Warbirds future dim?

bomberflight · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 3:42 am

Yes ~ its true the average member of the public "just dont get it" ~ wouldn't life be dull if we were all the same !

I was at a talk given by a guy who has walked to both the North and South Poles ~ he said he spent the first 30 years of life worrying about always being the wierdest guy in any room ~ but he has spent the last 10 years worrying ~ what if he's not ? He finds that thought far more scarey !

There are few true warbird enthusiasts where I live too ~ if you want to get a taste of what life is like spending time with people out of our mutual genetic gene pool ~ make a trip to this years AirVenture at Oshkosh and head for the Warbird park

The long term future of warbirds is in the hands of your generation

Blue Skies

Scott Rose · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 7:15 am

oshosh84 wrote:

I think im about the only young guy in my area with an interest in warbirds. I know several people /w interest in aviation, but I haven’t met anyone in my age group with any interest in Classic a/c and warbirds. Is the general interest in aviation evolving along the lines of newer, lighter, faster, and be damned with the old?
Without new blood, are warbirds and antique airplanes doomed to go the way of the Curtis Jenny? (Correct me, but I don’t think any are flying anymore"

Excuse the grammer.

When I first grew interested in warbirds there was little or nothing online about them, granted this was a dozen years ago and the Internet was just being discovered by people and the world wide web was just starting to be spun. This prompted me to start the Luftwaffe Resource Group in 1996 which led into the Warbirds Resource Group soon after. One of the goals of this site and it's numerous and varied sections wash to provide information to those who sought it, regardless of age.

One of the things I realized was that I had no friends that had even an inkling of the passion I have for the subject and that sent me searching online for a mailing list or a discussion forum. I discovered the Warbirds Worldwide forum mere days before its demise as well as the subsequent Vintage Aviation Forum. I chose to create the VAF Refugee center that later became the WIX. The fundemental purpose of the WIX is to provide a place for like minded individuals to come and discuss warbirds and to create a community around that. The wonderful community that has formed here in the last 5 years is one comprised of individuals with a passion for warbirds regardless of race, sex, age, religion or geographical location (we even allow Mainers

We judge you not on what you are but who you are, as a person. There are teenagers here that have spoken with more clarity and respect than some individuals twice thier age. It's irrelevant wiether you own a warbird or if you just admire them, you have a place here.

And speaking of ownership, one of the things I have striven for is to bring the different levels of warbird people together so that we can all share in the passion that we all have. I thank all the owners, crew chiefs, mechanics, curators, and all the rest who have warbirds as part of there lives for sharing thier lives wuith all of us. It brings all together and allows us to realize that we aren't the "weirdest" person in the room, well at least not for reasons relating to warbirds

And lastly, our community brings us together in a literal sense as well. Just check out our gathering gallery to see those of us who have met at airshows and museums and have developed real life friendships as well as vitual ones. Some of my best friends have been found through the forum. So take a chance and announce when you are going to an aviation event, you might just make a new friend

To sum it up, welcome to WIX

crystal lakes · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 7:28 am

We have sn. 400 NJN4D, 1917 Jenny Still
Airworthy.

Mike

TAdan · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 7:43 am

23 here. Warbid fanatic for as long as I can remember. I can thank this forum for helping one warbird nut find others

RickH · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 8:03 am

I've looked at Scott's group pictures and thought about your questions a little more.

I've come to the conclusion that for all the good information on this site it's really just a mutual support group for those of us afflicted with this peculiar mental health disorder ! :lol:

I believe my particular affliction started when my Dad was a Navigator on C-119s. When I was little I had to go to the hospital and my Mom bought me a book. I selected Great American Fighter Pilots of WWII. There I met McGuire, Charlie MacDonald, Dick Bong, and I was really impressed with Foss, Boyington, Zemke, Gabreski, and Blakesly. I was about 8. I was hooked !!

When my son was born he was quickly infected and the disease has been spread to Sea Explorers and many Boy Scouts. One young man tagged along and he is now waiting to leave for the Air Force Academy. He wants to fly the F-22,....really BAAADDD. I would like to think that I had some influence in his decisions as no one in his immediate family flies. OK, well his Mom is an engineer at NASA, but that's not really flyin', is it ?

Anyway, we all find our niche, some are lucky enough to have direct involvement in the field and others participate and feed their passion in other ways.

Hang around, jump in when you feel the need, and welcome to WIX !

