Current warbirds that have been flown by someone famous

[Pathfinder]

At the first show put on by Charlie Osborne in Jeffersonville, IN, in 1993 Bud Anderson, Pete Peterson, CY, Howard Park all flew (or flew in) their wartime named aircraft. Roger Hedrick from VF-17 flew the Corsair that was being restored at the time. Good Grief....that was 21 years ago!

[A26 Special K]

Greatest Generation Aircraft Museum in Ft Worth used to have the B-25 "Pacific Prowler" which was a Tallmantz camera ship N1042B and appeared in Catch 22. It now resides at the Mid America Flying Museum in Mt Pleasant, Tx. Our B-26K (A-26A), Special K, was flown by Joe Kittinger, who up until recently, held the record for highest fall from a balloon in 1960. He trained in the airplane before going to NKP for a combat tour over Laos. In a later tour in F-4's, he became a guest at the Hanoi Hilton. It was also flown by Denny Lynch who along with Steve Hinton, flew A-26's for the movie "Always". Denny saved Special K from the scrap heap and started the restoration of her. JR

[JimH]

Here are some that I remember flying...not flying in

909
Bob Morgan
Basil Hackelman 11 missions on the real 909
Tom Cruise

Tondelayo
Dick Cole

Witchcraft
Stephen Ambrose

Betty Jane
Mike Rodgers 354th
Ken Dahlberg
Stu Eberhardt
Steve Hinton Jr
John Muszala I & II
Mark Henley
Lee Lauderback

Others
Chuck Yeager
Bud Anderson Lady Jo, Miss Velma, Old Crow (D)
Bruce Carr Angels Playmate
Pete Peterson Hurry Home Honey

I'm sure all those guys flew Crazy Horse as well

Jim

Last edited by JimH on Sat Nov 22, 2014 5:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[mustangdriver]

THe B-25 in the NMUSAF was flown there by the veterans of crew #1 from the real raid.

EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast is in the markings of Hal Weekly's B-17 from the 398th BG. Hal used to fly our B-17 for many years.

[51fixer]

Bald Eagle was used by Bob Hoover for at least one airshow.

[Jeremy S]

At the first show put on by Charlie Osborne in Jeffersonville, IN, in 1993 Bud Anderson, Pete Peterson, CY, Howard Park all flew (or flew in) their wartime named aircraft. Roger Hedrick from VF-17 flew the Corsair that was being restored at the time. Good Grief....that was 21 years ago!

I have fond memories of those airshows! It was at the 94' or 95' show that my older brother got Chuck Yeager's autograph!

I heard a rumor that Charles Osborne is no longer in the warbird restoration business?

[Speedy]

Isn't Cliff Robertson's Spitfire still out there?

Did he actually fly it?
It's always said he owned it, but did he pilot it?

BTW: The MoF's website is wrong. Robertson was not a "TV actor". He never had a weekly series and won an Oscar (the award, not the plane).
Who reviews their stuff? Time to send the interns home.

Yes, he did fly his Spitfire. Cliff also flew Ed Browning's P-51 "Flying Undertaker" at Tonopah in August 1979...on TV. He did a report on the RB-51 Red Baron's 3km record run for ABC's "American Sportsman" with Kurt Gowdy. He also did at least one AT&T commercial on tv in the '80's that I can remember. So yeah, he kind of was a TV actor too.

[Chris Brame]

Yes, he did fly his Spitfire. Cliff also flew Ed Browning's P-51 "Flying Undertaker" at Tonopah in August 1979...on TV. He did a report on the RB-51 Red Baron's 3km record run for ABC's "American Sportsman" with Kurt Gowdy. He also did at least one AT&T commercial on tv in the '80's that I can remember. So yeah, he kind of was a TV actor too.

He also did a TV miniseries where he played Henry Ford back in the '80s.

Are any of the B-52s Jimmy Stewart flew in surviving?

[N3Njeff]

Jimmy Doolittle used to joke that he had had his picture taken in the left seat of every B-25 still in existance.

I wonder if he ever personally flew any of the ones currently on the circuit.

I believe this is yes. Back in the early 80's a Ceremony called "30 seconds over Washington, D.C." Took place. A formation of B-25's flew down Pennsylvania Ave in formation. My father went with Dean Martin and his B-25 from Vt to participate. Dean owned what is now the Doolittle raiders. A reporter from a local tv station went with a camera and filmed it. I have a copy on Betamax. Carol Jean, hap Arnold & briefing time were the others. Jimmy was there and he was interviewed on camera. I believe he was flying one of them. One day I hope to get the footage converted on a DVD.

[N3Njeff]

I watched Joe Kittenger fly an Ag Cat

[Sopwith]

Where is Cliff Robertson's Spitfire now?, is it the one that was bought by Rolls-Royce and donated to Brazil, or am I getting mixed up?

[Speedy]

The ex-Cliff Robertson Spitfire is on display in the Personal Courage wing of the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

[Sopwith]

The ex-Cliff Robertson Spitfire is on display in the Personal Courage wing of the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Thanks for clarifying Speedy

[SaxMan]

Cliff Robertson also played "Commander Carl Jessop" in the movie Midway. I can't recall if he is supposed to be the skipper of Fighting 8 or the CAG, but either way, the used a fictional name.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Jimmy Doolittle used to joke that he had had his picture taken in the left seat of every B-25 still in existance.

I wonder if he ever personally flew any of the ones currently on the circuit.

I believe this is yes. Back in the early 80's a Ceremony called "30 seconds over Washington, D.C." Took place. A formation of B-25's flew down Pennsylvania Ave in formation. My father went with Dean Martin and his B-25 from Vt to participate. Dean owned what is now the Doolittle raiders. A reporter from a local tv station went with a camera and filmed it. I have a copy on Betamax. Carol Jean, hap Arnold & briefing time were the others. Jimmy was there and he was interviewed on camera. I believe he was flying one of them. One day I hope to get the footage converted on a DVD.

I have a VHS copy of the raw footage when Gen. Doolittle was being introduced to the crews of each B-25 there. Unfortunately, it has the timecode window on it, but it is interesting as Jeff Ethell walks with Doolittle and introduces everyone.