Warbird Information Exchange

Just a few comments, from a poor colonial boy…

I for one tend to enjoy the fact that the WIX board is more North American than the Flypast forum. Now, anyone who knows me, in the least, knows that I am something of an anglophile. I truly enjoy the flypast forum, and have made some wonderful, lifelong friends “across the pond”. These people have got their collective act together. They know their airshows, and they know the airplanes that are participating. They also know the pilots who fly these airplanes. Most of them are published authors and photographers. I love them dearly.

Saying all that, I do tend to find the British viewpoint on warbirds somewhat strange. Besides the whole “anorak” thing which I just don’t get (what’s the point???) the very strict barrier between warbird pilot/plane and spectator/enthusiast is much more defined in the UK than in America. I was very surprised at Legends to see that the airplanes could only be viewed from 50’ away (after spending an extra 4 quid). After seeing kids swing from the pitot tubes of my L-39 for a week at Oshkosh I’m beginning to think this might be a good thing. But the chance to interact with the crowd (and especially the children) is something I would not want to miss.

I have to admit that I don’t post as much on the flypast forum as I would like, but what can I contribute when the thread goes something like…”while at Old Bixby the other day I’m quite certain that I spotted ML375 with invasion stripes, but that can’t be as ML375 is having her nails done and shouldn’t be available until the Air Tattoo at Greater Lesser Middleton”. Really, what could a poor yank possible contribute to a thread like that?

So, pay attention, here’s the important part. Warbirds are international (in spite of the loss of Warbirds Worldwide, but just look at the new Warbird Digest). We cover every ocean and (almost) every continent. We are a fraternity. We are brothers. We need to help and respect each other (even the Col if he agrees to put away the semi-automatic weapons and grenade launchers) and we all need to strive to get along. I very much enjoyed meeting members at Legends and Oshkosh. If you see me, please come up and say hello. You’ll probably get a t-shirt. At the very least you will not be one of the cattle prodded masses who are at the airshow because there was nothing good on TV, who just have to ask me (like I haven’t heard this 100,000 times already this week)

“say???? (insert dumbfounded expression.....what is this here airplane?????”.
It’s an L-39, an advanced trainer for the Soviet Air Force…

“Nawwwww, you don’t say????” How fast is she???
Me (now bored)…”About Mach 7, but we shouldn’t discuss it in public”

“Really????” How much are they????
“Oh, you can pick up a nice example for somewhere around $15 Million, but they do have air conditioning.”

“You don’t say??? Do you give rides???”
Depends…Do you have a teenage daughter?

Why would anyone want to be a warbird pilot and go to shows like Oshkosh? In my own defense I can only say that seeing the little glimmer of intelligence from members of WIX and Flypast make it more than worthwile.

OK, Tim Savage, Jim Church and JDK…I plugged your magazine; now where’s my comp subscription????

Steve

Steve, did I read in a post from you a while back that you're not going to be at Reno this year?

Hello all, I thought it was only right to check in, what with the rest of the 'old school' having a reunion ;) In my opinion I think that the original posters to the WW/WIX board had doors opened to them after their participation in the board which had previously been out of reach which in turn took up time which would've been spent looking into possible recoveries etc and just general posting. In the good old days it was a matter of Warbirds/recoveries being the priority but what with getting engaged recently and work being seriously busy I just don't get the time to check up on the WIX goings on. In the next couple of months I'm hoping things will settle down a bit now that the C-47 is back together and flying and the Mrs and myself will be 'living with the in-laws' :-0 It's great to see all the old names on the board and hopefully we can put up some posts relating to our part of the globe to keep the WIXers informed about what's going on in our neck-of-the-woods, I see Mr Grigg has one up relating to a rather nice P-40 in his area.

Tom ;)

I'm planning on taking the Sea Fury to Reno next month, but only for static display. Look for me to be lurking around the pits with Stew Dawson and the Breckenridge gang.

There just wasn't enough time to get her (and me) ready this year, and I didn't want to race the L-39. Honestly, L-39 racing? Maybe someday Reno will have real jet racing with T-33s and MiGs and F-86s. Now that would be something!

As for my T-6, well, that would have been a guaranteed last place finish. The old girl is bone stock (read slow, but fun). The twin 30 cal. look cool though.

I am planning on being at pylon school next year, so hopefully Southern Cross will be back on the course in 2005.

Steve

Bump!

Mr Patterson

I speak as a person about to undergo a partial "Patterson "in the UK in two weeks and looking forward to it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for all the content in this thread - I have kept out a bit as I have a few other things happening at present.

Let me say you talk good sense and you have the type of personallity people admire - I can see why you bridge the gap in this discussion and you own a Sea Fury - how can you go wrong even if one day we have to hook up some of the proper hardware on the firewall of your ship.

Kindest regards and thanks
John

_________________
Air Vice Marshall
Sunshine State Air Farce