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 8:32 am

I'm about to turn 24 and can now say I'm almost a warbird pilot! I've been flying a J-3 Cub and an L-2 for a couple of months now, and have really enjoyed it. Actually I found a place that is letting me fly those aircraft for under $50 an hour, which is waaaaay cool considering that the local Cessna 172s rent for $90+. This way I'm getting taildragger time, cheap cross-country time, and having a blast learning about the old planes. It also doesn't hurt one's feelings when one goes to something like the Southwest Regional Fly-in in Hondo last weekend and gets told to "taxi to the warbirds section"! It was great.
Personally I think that money, time, and location are the three biggest factors followed by the people in control of the local warbirds. The group I'm with has put up with me, and yes I've done some damage to one of their aircraft, which thankfully is being repaired. (I hit a pair of gopher holes while taxing and had a prop strike... :shock:

Yikes!) The older folks there have been helpful and encouraging even when I've had a rough day with the learning curve. Other groups I've looked into, despite talk of needing to get the "younger generation" involved, haven't seemed quite as ready to work with them.

Ryan

Ryan

Former Member · **Joined:** Mon Aug 29, 2005 1:40 pm **Posts:** 1493

srpatterson hit the nail on the head with the real threat to the future of flying warbirds. It's not so much the lack of new blood coming into the hobby (I'm 36 and try to consider myself in the "young" group) as it is the astronomical costs of operating and maintaining these rare aircraft. The rising costs of operation, maintenence, fuel, restoration, insurance, etc. has already put many of the classic warbirds out of bounds of most collectors that aren't millionaires. Unfortunately it will only continue to get worse.
Just my two cents worth!

John

Ryan Keough · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 11:53 am

I'll chime in by saying that I have been working with warbirds for over 16 years now... and I am 28. I didn't have a family member that was interested either... I was a cold prospect die hard the first time I saw a P-40 fly. I was afforded many wonderful opportunities by veterans and fellow volunteers at the National Warplane Museum and later the 1941 Historic Aircraft Group in Geneseo, NY. I took my passion to school and eventually a degree in aviation management and took a position with the Collings Foundation right after college as the Director of Marketing... it wasn't flying them, but it was darn close! I was there for five years and still stay fairly active as a volunteer.

Long story short, if a person has the motivation to reach for the skies and become intimately involved with warbirds, they certainly can! Yes, it takes a little risk, and a lot of sweat, but anything thats worth anything will require that.

The next question is... where do these youngin's get the motivation? Well, WIX is proof. Only 10 years ago, there wasn't 1/2 of what is available on the internet in regards to warbird info. I remember that Air Classics and Warbirds International were my monthly reads when I was young, and that was about it. Todays kids have soooo much information available to them through the internet that I think we have a much better opportunity to draw in new enthusiasts than ever before. The seed layed by the vision of a spirited flyby of a P-51 or the story of a bomber crew in a book might lead them to look further using the internet as a tool at their fingertips. Of course one thing leads to another and "poof" you have a warbird junkee!

One thing that warbirds have going for them are the stories behind each one. Our WWII generation is filled with accounts of the dramatic, courageous, exciting, and dangerous genre... the tales of the "against all odds" battles are true stories that many fiction tales fall short of even. I think that it is hard to imagine WWII disappearing in the minds of our future generations... especially now. It will take work on all of our parts to find them and start those seeds and make sure that the information they get is real and correct. I just don't think it will ever disappear.

Just my .02.

warbirdguy · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 12:08 pm

I currently know five people and they all are involved in aviation somehow and they all have an interest in vintage aircraft. One of them is currently going to school for Aviation Repair and hopes to open a restoration shop someday and another is working on a private pilots license. I'm personally a member with the Collings Foundation and the Indiana Aviation Museum. This year I hope to volunteer with the Indiana Aviation Museum one weekend a month. Like some of the posts here you just have to look in the right place.

soko121 · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 12:56 pm

Hi all, interesting topic, i am 36 and have owned a very rare warbird a Soko 522. unfortunately it had to go primarily due to operation costs. I grew up around aviation and warbirds in England and then later here in the states. My dad Ferried many warbirds here for the CAF back in the '70s. He was able to fly HE111's JU52's DC3's Mosquito, Lockeed 10's and 12's and even the Boing 247. Needless to say there are a few pictures around of me making "aeroplane" noises in quite a few rare cockpits. I was hooked from an early age and have been fortunate to continue through a 20 year career of flying including DC3's and other fun/rare/different types. In recent years i have elected to leave aviation as a career and to fly for fun. My peers in my age that are as equally "obsessed" with warbirds,( lets call a spade a spade, thats what we are isnt it??) and i have had many discussions about the next generation. Obviously we have to educate them on "Fate is the Hunter", "High and the mighty", and in some cases even "Always" if the age is right.
We here at GTU have been able to find a few youngins that have a HUGE interest. I have been very fortunate to mentor one that graduates from High School next week. He has flown a T-28, Yak 52, Clipped Cub, C-45 etc. All because someone gave ME the chance to build time and expand my knowledge when i showed an interest. It is vital that we do the same.I have sold my Soko which Josh helped me rebuild. I have bought a cherokee that he is getting his licence in now. I am providing the plane for him to use. I dont need a cherokee, but his enthusiasm is high enough that i have said i wil help him get to the next level. We are both lucky that we can acheive this. I feel that if we all can reach out to those that might not have the means but do have the desire, then we can secure another generation that can explain about how men died in these planes and why they all, regardless of nationality did their duty up till the very end.
For those of us that are Mentors, i also believe that it is very imortant to pass on a saying that was told to me by Frank Price 2 weeks befor he passed on. " dont forget your vanity" and " dont forget where you came from"
Any WIXer that is near Georgetown Tx, you are welcome to come by and say hello, might even get the chance to build flight time if you can prove you are as loony as the rest of us that would sell their house and live on a cot in the hangar next to the spitfire
:lol:

