First Warbird Flight???????

[bdk]

My first and only to date, 1975 Palomar Airport. Watching CAF playing around and met this young kid in the Mustang. He worked at Chino in exchange for flying lessons in the warbirds, I worked for Parnelli Jones' Indy team and we hit it off. I asked, he said yes but it cost me....$35 for gas! One glorious hour out over the Pacific with a B-25, two other Mustangs, Bearcat and a couple T-6's as I recall.

I think that is the Planes of Fame Mustang and although you can't see the face, from the hair I would guess that is Jim Maloney in the front. Maybe he was working for Fighter Imports at the time?

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[Ed Likes]

My first warbird ride was in a T-34 at Ft. Wayne IN. in 1980. Since then I have had tne honor and privlege to fly in the following warbirds. PT-19, PT-23, PT-26 BT-13 thanks Bruce Koch. AT-6 several times and a special thanks to Dick Phillips who in the Spring of 2003 arranged for me to be in the midst of a 30 ship T-6 formation clinic at Freeman Field Seymour IN. where I got to do my first Air to Air Photo Shoot and captured 10 T-6/s in one shot. AT-11 B-24 Dragon and his Tail Collings B-25 when owned by Glenn Lamount it was called Gallant Warrior then flew in it again now called Yankee Warrior owned by the YAF. B-17 Aluminum Overcast 1995 got 10 minutes in the Left Seat. B-17 Yankee Lady was in the Nose Section as we flew across the runway at Willow Run Awsome. P-51A when owned by Moon Spillers did a story on Moon in Warbirds magzine P-51 D when owned by Jim Priebe came thru his woods at about 350 at 50 feet. P-51 D then owned by Dean Cutshall and P-51 D owned by Jim Read and flown by Dave Folk in 2005. TBM Steve Hay Cessna 0-2 went weightless, C-47 YAF and C-45 Tim Svage thanks Tim as that led to flying with John Shuttleworth in his YAK-51 doing some aerobatics. I have done this over a period of 25 years and it was thru the good graces of many people and some luck and some personal sponsorships on my part.
Dream warbird expierence next year 2007 Columbus OH. P-51 gathering being in a B-25 with camera shooting a gaggle of P-51's would help sponsor that expierence, or being in a P-51 while at the Mustang gathering would help sponsor that also.

[Obergrafeter]

There is only one first. Not much of a warbird but it was an L-4. Since I have flown in or flown C-47, B-17, B-25, L-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,and21. I have also flown the Fi-156 and T-6, and Kate replica. Most favorite ride was with Connie in the Catalina.

[N3Njeff]

What a airplane, the TBM. I can honestly say that it was a better ride than the P-51. Was for the anniversary of FLT 19. dad got like 7 TBM's to show up. We took off on friday am and went out over the beach at about 2,000 ft and headed south to miami about 2 mi off shore. Once at the cut we dropped them on the deck just off the beach and headed north. Still get smiles thinking of it.

Yep my dream is a Huey. Had 2 chances, flew to fla to help run the flight line for a show dad was running and the guy no-showed. Ended up choosing between a PBY and a Gullwing Stinson....lol, went in the gull wing. Was fun!!!
my other was up here over in NY. Was working in plattsburgh and the NY state police were dropping bait for rabbid animails. So a co-worker and I wanted to go and I told him, lets donate our lunch hour and throw bait for a ride................we got permission to go for the next day!!!!!! Well I showed up and was disapointed...........they sent the H model back to albany for maint and sent up there twin pack huey with the 4 blades. I said thanks but no thanks............so oscar deuce, your on!!!!!

[DanteC]

First...BT-13 in about '90...a few times
DC-3
Stearman...formation aerobatics!
B-17
B-25
Stearman Again

Wishes...Any and all...Hellcat, Corsair, or T-Bolt on the top of the list.

Dante

[TAdan]

My first (and only) so far...

YAM C-47. At Reading WW2 weekend 03. Awsome awsome awsome

[corsair166b]

TECHNICALLY, I guess my first would've been around 1990 in what I believe is called a 'Queen Air'? A C-45 modified with a nose gear and a single tail, not the twin arrangement of the usual C-45...still, radial engines on it so I reckon it qualifies....since then, doing warbird photography has gotten me into the back seats of many interesting aircraft...the list so far:

T-6 (too many times to count)
B-17 (Evergreen's 'Shady Lady' chasing 'Sentimental Journey')
T-28
T-34
B-25 (again numerous times)
Staggerwing Beech
Howard DGA
'Kate' replica
Lockheed PV-2
C-45
L-birds

And a few more not yet coming to mind but I know they're out there.....now the list of planes I have PHOTOGRAPHED is interesting too, but will save that for another thread...

Mark

[ThinkingManNeil]

First was a T-6 at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. I used to turn my nose up at Sixes and Harvards because they weren't fighters, but after I took the controls and found what a delight they are to fly the Six quickly became a real favourite of mine. I hope to take a hop in Stallion 51's Mustang someday, but if someone said to me that I could only own and fly one airplane for the rest of my life, I'd happily chose a T-6.

N.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Here's mine....
PT-17 first Warbird & first Acro and only one I ever paid for! (I was hooked!).

Since then....Rides...
Curtiss Fledgling, Fleet 16, PT-17's, PT-19's, PT-23's, PT-26's, L-17, L-3, L-4's, L-16's, L-19's, DH-82's, BT-13, AT-6/SNJ's, T-28, UC-78, AN-2, C-45's, C-47's, C-54, TBM, P-51, B-17's, B-24, B-25's, B-29, PBY, and H-13.

Flown...
Fleet, PT-17, PT-19, PT-23, PT-26, BT-13, L-17, L-3, L-4, L-16, DH-82, AT-6, T-28, C-45, AN-2, UC-78, PBY.

Dropped ordinance from...
Fledgling, Fleet, DH-82, All at Old Rhinebeck and all an absolute BLAST!

Amazing coincidence....of all aircraft types I've flown in, and believe me, I did not plan this, but the 51st aircraft I have ridden in was a P-51, and my 54th type was a C-54! Honest. (I'm at number 65 right now.)
Jerry

[Jerry O'Neill]

Sorry, I forgot an O-2!

The best ride in town is in the glass nose of a B-25! Nothing in front, above or to the sides but plexi and sky!!! Awesome!

My most memorable flight...Riding in ship #2 of a 54 plane formation of T-6/SNJ's at Kenosha, WI during the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the T-6 in 1988! Nothing to say but WOW!
I was honored to be asked to ride along and my front row seat was a swiveling gunners chair in an SNJ! Great for photos!
Thank you Jackie Dankos!!!
Blue skies,
Jerry

[frankspeaks]

Amazing coincidence....of all aircraft types I've flown in, and believe me, I did not plan this, but the 51st aircraft I have ridden in was a P-51, and my 54th type was a C-54! Honest. (I'm at number 65 right now.)
Jerry

I want to see the pictures when you get to #82!!!!!!

[Jerry O'Neill]

I do too!!!!
Now how can I get to be Tom Cruise's newest, bestest buddy?
Jerry

[warbirdguy]

[quote]Amazing coincidence....of all aircraft types I've flown in, and believe me, I did not plan this, but the 51st aircraft I have ridden in was a P-51, and my 54th type was a C-54! Honest. (I'm at number 65 right now.) [/quote]

When you get to 67 you should go to the Indiana Aviation Museum and take a ride in the A-37. Its only a $1,000 and the plane is a Vietnam Veteran!