Flying Cloud - Minnesota T-6's

[Paul Krumrei]

Was near the flying cloud airport in eden prairie minnesota on Wed. saw 3 ship t-6 formation.

Anyone have any idea who they were? I think that they usually fly out of janes field in anoka ( near me )


Thanks!

[dj51d]

I don't know who was out this week, but here are a few of the ones usually seen about in the area.

T-6G 49-3365
SNJ-4 51505
AT-6A 41-16320
T-6G 49-3085
SNJ-4 51629
Harvard 4 RCAF20446
Harvard 4 RCAF20306

[Paul Krumrei]

Thanks Dan.

Man, it was nice out that day, saw them birds and was getting the bug to go to airshows this year.

[mjanovec]

Was near the flying cloud airport in eden prairie minnesota on Wed. saw 3 ship t-6 formation.

Anyone have any idea who they were? I think that they usually fly out of janes field in anoka ( near me )


Thanks!

Only three of them? If I remember correctly, there's a group of about four T-6 pilots in the area that practive their formation flying on Wednesdays in the warm months.

[Paul Krumrei]

Yes, I only saw three that day. Did not see the 4th ship.

[HELLDIVERS]

Hi :The Blue one belongs to Robin Crandel from ANE,the gray one with the red ring on the cowling is Bruce Olsons from Flying cloud,the polished aluminum is Scott Rummels,there are several more in the area 4 at flying cloud,6 at Anoka,a few more scattered around.They get together almost every Wed. afternoon for a few hours of flying fun!! Thanks Mike

[NathanT24]

Man what is it with T-6s on Wed, down here in Pearland I saw Mark (crap forgot his last name) SAAF T-6 and then a Blue T-6, then I saw 3 Stearmans!

[Paul Krumrei]

Saw only 2 today, except this time, I was down by Janes Field ( near my office ) today in Anoka.

[Eric Friedebach]

Bruce took a reporter up for a ride recently. Here's the article that was published in the Chanhassen Villager today:

Screeching across the Chanhassen sky
By David Jansen
Staff Writer


Wednesday, June 28, 2006


Bruce Olson is among the T6 Thunders, the group that flies its planes over Chanhassen to kick off July Fourth events. He cuts across the Eden Prairie sky Saturday practicing for the numerous events he will participate in. (Villager photo by David Jansen)
On a calm, sunny Saturday morning Bruce Olson fires up the engine of his silver, T6 airplane for a couple passes around Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie.

He said he regularly hops into the bullet-shaped plane to practice for upcoming Fourth of July events, including a 2:30 p.m. flyover in Chanhassen before the parade. This is the third year the Chanhassen Rotary has attracted Olson's group, the T6 Thunders, to the parade.

On one of Olson's passes over the small runway, he radios the tower, requesting to send out a trail of white smoke.

"Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em," the tower responds.

Withthat, a long trail of white smoke follows the flight path of the single-engine plane -- a common ornament of air shows. Olson takes one more pass, tips the wings and swoops in for a perfect landing.

An aviator since 1978, Olson said he's done most of his flying the past seven years as a T6 pilot, often logging 250 hours of flight time per year, compared to the 40 hours a year he used to fly. Every Wednesday, he said, the T6 Thunders get together at Flying Cloud Airport to run maneuvers and formation drills.

And once Olson begins talking about airplanes and flight, he can chatter nearly endlessly about flight maneuvers, aviation history or warplanes in general.

And the T6 itself has its place in aviation history. Designed during World War II, it was designated "the pilot-maker," because as Olson pointed out, the plane was used primarily as a training plane, but also because it was a difficult plane to maneuver.

In battle, the T6 was also known as the "mosquito" because "when you saw it, it would sting you," he said.

Now the planes are commonly seen in air shows around the country.

Olson said in addition to the Chanhassen flyover July 4, his group of 10 pilots will also appear for flyovers around the state in Rice Lake, Austin and Apple Valley. He said air shows, "are not a money-making thing … basically it's guys that love airplanes."

In Chanhassen, they are among the paid participants in the parade, according to Todd Hoffman, Chanhassen's director of park and recreation and a Rotary member. But he added the costs generally amount to the cost of fuel.

"When those planes fly over -- that's really something," he said with a boyish glint in his eyes.

And as for their continued future in Chanhassen, Rotary member Pete Pemrick, who originally brought the T6 Thunders to the city, said, "We're on their permanent calendar as long as we like it."

David Jansen can be reached at djansen@swpub.com.

Complete article with photo.

[Warbirdnerd]

Max Haynes (a local photographer) put together this website for the T-6 guys regurlarly seen flying formation in the Twin City area (some of whom lurk here).
http://t-6thunder.com/
Check out some of his other photos here
http://maxair2air.com/AIR/A/airportfolio.html
Can you believe Max has only been taking aircraft shots a little over a year?
I'd say the man has a gift for it....

[Saabmeister]

A bunch of hooligans in T-6's woke me up from my nap this afternoon!

A four ship formation flew right over my house at what seemed like a fairly low level. I drove down to Fleming and got a few pictures of them on the ramp (my stupid new camera focused in on the fence for two of the shots )

I've got a few pictures up on my blog http://therealawesomepossum.blogspot.co ... igans.html

If they come back over again I'll be ready for 'em