can't miss it.

Check the CAF Wing at Peachtree City here:

http://www.dixiewing.org/dixiewing.htm


Walt

Hello Tim,

Welcome to Tennessee!!
Are you flying into Nashville International (BNA).? If so go over to the 118th Airlift Wing and check out their C-130H-2 's that have been doing a fair share of the flying overseas in the war. You will notice, partially obscured by trees is a Republic RF-84 Thunderflash on a pole. It only has about 200 hours since new, but esd msde a gate guard in the 1980's. Also on the field is a T-34A and PT-22 hangared at Mercury Aviation.
Now proceed to the west side of airport. and you will see an old Tallichet restaraunt called the 101'st Airborne. It recently closed and everything is for sale including the EC-47 (C-53) on the lawn. I'm not exactly sure what it is as it doesn't have a cargo door. It is for sale as is.
THE old aircraft factory, now owned by Vought Industries, is also on the west side of the airport. THey produced Stinson L-1's and L-5's, and the A-31, BT-13, and 1200 P-38's. RIght there between the two parking lots is the sink hole where legend has it they pushed all the leftover WWII aircraft after their conctract was cancelled at the end of the war.
Keep going East on Murfreesboro Rd. and you will find a business named Stripmasters and they bead blast parts and stuff. YOu'll find the fuselage of a Bristol Beaufort with Australian markings in the side lot. Inside you will find pieces of the Lysander and Swordfish that they are stripping for the so called Bristol Heritage Collection, or whatever.
At Centennial Park there is an F-86D on a post. In west Nashville at the TUne Airport(JWN) there is a TP-51D that's nice.
Nashville had a ferry command wing based here in WWII so there are a lot of crash sites in the area. In Franklin, where you will be staying there was a YP-39 that went down in 1941. In the post war years there was a German jet that went down north of Gallatin Tn. I believe it was from flight test at Dayton. Need more?

Marine Air

Oh I almost forgot a big one! There is a guy in Nashville that has a restred B-24 Liberator cockpit and fuselage, complete with live 50 caliber machine guns in his basement. His name is E.R."Pony Maples" and he owns a company called Military Systems Group.

Take pictures of the Dobbins B-29 if you have a chance....

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

Thanks for all that info, that should keep my days busy while the wife is at "work".

I'll be driving down Monday July 10th and flying out of Nashville the 16th.

Pictures, Oh I'll take pictures! that has never been a problem for me

Marine Air
Any Hole-in-the-Wall placed that I need to go to eat? I would hate to miss some local water holes.

Tim

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Hello Tim,

1)When you're in Franklin, any of the restaurants on or near the square are nice and privately owned.
2) If in Nashville, you can grab great pork bar-b-que at "Hog Heaven." From there you can walk over and check out the F-86D in the park. It has the rocket rails/box under it's nose.
3) If on I-65, on the way to Franklin is Mama Mia's an Italian restaurant ranked #1. You have to bring your own hooch, but the liquor store is next door.
4) The "Flying Saucer" is downtown on Broadway and has over 200 different beers. Eaten there many times and can't remember what they friggin have!
5) Big River brewery on Broadway. Great beer, great salads, can't remember beyond that about the food!
6) Stoney River Brewery, also on Broadway. Lots of Vanderbilt University chicks eat there. Great beer, great beer goggles, who needs food?
7) Blackstone brewery-on Broadway. bitter dark lagers not for the feint of heart. Food sux, beer sux, place is crowded with babes from the Vandy girl's dorm across the street.
Bro's, great Cajun food spicy and hot. You'll want to wash it down with a lot of beer. Can't remember how to get home from that place!
9) 21'st Ave. Restaurant, located on same. great barb-b-que ribs, steaks and seafood, casual.
10) San Antonio Taco Company, decent food, crowded with college students and hot nurses, from across the street, you can buy bottled beer iced down in metal buckets, nice scenery and you'll spend about $100 bucks. Can't remember anything else

It appears we are staying in Nashville and will drive down to Franklin every day. I’m not sure where yet. Don't ask the story is far to long to explain and I'm not planning it and I stayed out of the planning (it was planned by 4+ women that all communication has funneled through my wife ). It should be fun.

I figure I’ll check out a Civil war Battle field in Franklin (is it worth it?) one day.
I have to take pictures on day in the studio another day for my Wife and Sister-in-law.
Hit the Airport another day and the surrounding aviation sights.
Side trip to see my Brother and the Dixie Wing of the CAF and Dobbins B-29.


Marine Air
want to try and get together for a beer or something? No, it won't be a date, I know how you Marine's get your hopes up so I'll make that clear up front.

Tim the Squid

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www.tailhookstudio.com

Yeah that would be good , I like beer you know! I'll send you a pm with my phone numbers and see if it works out.