How did you first get you into warbirds/flying

[jbell]

For me it was the book Great American Fighter Pilots of WWII by Robert Loomis (still available at Amazon.com btw), and the "12 O'Clock High" TV series.

dred, I found a copy of that book when I was a youngster. I was biking down the street on trash pickup day and it found it lying on top of a pile of junk. It too sparked my warbird passion. Still have that copy. I'm saving it for my son.................John

[modelmaker]

I bought the cockpit section of Avro Anson MG197 from from a collector Allan Newton in Birdwood South Australia back in 1997. I spent the best part of 8 years restoring it to a tidy display searching for parts from other Anson parts collectors within Australia NZ and the UK , most of the Instrumentation came from Hughes Trading then operating in Kyenten Victorla.
Through the restoration of my Anson Cockpit I meet John Boden who is the restorer/Owner of Anson A4-37 which is the only genuine A4 series Anson in existence, I've since sold my project on to the Late Graham Fields restorer/owner of MG422.
Graham was going to restore his aircraft to airworthy condition but passed away several years ago, I'd love to hear from anyone who knows more of what happened to Grahams project ?

Sean Morgan

[cooper9411]

Back when I was about 10 a DC3 made an emergency landing in a farmers field. Every day on the way to and from school I would pass that plane and thought how cool it looked. I never was able to get close to it because the farmer posted no tresspassing signs and the plane was next to a bill board just off the east side of Reynolds Rd. north of Hill Ave. The owner of the plane had an engine problem and within a few weeks of the landing had the problem fixed. Unfortunately the FAA would not allow the pilot to take off out of the field because it was to close to residential areas, 1/2 mile away was the closest residential area and in the opposite direction. Then one day on the way home I saw people dismantling the plane and next morning it was gone.

[Sgt13Echo]

I was a Luftwaffe pilot in a previous life!

Last edited by Sgt13Echo on Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cooper9411]

The swing set on the playground was the cockpit of a Corsair from the Black Sheep Squadron!

[Redtracer]

My Father was born in 1943 and was a small child starving to death in occupied Holland during the Hunger winter of 1944. B-17's "Angles From Heaven" of the 8th Airforce, as my Grandmother called them, literally saved his life. Thoses Men and planes dropped life saving food to my Family during Operation Chowhound/Manna, allowing my Father to live and for me to be here today. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to thoses men who liberated and saved my Family. That is the reason why I am so passionate about saving these planes and telling the story of our Nations Veterans!

When people say Veterans are the reason we enjoy our Freedom today, well that can't be anymore truer for me.

God Bless America! And Merry Christmas!

[cooper9411]

Agree 100% brother

[RareBear]

Well, I guess I'm going to have to put all the blame for my addiction on my Dad, too. He was an engineering draftsman at the Glenn L. Martin plant in Baltimore and worked on a number of their WW2 aircraft starting in 1942. He did drawings for full-size layouts for the B-26, the Mauler and was involved in the final engineering work on all 6 of the Mars flying boats. Post war he worked on the B-51, the B-57 and the 202 and 404 transports. Transferred to their missile plant in Orlando in 1957 and worked on a number of programs, finally retiring in 1974 after the Sprint program was terminated.

I went to airshows from an early age, and got my first plane ride in a Capital Airlines DC-3 from Baltimore to Newport News, VA. Spent many an afternoon at the old airline terminal in Orlando, the one at Herndon Airport (ORL). Hung out with the ticket agents between flights and watched the airliners arrive and depart. The money earned at odd jobs was spent on plane models and airline tickets. I flew all over Florida to look at planes. Flew in National Airlines Convair 340s and 440s, and Electras; Eastern Electras, DC-6s, DC-7s and DC-8s; and Delta CV-440s, DC-7s, DC-8s and CV-880s.

I recall seeing the Thunderbirds when they were flying F-86s and the Blue Angels in their F11Fs in airshows at McCoy AFB and NAS Sanford.

First warbird flight was in a Ryan PT-22 with Richard Thompson in the early 70's. Later flew in an AT-6D.

I've been an airplane nut as long as I can remember, and several years ago my wife bought me a bumper sticker that said "Caution - This Car Stops At All Airports". I proudly placed it on my bumper.

Walt

[Stoney]

Catch 22 got me started on Warbirds.

[Misterg97]

My youngster years were those of WWII ... a cousin flew 35 missions on a B-17, a neighbor went down in the belly of 17 and now lies at rest in a foreign cemetery.

I was drafted during the Korean war, joined the AF and sent to Radio Operator School ...

C46, C47, C54, C119 and C124 ... not sure how many of you will classify them as warbirds .. a different story for each ... another time maybe ..

Really enjoying all the comments and especially of you "youngsters"

[JohnB]

My father was a wartime B-17 co-pilot and later, an Air Force colonel.

The first warbird book that interested me was Flying Fortress by Jablonski (sp?) and US Military Aircraft since 1909 by Swanborough and Bowers. The base library had a great selection of aircraft books.

I haven't flown in many antique warbirds (if you don't count those still in service...C-130, KC-135, B-52 ) aside from the B-17, C-47, T-6, DH Tiger Moth and Rapide and Bell 47.
The 47 I flew was a genuine warbird, a 1951 H-13E, converted post-military to 47G specs. I soled it, so I guess I can call myself a warbird pilot.

[cooper9411]

MisterG97, all of my respect to you. 100% thank you, I'll raise a glass, err, I mean I'll raise two glasses to you

[Jerry O'Neill]

Catch 22 got me started on Warbirds.

Wow! That's starting at the top!!!

I started in Warbirds by building models and reading Airpower, Wings and Air Classics. Seeing Tora, Tora, Tora and Twelve O'Clock High (TV) and going to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (my first airshow) sent me on the path down the dark side!
Jerry