7/2/19

I used to host a theme called Transport Tuesday.  At times I still like to share some transport related photos here.  I thought this one was appropriate for the 4th of July week.  This is the P-51 Mustang from the Commemorative Air Force named Gunfighter that I saw while I was at the Air Show in Great Bend this past autumn.  It was just coming back from it's flight demonstration.  Gunfighter is currently out on Tour and will be in Salina and Topeka Kansas in early September. 

3/19/19

Looking back on the Airshow in Great Bend Kansas this past year where I was able to see these two World War II bombers Doc and Fifi.  I wasn't able to see them fly and still a bit bitter about that since the sky cleared up and all the other planes flew.  Sigh.  Anyway, it was still great to see them in person at the old B-29 hanger.

1/8/19

I love old motorcycles.  At the Great Bend Air Show they had several types of military vehicles on display including this neat vintage Harley.  I am not sure if it was actually used in the war or just made to look like it but it was a nice bike nonetheless. 

12/4/18

Posting late, sigh.  An image from the Great Bend Air Show I went to this past September.  One of my favorite WWII airplanes making a fly by of the crowd, a P51 Mustang fighter plane.

11/27/18

Yikes, I have been busy lately and totally forgot a day.  Sorry about that.
This image is from the Great Bend Air Show.  The airplane is an SNJ Navy Trainer, another of which was flying in the show, sitting in front of an original hanger.  This hanger used to house the B-29s that were used to train pilots in Kansas.  2 B-29s were at this show but as I mentioned, I unfortunately did not get to see them fly.

11/20/18

My image today is from the Great Bend Air Show I went to this year.  This is a Navy SNJ which was a WWII training aircraft and exactly like the Army Air Corp T6 Texan I was able to fly in a few years back, just different paint schemes and designations.  Here it was performing some stunt flying with smoke.  I liked how the smoke trail was captured in this image.  

10/16/18

Got really cold last night, 20s.  Flowers are probably all gone now.  Sigh.  Anyway, my image today is from the Great Bend Air Show a few weekends ago.  While I was horribly disappointed to not get to see the B-29s fly I did get to see a neat show.  The highlight for me were these two which are a couple of my favorite WWII fighter planes.  In the foreground is a P-40 Warhawk painted in Flying Tiger style and in the rear is Gunfighter, a P-51 Mustang.  These pilots were good as you can see from how close together they were flying and were quite something to watch.

10/9/18

I went to the Great Bend Air Show a couple of weekends ago mainly to see these two B-29 airplanes that were supposed to fly together.  I went down on Saturday which started out cold and dreary but the clouds lifted and they had the show.  Unfortunately these 2 still did not fly which was a huge disappointment as it is a rare thing to see 2 of this type of aircraft together.  I did not go the next day because the weather was crappy again but I saw later that they did fly that day.  Incredibly disappointing that I missed it.  Anyway, this is  Doc which was very recently restored in Wichita Kansas and Fifi in the rear which belongs to the Commemorative Air Force and I got to see fly over 30 years ago so it has been around a while.  I captured them sitting after the airshow on the tarmac of the former B-29 training facility there which is now the Great Bend Airport.

7/26/16

What a beautiful morning there was today!  Mid 60s in July, ahhhhhhh.  :-)  My image once more is from my fabulous day of being able to have a flight in this B-17 bomber aircraft from 1945.  As I mentioned another day, it was hard to get an image without someone in it polishing the plane and in this shot there are 2 people doing that.  The plane was gorgeous and shiny because of their work.  I did take out a couple of people who were standing near the plane.  The man walking on the left was our pilot, a very nice guy who sat and chatted with us a bit before the flight and who gave us a very nice ride.

7/12/16

Today I am sharing a bit of a different image for me.  Last Wednesday I was able to do something that I consider a once in a lifetime event.  I was in Michigan and at the old Willow Run Airport which is a former B-24 bomber plant and is now the home of the Yankee Air Museum.  They have 4 antique aircraft that they give flights on from time to time and during the time I was in Michigan they were flying this particular plane which seemed like a bit of fate to me and something I needed to do.  My uncle was a B-17 pilot during WWII and because of that I believe I have always had an interest in that era planes and this one was always one of my favorites.  It was quite the awesome experience.  They allow 12 passengers on the plane but only 10 of us were there that day.  The hubster and I started out in the rear of the plane in jump seats but as soon as it took off we were allowed to move about and experience all the different views out the plane.  As you can see, at one time I was standing right behind the pilots.  On landing I was given the Navigator's seat in the nose which was quite a unique view as we approached the runway and good enough for someone like me not fond of heights, although they don't bother me as much in a plane.  Anyway, it was an awesome and very cool experience and if you like planes I highly recommend it.  Best viewed larger by clicking on the image.