Warbird Information Exchange

You Tube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxiuAZZ8u1Y

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"Keep 'em Flying!"

Jack - the other pilot was probably Tad Foran in a grey SNJ-5 with B&W checker-board cowling, I think. He was one of the folks who helped teach me to fly formation back in the early-mid 1980s in the DFW area.

Randy

I believe dad and I were in the same 4-ship with Tad and Stan. And Yes Mr. Downing, I'm sure the airspace has changed ALOT! We nhave severakl photos of warbirds over the twin towers and the statue. Good times!

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Taylor Stevenson

If I remember right Dick James took Donna-Mite on that flight.

You have a wall also, many now famous people are hanging there

Lynn

Taylor, make it a good one as then I'll be a ole' geezer waiting to take the great dirt nap!

Lynn

That would be Tad Foran, a man I only have only met a few times, but is a great person to know in any capacity. He's finally given up flying in the last year or two, but I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up in the back seat on at least one or two occasions in the plane with Marty Case, who is one of the three partners (the third being Marty's brother) in the SNJ that resides at the DFW Wing Hangar.

Yes Dick James was there. He went from Aurora to Dayton and that is as far as he was planing on going. But he was having so much fun he ended up going on the rest of the flight.

Yep, I remember that. He did have a blast. His credentials are still hanging up in the hangar from that trip. Any other pictures from the get together? That must have been around the year Dick had his pre-OSH get together in Boscobel? I think we had 80 some planes fly in.

While not a "participant", I remember the event well. The Dayton paper promised 400 to 500 airplanes in the article they published a few months ahead of the flight. It was all I was able to think about . Of course, the photo accompanying the article was of the CAF B-29 and both B-17s!. But when they came in to Wright-Patt, I admit I was quite disappointed. More Texans than you could shake a stick at, along with a handful of BT-13s, a few light twins, three C-47/ DC-3s, the Connie, some Stearmans and a few straggling L-Birds. Only 7 combat types came in----3 Mustangs, a pair of B-25s, a TBM and a Harpoon. Just over 100 airplanes in all.
Don't get me wrong, I still felt it was an awesome site....especially the Texans in an "arrow" formation. But I had hoped for a wider variety of types.

I have alot of pics, I'll try to scan some and get them posted

We attended this event as they transited through Glendale airport in Glendale, AZ and we too had hoped for a better turnout. No combat types at all. I remember lots of Texans and a BT-13 or two.

The reason for all the T-6s was the guy who put it all together is the largest T-6 parts supplier. Freedom Flight was his way of saying thanks to the country for what he was able to do.

AZ Flyboy (Tom), Welcome to WIX, glad to hear your health is good.

I've just gotten back from camping for a week and was trying to catch up on the WIX board when I came across this posting.

I went to Freedom Flight where it started in Long Beach CA. The dates on my photos are July 28-29th 1995. Matt G, my pictures aren't as nice as yours, this was really my first air to air, and we were the wingman for the local news crew in the lead T-6.

I'm attaching a few pictures that I took at that event. The first one is larger than the others so you can read the text.


Opening Ceremonies with the traditional ribbon cut


My ride which is the T-6 that ran off the runway back east mentioned in the earlier posts


Flying formation over Long Beach


Ramp line of the SNJ-2 Skytypers and the a Bearcat


One of Jack Cook's groups ill fated T-6's, the only picture I ever got of this plane


Big Flag, Big Band


Dinner


WASP reunion at this event

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Roger Cain
www.sfahistory.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stearman/


We must limit politicians to two terms:
one in office and one in jail.

yes I went as Jack said... flew coast to coast and back and used 60 hours of R1340 gas in two weeks... not my credit card thank you...

flew formation with Stan Musick, Marty Case, Tad Foran, and Taylor's father Greg? memory fades...from long beach to McGuire saw a lot of taylor trying to see out the rear seat... could only see the top of his head once in a while... marty and Tad were both USAF Reserve/Gaurd folks and decided i could fly formation and let me join in.. they finally found out i was military also... Marty signed me off at the end for my formation card...