A Historic Warbirds Week in San Antonio!

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 8:51 am

Hey guys, I'm about to leave on a day trip, but thought I'd mention this quickly...

Next week marks the centennial of military (ie. warbird) aviation in San Antonio. On March 2, 1910 Lt. Foulois took off from the parade grounds at Fort Sam Houston in a Wright B Flyer.

Today, a replica Wright B Flyer will be arriving at Stinson and it will be re-assembled on Saturday for flights next week. If I'm able, I will be going over there on Saturday afternoon to get some pictures, and hopefully be at some portion of the events early next week.

Here are some links with more information.

http://www.tcnewsnet.com/main.asp?Secti ... eID=152355
http://www.stinsons.org
http://www.stinsonfield.com

I'll probably keep the Stinson Field Bulletin somewhat up to date as I get more information.

Ryan

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 9:22 am

Ryan,

The Central Texas Wing will be putting some planes up as well, but I don't have a final list as of yet. We were invited to take part in this wonderful event. I wish I could join in, but I have to work. Such a pain, this job thing, but it helps put AvGas in the plane!

When I get the list together, which should be real soon, I'll put it on here.

FG1D Pilot · **Joined:** Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:42 am **Posts:** 450

If I'm not mistaken, that was the first military flight, period. Not just in SA. I was there for the 75th anniversary. We landed planes on the parade ground from the ALG.

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:15 pm

Those wonderful WWII type L Birds including the deadly invasion stripped Maul!

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:43 pm

Well, the Wright bird flew this morning. I wasn't here in time to catch the first test flight, but one of our guys from the Alamo Liaison Squadron flew alongside with a photographer in the Legend Cub. The air-to-air shots below are courtesy of Timothy Gaffney at: http://timothyrgaffney.com Most of the ground shots (from the Texas Air Museum hangar) are mine.

WBF pilots Rich Stepler (left, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH prepare to test fly Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.

WBF pilots Rich Stepler (L, in right seat) and Don Stroud of Dayton, OH, lift off on Wright "B" Flyer No. 001's first test flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.

WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud tested Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 and made a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.

WBF pilots Rich Stepler and Don Stroud land Wright "B" Flyer No. 001 on the numbers after successful test flights and and a photo flight at Stinson Airport in San Antonio, TX in preparation for tomorrow's Military Flight Centennial.

Here are a few of my shots:

Don't forget the guys who work to bring the machine to us! Here's the maintenance crew with the pilot.

The folks flying the Flyer B are careful to note that this aircraft is a replica, and has some significant differences from the original for safety reasons, but the aircraft was designed so that at flying distances, it is virtually indistinguishable from the original except for trained observers (like here :wink:

). It actually weighs about 3 1/2 times as much as the original aircraft and has a modern steel tubing structure, engine, working radios and transponder, and a few other "niceties".

For those nearby who are interested in military history, noted author Col. C.V. Glines, author of a number of significant military history books is also in town today talking about military "greats" he has known including Gen. Foulois.

Check the links below for other information or related updates:

http://stinsons.org/FlightOfficers/Foulois%20Cent.html

http://www.stinsonfield.com

Don't forget that we have a nice little museum here on the field called the Texas Air Museum!

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2010 11:33 pm

Here are two "quickies" I uploaded. Lots of photos but no real time to edit and upload a ton.

The flying replica - "Brown Bird"

The ground replica - "Yellow Bird"

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 12:37 am

I'm slowly going through the pictures in between other things I have to work on and here are a few photo offerings. Haven't had a lot of time to edit them, so they're kind of raw.

The CAF's contribution. It was a bit too bad, but the FAA made 'em all fly high and off to the side, so it wasn't easy to get good photos without a zoom lens.

These planes were pretty no matter how high and out of camera reach they were.

Old and new... A trio of Texas National Guard / US Army helicopters fly over the Wright B Flyer replica.

Ryan

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 12:46 am

One more shot before I quit for the evening.

This is the "Yellow Bird" - the more authentic replica which was on the Ft. Sam parade grounds. They got a vintage engine working and ran the engines and taxied during the event while the "Brown Bird" flew overhead. The FAA decided to not allow any real aircraft on the grounds except for this aircraft, which was only allowed to taxi. Some of our ALS birds were actually landed and displayed on the field 25 years ago for the 75th anniversary. I heard from a CAF member that a certain T-6 pilot may have done a couple pr three buzz jobs way out of regs back then that may have permanently lost that opportunity for this event.

Ryan

Zachary · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:51 am

Thanks for the great photos! That would have been a sight to see in person!

Zack

Obergrafeter · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:25 am

We (The ALG) landed several L Birds on the field the celebration was on, taxied to the Flag Pole and were there all day (2 maybe). I remember the T-6 flyover and it was as you say "spirited", but don't remember any repurcussions. Unless the Commanding General was there as a shavetail 25 yrs. ago can't beleive anyone would remember.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:17 am

Obergrafeter wrote:

We (The ALG) landed several L Birds on the field the celebration was on, taxied to the Flag Pole and were there all day (2 maybe). I remember the T-6 flyover and it was as you say "spirited", but don't remember any repurcussions. Unless the Commanding General was there as a shavetail 25 yrs. ago can't beleive anyone would remember.

I'm pretty sure that someone you'd know told me that it got back to the Pentagon and the FAA and that's why the landings on the parade grounds came to an end. I'd like to think that it's just a tale, but for certain they haven't had the flights in since then. I wish we could do it again. It'd be fun to put the L-5 down there. I was looking at the field and doing a bit of dreaming...

Ryan

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A Historic Warbirds Week in San Antonio!

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