Bud Manurin's P-26 adventure

[agent86]

Looking at the various photos of the Planes of Fame"s P-26 that have been making the rounds of the Warbird mags and websites lately.I have been reminded of what is probably my all time favorite story from the old Air Classics magazine.This story was written in the sixties when Air Classics was still worth the money you paid for it and was also the only game in town when it came to the just emerging Warbird scene.It was written by the famous fighter pilot Mr. Bud Mahurin and it told the story of the resurrection/restoration of Mr. Maloney's P-26 back to flight worthiness and his hair raising test/delivery flight to Las Vegas,Nev.The way he describes the flight and his situation is both hilarious and frightening at the same time.He left from the Los Angeles area just as the sun was going down,Vegas is fairly close to L.A.and he figuered "Hey,No Biggie!" I'll just hop on over the mountains and be there in no time!The plane had to be there the next day for some airshow that it had been promised to and they had just finished with it.The flight to Vegas was also the first test flight.He had no radio,no lights,no jacket.(maybe no sense?)His glasses were sunglasses and it got mighty dark,might quickly.The 30 plus years of dust,grit and restoration residue were flying around the cockpit and into his face.I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes.If possible all should somehow read this funny story starring both a great man and a great plane. Tim

[Mudge]

Agent86...Interesting story but...it would have been a lot easier to read if there were spaces between the end of one sentence and the start of the next.

Mudge the grammarian

[systemofadown1162]

Mudge, just try to read it out loud in one breath.

[bdk]

Agent86...Interesting story but...it would have been a lot easier to read if there were spaces between the end of one sentence and the start of the next.

I've met Agent86 and that is the way he talks too!

Just kidding Tim!

[agent86]

What can I say?When I was in high school,The only people taking typing classes were girls and also guys who wished they were girls.who knew that there would someday be these darned new fangled computers.I cant type but I can however sync the 6 weber carbs on your Ferrari daytona.Ya wins some an ya lose some. Tim