What's happening at FHC? Lots of pics and videos!

[CAPFlyer]

Great photos and video Jason! Thanks for posting.

The Bf 109 in the video doesn't sound very healthy though....

I wouldn't say "not healthy", just not tuned right. Thing is, it's only doing it when he starts loading up the engine. I can't tell if that's from him pulling the prop back or if he's doing something to the mixture setting to do it, but once he unloads the engine there at the end, it cleans up and seems to be running pretty clean. It could be bad injectors, bad plugs, or possibly even a bad mag. Those kinds of things will only show themselves when the engine is being run outside of "prime" conditions. The fact they continued the run suggests that whatever was going on wasn't causing any of the temps to get out of sorts, so it must not have been anything major.

[Fight2FlyPhoto]

They had Nixon out for the engine maintenance and he was there supervising the engine runs. Considering he's the one who restored the thing, I'm sure it's in good hands and will be good to go this Summer. Only thing that stopped it from flying last summer were sticking brakes.

For those of you who are local, you may be interested to know that on April 12, FHC is offering FREE admission to their collection to celebrate the grand opening of the second hangar to the public! My wife and I will be attending an event the evening before for members. It's really looking great, and I can see banners and lights on inside. I can't imagine the great migration is too far off.

This week I think I'm going to start daily visits just to see if I can catch something in transit. Like a Tank. Or a MiG.

And on that note, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[Fight2FlyPhoto]

Things have been shifted around. The Curti are back, the P-40C and Jenny are in the main hangar, along with the Rata. The Mustang, Thunderbolt, Zero, IL-2, and Hellcat have been moved over to Hangar 2 along with the three tanks. If you visit before the grand opening on April 12th, you'll miss out on seeing those artifacts.

[The Inspector]

Things have been shifted around. The Curti are back, the P-40C and Jenny are in the main hangar, along with the Rata. The Mustang, Thunderbolt, Zero, IL-2, and Hellcat have been moved over to Hangar 2 along with the three tanks. If you visit before the grand opening on April 12th, you'll miss out on seeing those artifacts.

I took a long time friend and aviation mentor there yesterday as he was in town from upstate New York. Even though several of the aircraft were next door it actually made viewing better since aircraft weren't packed in like below decks on a carrier where you couldn't appreciate a particular aircraft. He really enjoyed seeing FHC.

That was always one of my gripes about the HARRAH car collection in Reno, lots of cars but packed in like sardines.

Stew was here a couple years ago and I took him to HHF across the field as in the 50's he worked @ SIS-Q and converted Johns F7F to a borate bomber. next time I'll see if @ 89 he'll be up to seeing MoF.

[StudeDave]

I just heard (well, read) that a certain blue airplane took to the skies today...

I can NOT wait for the 'news at 11'.

[The Inspector]

I just heard (well, read) that a certain blue airplane took to the skies today...

I can NOT wait for the 'news at 11'.

Didn't make KING's 5 O'Clock but they were obsessed with the West side of Whidbey Island falling off (actually a bluff landslide)

[StudeDave]

Didn't make KING's 5 O'Clock but they were obsessed with the West side of Whidbey Island falling off (actually a bluff landslide)

I didn't mean that litterally.

What I meant was that (hopefully) at some point someone who was there has pictures and/or video to post.

[The Inspector]

Didn't make KING's 5 O'Clock but they were obsessed with the West side of Whidbey Island falling off (actually a bluff landslide)

I didn't mean that litterally.

What I meant was that (hopefully) at some point someone who was there has pictures and/or video to post.

I know, I'm just trying to scare off all the flat landers!
Proud of my continuing status as a member of 'Lesser Seattle'

[spookythecat]

Not sure what Jason is up to (probably out trying to catch more test flights) but for those not following him on facebook here is his video of the sweet run up and first flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsUYZ6Wq ... e=youtu.be

Best looking Hellcat in my opinion

[Rob W]

Best looking Hellcat in my opinion

100% agree. I have always had an affinity for the geometric tail patterns, they look so much more interesting than letters and numbers...

Paul Allen's museum looks to be one of the west coast's foremost warbird "depots" for rare and exotic aircraft from a variety of theaters and time periods.

Cheers,
Rob

[DH82EH]

Thanks for posting that Al. Agreed, that's a smart lookin' hellcat scheme.
Jeez, you'd think that with the quality of Jasons photos and videos, they'd let him through the fence!

I wonder if Paul Allen has enough money to clone Steve Hinton? It's always him at the controls

Andy Scott

[The Inspector]

Very nice it's been a pile of decades since the last time an F6F graced the runways of KPAE, since Charlie Willis' 'Little Nugget' back in the ALASKA AIRLINES piston days.

[Dan K]

Not sure what Jason is up to (probably out trying to catch more test flights) but for those not following him on facebook here is his video of the sweet run up and first flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsUYZ6Wq ... e=youtu.be

Best looking Hellcat in my opinion

Thanks for the link, Al...she's a beauty.

Any idea if a drop tank is in her future?

http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/F6F-5/F6F-5- ... 945-0A.jpg

[Fight2FlyPhoto]

Thanks for the assist, Al! a good friend of mine and fellow photographer has been spending the week in town with me and as a "thank you" I've been getting to spend the rest of my days shooting junior ice hockey playoffs! Hockey and warbirds in the same day! Doesn't get much better in my book.

Anyway, Wednesday there were two engine runs and two flights plus an engine run today and a flight. Lady Luck was not with me for today or the second flight on Wed. Hinton will be returning somewhat soon to finish the flight testing phase, so we will have several other chances to shoot it before an official fly day.

Sorry for not updating. I also have some cool pics to share as well. Plus one in Warbird Digest's upcoming issue for their resurrection report.

[Fight2FlyPhoto]

Thanks for posting that Al. Agreed, that's a smart lookin' hellcat scheme.
Jeez, you'd think that with the quality of Jasons photos and videos, they'd let him through the fence!

I wonder if Paul Allen has enough money to clone Steve Hinton? It's always him at the controls

Andy Scott

Thank you. Everyone down there knows me and even gives me a bad time about getting photos/videos up before they do. LOL. It sure would be nice to be able to so that for them officially. One would hope the 67,000+ views I get a month via YT would have some weight. It would be cool if there was a way to see how many folks decided to visit FHC directly because of the videos to present to them.

But there was another videographer out there by the plane this time. Perhaps I've lost my only chance. . Won't stop me anyway.