Photo Funday — a photo and informative caption for the weekend
39º 48′ 36″ S / 175º 47′ 16″ E
"Cookie Time" DC-3 — photo by Joe May
When traveling through New Zealand you will find wonderful and friendly people, beautiful scenery and constant reminders of Kiwi resourcefulness (Ernest Rutherford and Sir Edmund Hillary, as only two examples). An example of Kiwi Kitch is this Douglas DC-3 with its unique livery that can be found in the town of Mangaweka, which is on the North Island.
Fantasy of Flight Aircraft Collection
28º 10’ 52” N / 81º 48’ 33” W
Polk City Florida USA lies between the Tampa and Orlando. Kermit Weeks chose property there to not only house his extensive airplane collection but to build an entire experience. A wealthy man, he built an airfield to resemble a WW II era air base. The visitor observes a retro water tower with its checkered livery, a grass air strip (underlain by an engineered surface to enhance draining) and a lake for landings by aquatic aircraft. Inside there is a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress one walks through and around — as it sits as if being serviced in the field. And then one walks into the first of two hangers. There are more aircraft here, by far, than in most museums. Only national museums rival the scale of this collection. The range of airplanes on exhibit spans aviation history from its earliest times through WW II — no jets here — notably, the majority are kept in flying condition.
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina and retro water tower of the Fantasy of Flight Aircraft Collection — photo by Joe May
There is one aircraft here that drew me like iron to a magnet, the Short Brothers Sunderland Mk V — a four engine flying boat flown by the RAF in WW II. As a bonus one is allowed to walk through the main deck to see the aircraft as used when it was an airliner, not a military maritime patrol aircraft. The aircraft is immense and one can see it as it sits on beaching gear in one of the hangers. What it must have been like to tow the Sunderland to the water, float her and then remove the unwieldy beaching gear? There is not only a Ford Trimotor but one of its contemporary aircraft, a Stinson Trimotor.
Fantasy of Flight Aircraft Collection North Hangar with Short Bros. Sunderland Mk V — photo by Joe May
Stinson Trimotor — photo by Joe May
There are too many aircraft to list here but there are about four dozen housed in both hangers. Three of the especially historic aircraft are a Grumman F3F (nicknamed Flying Barrel), a Cierva C.30-A Autigiro* and a replica of a Bachem Ba-349 Natter (Viper). There are many more, to be sure, including a Curtiss TF-40 Kittyhawk, Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI, Lockheed Constellation, Grumman J2F Duck, North American P-51C Mustang and Fieseler Fi-156 Storch (Stork).
North American P-51C Mustang — photo by Joe May
Getting there is easily done by driving along interstate I-4 to Polk City. The nearest major airports are Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport. Entry is about $20, there is an excellent diner/café and modern restrooms. Extras are also on hand … a tour of a third hangar used for restoration work, a tour of the restoration wood shop, a daily flying demonstration and biplane for-hire rides.
Martin B-26 Marauder — photo by Joe May
The post scheduled to be published on 2 December 2009 will describe the Fieseler Fi-156 Storch flying demonstration I thoroughly enjoyed watching.
* For more on the Cierva C.30-A Autigiro please see 007! He knows what to fly! — Little Nellie and other autogiros, which published on 7 October 2009.
Photo Funday — photos and a caption for the weekend
North American F-100 Super Sabre at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum — photo by Joe May
The F-100 was the first US Air Force fighter that could exceed Mach 1 in level flight and was nicknamed “The Hun” which was a clever double entendre … shortened from “hundred” but also relating to the noted combat leader, Attila.
The distinctive snout of the F-100 — photo by Joe May
Note: I have published several posts on the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum as her aircraft, if you are interested in reading some of them, please type “Evergreen” in the SEARCH box and thanks!
WGFP
You must know, to understand what follows, that although I am not of the military I was a military brat in my formative years. That is to say, my father was in the US Army until his retirement while I was in 7th grade in the USA.
Over two decades later I found myself working for a regulatory agency as a geologist. Regulatory agencies are most often populated by folks who desire to provide a public service, albeit that service will be underpaid and taken for granted. Note that a baseball pitcher can make in a year what a policeman will make in a career — often much more. One is entertained by the pitcher and one assumes the police will come when you call. But, I digress.
As the new guy in my section I was brought along easily enough. After several months I was given many projects to help review and I seemed to specialize in those that were headed up by an engineer named William T. Washburn, who preferred to be called Bill, and to friends as WGFP. Bill was retired from the US Air Force where he had flown North American F-100 Super Sabres and LTV A-7 Corsair IIs. As you know, they are single pilot high performance jet aircraft. It may bit a bit overblown but fighter pilots have a certain reputation for being arrogant and cocky.