Simon

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 1:01 pm

soko121 wrote:

Any WIXer that is near Georgetown Tx, you are welcome to come by and say hello, might even get the chance to build flight time if you can prove you are as loony as the rest of us that would sell their house and live on a cot in the hangar next to the spitfire
:lol:

Simon

Hmmm... There's a very real possiblility that I will be in the Georgetown area before too long. Do you know about how long it would take to get there from the Oakalla area?

Ryan

Ollie · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 1:05 pm

24 here, and I get to fly two trainers, a Pilatus P-3 and a Focke-Wulf Fw 149D.

In the province, there are not that much pilots, but we do get the occasional young one nuts about old planes. I have a very good friend who's a good mechanic on Harvard, Beaver, T-34, P-3, etc. and a friend of mine knows a lady out West who flies a WACO and a PT-17.

All is not lost. Of course, something I'd wish I knew more pilots my age who were as eager as I am to climb in old military plane to fool around in.

Steve S · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 4:35 pm

I too have had the same concerns over the last few years and as someone mentioned previously I also feel like I am at the younger end of things even though I am pushing 40. This is particuallarly reinforced by the the amount of older folks that I seem to be working with. Yet every time I think we are a dying breed I am rewarded by meeting a teenager or pre teen that seems to be as enthusiastict as I am. You would be amazed at the number 6 and 7 year olds that come up to me when I am selling tours of the LSFM B17 at a show and can recite every spec on the airplane, or even better the number of teenage girls I have seen dragging there boyfriends along to see the airplane, as it is the reason they came to the show.

Now I know that we will never be as popular as the NFL or NBA but in some ways it is probaly better that way. And sure there is a dispraportionate number of older folks taking part, but I think that is partly due to the time commitment involved and the fact that most folks in there 20's and 30's are either starting careers or raising families (it seems that all of the younger regulars at the musuem or childless).

As far as oppurtunities- I think they are out there - you just have to look for them. I do see a lot of folks that want to get the immdediate rewards and are not willing to work up through the ranks, and to them I say good ridance-When I first started volunteering at LSFM about 7 years ago the most I was hoping for was chance to sit in a cockpit and through hard work I have been fortunate enough to fly all over the country on T-Bird as a crew chief. I am getting ready to move away from Texas and know that I will sorely miss my friends and the airplanes at Lone Star but already I have been informed of oppurtunities where I am moving to ( outside of DC) and while they may not be as convenient I am sure I will continue to get involved. Just from this board I see that there are folks like us all over the world.

BTW- There is a Canuck flying at the Kingsbury Aerodrom in Kingsbury TX and I believe anothr Jenny is a regular flyer at Owl's head in Maine

Steve S

systemofadown1162 · **Posted:** Thu May 18, 2006 7:16 pm

I am happy to claim title of youngest wixer at the age of 15!

Unfornatly there is not much activity or interest in my area. Just my Aerospace teacher, SAI (senior army instructer) and my girlfriend (sortof, she will go to the airshows with me).

Paul Krumrei · **Joined:** Sun Apr 03, 2005 11:06 pm **Posts:** 1757

Well said, systemofadown!

You know what is really funny, I am 35 and love System of a Down and most people dont know who they are here!

Anyways, I feel that as long as guys like myself and the WIXers here, continue to meet here, educate and get educated and get others interested, warbirds will NOT be a thing of the past.

Be a mentor to some kids, get your kids interested, get a family member interested, hang a picture in your office, or locker or whatever!

You should see the people stopping by my office at work, when they see the pictures on my wall of P-51's and BT-13's and such. They say, HEY I LOVE P-51's or wow, those are cool pictures, you dig warbirds too?

I have had 10 people stop by my office and I only started there last Monday!

I would have to say that there are probably more people out there interested in these old girls then you think. You just have to poke around a bit and get more active in it. I think warbird nuts are born with it, but it is not hard to convert those who show intrest. I have been around them all my life. When I was born, I was born with a passion for them thar flyin machines!

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