Warbird Information Exchange

That's awesome famvburg! I have some more pics from that airshow. Sorry the quality is so bad. Just scans of the old 35mm photos. Don't have the negatives.













I also have these pics of Merle's T-6 that Steve flies now with the Aeroshell Team:






....sorry I got in the way in some of the pics!

V.

Thanks for these pics too. FYI, the T-6 is not painted as a Messerschmitt, but it's based on a scheme worn by an Fw 190. A profile of it is in an early '70s issue of the now defunct Wings or Airpower magazine. I sure do miss that paint scheme on it! Not long after the VKS airshow, a couple of months that summer, I got a few hours in the back seat of the T-6 with my dad. A bit of trivia for you. In those pics of the T-6 at Scott Field, those airplane tires cut in half and painted white to mark where the tie down ropes or chains were, I did those! I started out with my dad there at Scott Field as a young teen around 1974 before we came (back) to VKS. Sure brings back some memories! Here's a link to a display model of one. IIRC, the unit badge on the cowl of Merle's/Steve's is like the one in the profile, but this model is basically the Fw scheme on the T-6. http://www.scalecraft.com/focke-wulffw-1904.aspx

From the top of the page 1st pic white T-6 (Actually A SNJ-4) CAF Cajun Wing Aircraft N224X now painted as an SNJ-4 Pensacola 1943 colors, 2nd pic I believe is the late Roland Harrington in his "Tora Zero", 3rd pic Don Weber's P-51 "Damnfino", now in Germany, 4th pic ??? B-25, 5th pic I think was Howard Pardue's TBM, &6th I believe is Tom Gregory in a CAF "Tora Bird", might be wrong on a couple of those, been a long time, but I am positive on the T-6, & P-51.

Here's a few more Merle pics, I sure do miss him!

We thought we had a magneto problem in Harlingen TX, I think it was 81, in the pic L To R Myself, Rick Sharp, & CORRECTED Jerald Burns (Sorry Jerald)

Harlingen 83, don't know who the lady was, looked nice so I took her picture.

Lafayette LA. Merle & Ronnie Mount, I don't remember the year

Taken from the Cajun Wing B-23, Ronnie Gardner flying, Don Weber's B-25 Merle flying, & Don in his P-51, going to Pine Bluff for a show. Year ???

Harlingen TX 83, Merle getting ready to test fly the P-47.

Harlingen TX 83, Merle after test flying the Buchon after Annual Inspection for myself & Herb Puckett, Merle was busy that year, & sadly that was the last year we went to Harlingen before his death.

This my favorite, taken by myself from the back seat of SNJ-4 N224X with a cheap camera, I don't remember who was up front flying,.............in the German T-6 (Steve's Airplane now Aeroshell #3) Ben Cunningham with Julie ???? in the back, Merle in the P-47, & Doug Hall in "Old Blue", last day of Airsho, after the air show, 1983.
Robbie

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Fly Fast Make Noise!

The B-25 and both Sea Furies were owned by John Stokes of San Marcos, Tx. I can't remember if he had anything else up here or not. I was thinking the Avenger was from Arkansas. Whatever became of John Stokes and his 'air force'? He had quite a collection in the late '70s.

That was Howard Pardue's TBM. It ended up with Tom Suffy and it burned up in an accident several years ago. That was the first airplane I ever flew in. John Stokes has been gone for several years now. He did have quite a collection for a while and did a LOT to support the CAF back then.

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Brad

F4U Folks:

Good day!

Found another interesting shot of Buno 97286 showing off its colors! Poss Blythe, Calif c. 1970s. Via Flicker/AEC.