And fighter pilots would be quick to agree as well as add that they are generally above the rest of the rabble that most of us are known as 
But this isn’t really so. They are not this way. To those without experience and overview, arrogance is misinterpreted for a high degree of training, surviving an 80% failure rate, and cockiness for self-confidence borne by experience. I know this from meeting my Dad’s military colleagues and friends. Growing up I was surrounded by professionals of high order.
And I got most of Bill’s permit application projects when there were ground water reviews involved.
Why? Because I was new? Since he had easy ones? A matter of coincidence?
It was because I was the only one of four in the section that he had not ever ticked off!
Why was that?
Because I was familiar with the military life I knew that the pressures of high expectations are tempered with sarcasm. Sarcasm, if it is done well, indicates a high state of alertness and situational awareness. Not common qualities in most of us, I am afraid to say. People like this are also talented at looking at multiple perspectives for each scenario that must be dealt with at the moment — yet another uncommon trait.
Sarcasm is the lingua franca among these professionals. It is how almost all of them speak. There is a line not to cross and fine that line is. In the civilian world that line is more of a vast morass where political correctness is substituted for direct talk and clichés du jour for analysis or interpretation — so most folks stay away and seek the safe high ground. But it is the edge of the envelope where things are the most interesting, it’s the connecting of the specialty boxes where breakthroughs are made and it is initiative that causes forward movement not management playing things safe in a self-serving interest for future promotions. Bill’s environment of choice, after flying as you may imagine, was the edge of the envelope when he was at the agency where we worked.
Bill is also listed as one of a select few persons to not only survive a high speed ejection but to do so unscathed. His F-100 caught fire while in flight over Italy. He related that every **** light was lit on the instrument panel and they were all red. He radioed his wingman, who help guide him on a course away from habitation, and he continued to fly the jet now fated to make only one more, but spectacular, return to earth as a Roman candle. Only one error was made, he didn’t reduce throttle and so his ejection was done at about 400 mph (640kph). He said he didn’t recall what must have been a brutal hit as his body went from a no wind cockpit environment to a wind speed more than four times the force of a hurricane’s in less than the blink of one’s eye. But no physical injuries thanks to the Martin-Baker company. I would tell him that I thought his squat build was due to that ejection whenever we were wrapped up on a point and needed a wider overview.
Another time, and quite uncharacteristically, he was a bit down about our recent permitting and compliance events. He noted that there were just so many operations that were working out of compliance and knowing we had limited resources to go after them, at the time. He was right about the situation and he was glum. I mentioned that things were good, really good. His look showed that he thought that I was touched or had somehow misheard him. Then I mentioned that we were like the wild weasel mission aircrew — heading alone into territory rife with hostile activity ahead of the main force with so many targets that all we really had to do was to point our noses and we’d surely find something that needed attention. Did his face light up and with an ear-to-ear grin! And then he departed and with afterburner selected for all stages, storming off to his office singing the praises of a target rich environment. Initiative and confidence aplenty 
WGFP passed away quite recently. Leaving behind him a life that was complete with children, a wife and ex-wives, two careers and a model railroad collection or two. Soon, on 4 January 2010, he will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. I’ll visit his grave site on my next visit to Washington DC — a place reserved for only those who have served the USA — out of respect for his service as much as for the many issues were tackled together. And I will then discover if WGFP is on his marker.
WGFP — what does that stand for, you ask?
WGFP stands for the World’s Greatest Fighter Pilot.
We did talk about that arrogance and cockiness, now didn’t we
Wings Over Miami Air Museum — a gem hidden within the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport
25º 39’ 00” N / 80º 26’ 00” W
In Miami’s metro area, if you make your way to the end of the road that leads through the Kendall–Tamiami Executive Airport you will happen upon a small, dynamic and fascinating aviation collection — the Wings Over Miami Air Museum. The aircraft number about a dozen, or so, but the actual population fluctuates. There are permanent airplanes, there are aircraft under restoration and there are aircraft in the hanger on the occasional temporary basis.
Wings Over Miami Air Museum hangar view — photo by Joe May
There are no decrepit exhibits and all the aircraft are in pristine condition. Amazingly so, I think, given the few members in the cadre. Equally amazing is that almost each time I visit, this quiet and out of the way museum, inevitably aircraft have been respotted due to the ever on-going work. Aircraft are flown in for the work and for special handling the musem can provide. One case, a recent one, of special handling was the disassembly for shipment of a Stearman Kaydet. There it was – wings and tail resting on the hanger floor, the landing gear set aside and an engine hoist chain slung around the power plant. Experts at work — and in Florida’s subtropical August heat! Thankfully, the office is air conditioned and well equipped with restroom facilities. There is a drink dispensing machine just outside the main door and a café is not really necessary since a plentitude of eateries can be found just outside the entrance of the airport. A modest entry fee is asked for a day’s admission.
Some exhibits have come and gone. The wings and empennage of the WW II Kawasaki 川崎市 Ki-61 飛燕 (Hien, roughly flying swallow, Allied codename Tony) that once were on display have gone back to their owner, as did the TBM Avenger that had been taken down to bare metal.
