Fly-in part 3

[beaky]

I took many, many photos inside this 92,000 sq. ft. hangar... many did not work out, but i have a few good ones. Here's Helen and Mark settling back in the "Ready Room" where they have a TV and DVD deck for showing a brief but very interesting orientation video that helps put things into perspective befoe one heads out onto the floor.
I just can't believe I've never heard of this place... isn't this ready room great? I love the seats; no idea where they came from.





An OH-6 "Cayuse"; this chopper served in Vietnam, where it flew ahead as part of a Cobra "Kill Team" to draw ground fire. Not sure if it ever had gun pods, but at least the crew could sit on their helmets... imagine drawing ground fire in this thing...!!





The artwork looks retouched, but it's still very cool.





I think I'm in love: A P&W R4360 Wasp Major- a great big beautiful beast of an engine. 28 cylinders in multiple rows, 4300 horses. Four of these monsters were used to power the mighty Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. I'd love to design a single around this engine...!!!
 



Here is a resto. in progress; not sure what it is, but I'm thinking Vultee. It's a long way from done, but they seem to have all the parts needed.



They have the usual "educational" stuff here, including a few sim stations that although adequate, could really use an upgrade (esp. if they want to interest kids in aviation- kids have things they can carry in their pockets that are better than this stuff). Here Marco tries flying some helicopter sim...
look out,...!


Well, the Wasp has some competition for my affection: a very pristine-looking  Wright R1820, the type used on DC3s and B17s, among others. Gorgeous, esp. with that prop. Nice.



Next: More from NAS Wildwood!

[ozzy72]

So which version of FS were they using?

[Hagar]

That place looks like a little goldmine.

I think I'm in love: A P&W R4360 Wasp Major- a great big beautiful beast of an engine. 28 cylinders in multiple rows, 4300 horses. Four of these monsters were used to power the mighty Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. I'd love to design a single around this engine...!!!

Also the B-50 Superfortress which the B377 Stratocruiser was derived from. They were known as "corncob" engines for obvious reasons. I read they suffered from overheating & were none too reliable.

Here is a resto. in progress; not sure what it is, but I'm thinking Vultee.

I'm not sure either but I was never that good with the more obscure US WWII warbirds. The rear fuselage looks too graceful to be an A-35 Venegeance which is the only one I can think of. Must be a fairly early type if the markings are anything to go by.

[MarcoAviator]

So which version of FS were they using?

Some really pre-historic one ... It was pre-2000.

98? 95? can't remember what was the version before FS2000

[FLYING_TRUCKER]

Interesting hangar Rotty...very interesting

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[beaky]

That place looks like a little goldmine.

Also the B-50 Superfortress which the B377 Stratocruiser was derived from. They were known as "corncob" engines for obvious reasons. I read they suffered from overheating & were none too reliable

Yes, "Strat" pilots often said that one would always take off with four engines running and invariably return with three.  But I just like the sheer audacity of them, and I'll bet with the right amount of know-how and TLC, some crews did OK with them.  Certainly quite a handful of horses...

[Hagar]

A little factoid. Captain O.P. Jones, the chief pilot of BOAC, was dismissed (or forced to resign) for refusing to fly the Stratocruiser which he considered dangerous for two reasons. One was the unreliability of the engines & the other being that it was impossible to flare during landing. This made every landing nosewheel-first. If you check any old photo of the Stratocruiser landing you can confirm this. It was remarked that it must have a very strong nose leg to put up with it. The objections of their chief pilot to their flagship would have been very embarrassing for the BOAC management as they had ordered the aircraft to compete with Pan American on the transatlantic routes. The first Stratocruiser 'Speedbird' was delivered in 1949 & advertised as a luxury airliner which it undoubtedly was. http://www.ovi.ch/b377/cutaway/boac.html

Captain Jones was one of the "old school" airline captains & had been with Imperial Airways on the prewar transatlantic routes. He had a neat beard & always wore white gloves while flying. Having met him a couple of times I found him rather abrupt & formidable but he was obviously a highly experienced pilot & good at his job. He was loaned to the RAF to organise & supervise the ferrying of US-manfactured aircraft across the Atlantic which he did throughout WWII. Imperial Airways became BOAC in 1939 & British Airways in 1974.

[Jakemaster]

I LOVE RADIALS!!!!!

[Hagar]

Here is a resto. in progress; not sure what it is, but I'm thinking Vultee.

Vultee BT-13 Valiant. http://www.shanaberger.com/BT-13.htm

[beaky]

Vultee BT-13 Valiant. http://www.shanaberger.com/BT-13.htm

Dindingdingding....(applause)... guessed right again!! Woopeee!!!
What's my prize, then?

BTW, that project looks like a winner. All the major parts were lying around, all in good shape. I should find out when it's scheduled for completion (and flying?).

I love that story about Jones (what they call an "early bird"... bet he had a handlebar mustache!)... oddly enough though, the first time I landed the Strat in the sim, I almost ground the tail skeg off...

I still love that airplane; with modern powerplants and improved w&b (with modern lightweight materials helping out for structure and decoration), it'd be magnificent.

[Willit Run]

MORE, MORE, MORE!!!       Please!

[Hagar]

Dindingdingding....(applause)... guessed right again!! Woopeee!!!
What's my prize, then?

BTW, that project looks like a winner. All the major parts were lying around, all in good shape. I should find out when it's scheduled for completion (and flying?).

The usual coconut. Only one problem. I'm fresh out of coconuts.
Looks nice. I like unusual types & can't recall ever seeing one, even in a museum.

I love that story about Jones (what they call an "early bird"... bet he had a handlebar mustache!)...

He had a smartly trimmed beard. Can't remember if it was a goatee but it was pure white when I met him. Those old Imperial Airways captains were martinets & gave their crews a hard time. By coincidence I found an old Imperial Airways ad only yesterday. I'm pretty sure it's a photo of O.P. in his heyday but I'm blessed if I can find it now. I'll hunt it down & post it later.
Another little snippet. O.P. once flew one of the old HP.42 airliners in a race with the famous Flying Scotsman express train. I don't know who won. Wouldn't mind betting it was the train.

oddly enough though, the first time I landed the Strat in the sim, I almost ground the tail skeg off...

I can only think the flight dynamics were way out.

[Hagar]

Found it. Can't be absolutely certain but I always thought this could only be Captain O.P. Jones.

[beaky]

LOL!! It had to be either a handlebar, or a little "F.U.!" mustache; handlebars for the barnstormer/good ol' boy types (think
Roscoe Turner), and the "F.U." mustache for... martinets.
 A very "tinny" sort of word, "martinet", yes...