This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Monday at Livermoore

Thu Sep 09, 2004 11:42 pm

I saw Tony Banta's P-40 out of the hangar for the first time. It had been in there for a long time getting new brakes made, I think. Monday it was out and flying. Nice looking, flying, and sounding plane! I've never been a big P-40 fan, but now I'm a convert.

The first picture is of the plane in the hangar, the way I've been seeing it for a long time. The last picture was one on the roll of film from the time I flew before. I just liked it.

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Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:03 am

Nice shots. Not sure I'd like hanging upside down like that. It's nice to see a paint scheme representing something other than the AVG. I'm not getting down on the AVG, they flew many missons and are great heroes, but do we really need so many P-40s in AVG colors?

About your signature. What's phase 2?

Fri Sep 10, 2004 3:03 am

O.P.

Nice alright....... living testament to the skill of the resto team at Pioneer Aero in Auckland, N.Z.

Dave

Fri Sep 10, 2004 7:14 am

I never knew there were warbirds in Livermore. I was there to visist a winery in Apirl (Concannon). :( I missed some a/c.

Are they open for viewing to the public?

Fri Sep 10, 2004 8:02 am

O.P. Love the photos... you're a lucky chap to have such opportunities.

PS. love the reference to South Park in your sign-off :P

Cheers. Richard

Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:36 am

great photos but they made me homesick - I used to fly into Livermore on occassion

Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:37 am

Thanks everyone.

Dan: Hanging upside down is the only way to go, besides, like most warbirds the T28 has an operating rule, "No sustained inverted", so its only for a few seconds. There isn't a phase two yet, we figured we better get the underpants first. (Southpark reference)

Dave: You're right! Pioneer does great work. The fourth picture shows an open compartment on the side, the brown you see in the picture is the toolbags for the plane, in canvas, with the military stencils on them, extremely detailed.

Tim: It's not really public, but everyone is very nice and will let you look around and talk a little about the birds. In the second picture, in the background, there is a big hangar, there's some warbirds in there (The T28 I ride in lives there), The hangar rows to the right is where Tony Banta's airplanes live. A good time to see the planes is between 10am and noon, and 3pm and 4pm on saturdays. That's when they usually "Exercise the horses".

Richard: You got it! On both counts. Thanks

Thanks again
O.P.
(Norcal Underpants Knomes)


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Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:46 am

Cindy wrote:great photos but they made me homesick - I used to fly into Livermore on occassion


Come back! If you're from here, you probably know that LVK is only the tip of the iceberg, I can honestly say that every airport I've flown into within 100 miles of here, has at least one warbird on it, if not many. I never want to leave here.

Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:34 pm

O.P. wrote:Dan: Hanging upside down is the only way to go, besides, like most warbirds the T28 has an operating rule, "No sustained inverted", so its only for a few seconds. There isn't a phase two yet, we figured we better get the underpants first. (Southpark reference)


Well, I'll certainly give it a try if I get the chance.

Great reference, it's one of my favorite episodes.

Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:20 pm

O.P. wrote:Come back!


wish I could! I left the bay area 6 years ago and now live on the 'other' coast. it's just not the same

Livermore history

Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:40 pm

Livermore has a rich history of warbirds. I used to spend a lot of time there in the mid 80's when Bob Love and Jack Hovey based their Mustangs there. In addition John Paul built a number of P-40's while he was based there too. Add quite a few T-6's and T-28's and you could always find something warbird related going on during a weekend.

Rick
http://www.rwphotos.com

Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:28 pm

Two questions please, OP, who's F8F wings is in the back and Dave, is this the P-40 that was done up in Dairy Flats around 1993/94? If so, I saw it there with a Spit and a F-86 outside in pieces.

Thanks,

Lynn

Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:36 pm

Hi Lynn! The F8F is Tony Banta's. It stays in the same hanger with the P-40. Here's a couple of pics....


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Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:54 pm

Lynn Allen wrote:Two questions please, OP, who's F8F wings is in the back and Dave, is this the P-40 that was done up in Dairy Flats around 1993/94? If so, I saw it there with a Spit and a F-86 outside in pieces.

Thanks,

Lynn


Lynn

Some info on the P-40 here

http://www.pioneeraero.co.nz/p-40e_kittyhawk.htm

Dave
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