Some aircraft are there for safekeeping – a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina and a Douglas C-47 Dakota, are examples. Another aircraft — a Douglas B-26 Invader — was freshened up and moved about 1000 feet (~300m) to a newly built memorial to the Cuban and American pilots who perished during the Bay of Pigs Invasion — or La Batalla de Girón as it is known in Cuba. [Please see the post, A new monument to fliers – the aviators of the Bay of Pigs Invasion & the Douglas B-26 Invader, published on 21 October 2009.]
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina — photo by Joe May
A Grumman F-14 Tomcat is the largest aircraft displayed as is one of the most beautiful North American SNJ-6 (also known as the AT-6 Texan when flown by the USAAF) I have seen. On my last visit not one, but two, other Texans were undergoing complete rebuilds for flying — zero time wings and engines — serious and professional work.
North American SNJ — photo by Joe May
North American SNJ nose art — photo by Joe May
Adding to the remarkable accomplishments of this small museum are the foreign made aircraft on exhibit. They are: a Nanchang CJ-6A from the People’s Republic of China, an Aero L-29 Delfín from the former Czechoslovakia, and a Yakovlev Yak-52 from the former USSR.
Nanchang CJ-6A — photo by Joe May
Nanchang CJ-6A fuselage art detail — photo by Joe May
This museum is not to be missed and is worth the detour for any aviation enthusiast or historian visiting the Miami metro area. The main entrance to the Kendall–Tamiami Executive Airport is located on SW 137th Avenue between SW 120th Street and SW 152nd Street in Miami Florida USA. Flying to the airport is possible in private aircraft but regular airlines can be used to fly into the Miami International Airport or the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport.
Photo Funday — a photo with an informative caption for the weekend
Max Holste MH. 1521 Broussard — photo by Joe May
On first look the aircraft might be mistaken for a de Havilland Canada Beaver and that is what I did on the day I took this photo. But look at the twin tail — this is not a DH Beaver! It is an aircraft designed by Max Holste and manufactured by his firm for the French Air Force, the MH. 1521 Broussard. A contemporary of the DH Beaver it was produced and flown in the 1950s but, as one can see, a few are kept flying.
In the USA it is Veteran’s Day and in the UK it is known by Remembrance Day. Poppies are the universal symbol for this day and war veterans are given special recognition and appreciation. Weekends are not made into convenient three day holidays for this solemn occasion — this special recognition is always held annually on November 11th, no matter the day of the week on which it may fall.
Ford Model T ambulance from WW I — photo by Joe May
Originally this day was set aside to honor those who survived service in The Great War — the war that was thought would have ended all wars due to its horrific toll on human life and the newly developed ability to indiscriminately destroy on an industrial scale. This war was not originally named World War I, also written as WW I, as there were no thoughts that a second world war could ever occur — ironically, WW II would occur in the not too distant future. Now this day is for all war veterans.
The treaty that officially ended the war was signed at 11:00am on 11 November in the year 1918.
Photo Funday — a photo and caption for the weekend
Cessna U206 — photo by Joe May
Flying boats, float planes and amphibious aircraft are a personal favorite of mine. The freedom to fly to almost any interesting spot on the planet is intoxicating, is it not? Although U206 sounds reminiscent of a WW II Kriegsmarine submarine this was the designation Cessna gave to this design.
Photo Funday — a photo and informative caption for the weekend
28º 31′ 07″ N / 80º 47′ 39″ W
DARPA Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstration F-5E — photo by Joe May
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in the early 2000s, experimented with fuselage designs that would reduce the power of a sonic boom by cleverly altering its shape. A Northrop F-5E was modified and demonstrated this feasibility on August 27, 2003. The aircraft is now on display at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum — which is located at the Space Coast Regional Airport of Titusville, Florida USA. The most obvious visual change is the nose which has been lengthened considerably as well as bellied out.
Jet Provost — first built by Hunting Percival then by British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)
One can only wonder what the costs and logistical challenges there must be in order to maintain a vintage aircraft in flying condition — the parts, access to the proper aviation mechanics, a jet powered airplane is an expensive proposition, etc. How all of it must be that much harder when the aircraft is outside its country of origin?
Such thoughts raced through my mind after I observed a Jet Provost on the ramp in an airport near Miami Florida. An actual Jet Provost!
BAC Jet Provost — photo by Joe May
BAC Jet Provost frontal perspective — photo by Joe May
Designed as an advanced trainer, and accepted into service for the Royal Air Force (RAF) from the late 1950s to the early 1990s. It was successful in that mission with its single engine, side by side seating and rugged nature.
BAC Jet Provost rear quarter perspective — photo by Joe May
How fortunate we are that, aside from public and private museums, we have private collectors who preserve aircraft — and keep them flying!
