Wings Over Houston

[Bill G]

Does anybody have an update on Wings Over Houston last weekend-what planes were there, etc.

Thanks

[RickH]

It was very thin. Saturday's lineup;

Lone Star's contributions:

PBJ Special Delivery
Hellcat
Corsair
B-17
Continental DC-3
P-47
SBD
Rick Sharpe's Skyraider
Howard Pardue Bearcat
CAF:
P-63
PBJ Devil Dog
A-26 Spirit of Waco
Tora

Misc aircraft:
NA-50/P-64 replica
numerous T-6s
2 T-34s
3 O2s
2 Stearmans
Couple of L Birds

Collings Foundation Static
UH-1
T-33
S-2
Affiliated aircraft with CF
PT-22
Mig 21
L-29 Delphin
J-3
Stearman
L-39

Military statics were very thin also

[NathanT24]

Sunday you can add P-51 Gungfighter, couple more PT-22 and a Stearman and one T-28.

[airnutz]

I didn't get to see the show..I decided to drop a jack on my foot the
previous Tueday, which negated the possibility of a walkabout on concrete
ramps o'er the week-end. However, I decided to view the Airpower display
from the Hwy3 cheapdate seats and move to a better location when the
A-26 was to "cut loose" as RickH had said would happen. He wasn't fibbin!

The "Spirit of Waco", the Skyraider, and "Gunfighter" came in as a gaggle
of three and each took their turns. Unfortunately, the one I most wanted
to see..the A-26..I missed a good part of her display due to moving to a
better viewing position at the west end of the runway over by the volunteer shack. But as promised the pilot flew the A-26 with gusto! Then,
the Skyraider turned up the heat with a spirited show of his talents.
Gunfighter capped it all off with a thorough wring-out of the P-51...and he
really did....a really superior show of his capabilities!!!

Oscar Duck is gonna have fun..I hope I'm around to see that A-26 show...

[Oscar Duck]

Ferry system nearly finished...

[RickH]

Joe put on a pretty good display Sat. with the Spirit of Waco. Most folks don't realize the A-26 capabilities. It will run with most of the fighters. We had a Corsair pilot get a little snotty up in Michigan years ago. His comment? " If you can hang with me, you can fly with me". WRONG ANSWER ! All he saw in his rearview mirror that day was A-26 ! He couldn't shake her. There was no comment made the second day.

The A-26 has the benefit of the same laminar wing the Mustang has and 4000 HP. When pushed it is 100 MPH faster than the B-25 and has a redline of about 430 MPH. The Air Force dropped the ventral turret because of aft CG problems as the fuel was burned off during a mission. The other reason was that it wasn't needed. Any fighter trying to climb up to get it when they were at altitude was simply run away from.

It is the only aircraft conceived,designed,produced, and to see combat in both theaters within the confines of US involvement in WWII. It is regularly overlooked by historians. Production ceased when the contracts were cancelled after VJ Day. About 2500 were built, some saw successful service in Viet Nam.

[airnutz]

Ahhh...I was at the Sunday show, since the A-10 and B-1 were Sunday
only as per the schedule. So, was the A-26 routine different on the 2 days
Rick?

[airnutz]

Ferry system nearly finished...

Oscar Duck, I may have missed it in an earlier post, but will you be
"touring" on the way out of the states or are you heading directly home
after you receive the A-26?

[RickH]

I wasn't there on Sunday, Airnutz. Their usual routine is that they fly their portion of the show and then depart for Waco from the air.