Warbird Information Exchange

Hi all

Well now we have just about come to an end of the year it is time to reflect for me on what has been a great year in this brother and sisterhood of "ol Hairyplanes'

My Highlights

Number one believe it or not was meeting a lot of great people in the UK, New Zealand, the US, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and here as I expanded my travel a little more. Somehow I managed 17 different countries over the past 15 months and nearly always with aircraft not far away- was I dreaming?

Thanks to all the great guys and Gals I met in the UK particularly Tony C, Mike J, James, Peter A, Melvyn, Andy, Andrew, Damien, Robbo, Janie and all the rest sorry if I left you off the list but you know who you are and I value that trip so highly - it was truly a great experience- 37 different sites - 4700 pics, 7 hrs of video, 40 fried eggs, 2 kilos of Bacon, 431 aircraft, too much Pommie beer, several hundred thousand roundabouts, 5700 miles, one very trashed/thrashed Ford Focus (The speeding tickets have still arrived here - the cheek!!) WOW


Tony Andrews recent visit here was a great catalyst as not only was he a great bloke to meet, went to just about everything aviation in Australia and photographed it in the most spectacular style, he also stirred a lot of fantastic discussion and thought here by reflecting me on the huge resource we have sitting in sheds and museums all over Australia. He was generous to a fault in allowing me to share all his great shots with you and I will continue working through these and mine as I continue to build my on line library.

This brings me to the point of all of this rambling, self-indulgent post.

The best thing about this and WIX is the sharing - we all care passionately about what we are doing and our interest and a lot of you would give each other the shirt off your own backs to help each other (No Melvyn please don't send me yours - I have to draw the line somewhere). There have been times this year when a few have gone a little over the top from time to time and we have overcome that as we always do - the scars heal very quickly here as we all close ranks and get on with it and support each other.

Look at the guys cleaning the Shuttleworth aircraft - no pay, aggro from the family and brass monkey temp but there they are and next season the punters will file through looking at all the clean shiny aeroplanes without a thought for who got them that way. Very selfless and the same goes for all of you - so if someone thanks me for posting photos or whatever - I feel good and I thank them but then I think of everyone else doing their bit.

Actual aircraft highlights for the year

Wanaka 2004 - La9, Bretling boys last dance etc
Manilla P38 dig
Caboolture air show - Black Cat, Fiat, Avenger, CAC Mustang etc
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos - aircraft museums etc
Vietnam, Cambodia - Skyraider and Bearcat recovery recon
UK trip 37 sites in 3weeks - wow!!

Australia
Wangaratta - Kingfishers, Vengeances, Tonys, A20s, P40s, P39s and a Birdcage Corsair for Christmas WOW

Col Pays P40E
Judy Pays P40F
Flying Fighters Sea Fury etc
The Lincoln - Yep ask no more yet
The ongoing B24 at Werribee
and about 100 plus other projects happening here which I look forward to sharing as we go ahead.


So thanks guys it's been a great 2004 and all the best for Christmas and 2005.

Forget ego, Forget arrogance - learn humility - You will know when to stop if it isn't fun anymore

Kindest regards to everyone - I hope you have the best Christmas and New Year

John Parker

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Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce