From a previous post of mine. If this tour comes near where you live, I would highly recommend going. Lots of people on hand and usually several WWII veterans show up to reminisce and they usually are not adverse to talking and answering questions. June 6-9, 2008 the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour came to Buchannan Field at Concord, California. I posted a couple of my favorite pictures in a photo album, (will add more later) the other link is to the rest of the photos. They had the B-17G-Nine O Nine, B-24J-Witchcraft, B-25J-Tondelayo and the TP-51C-Betty Jane. The display was great. All of the photos are a combination of last years and this years display. The TP-51C was a new addition this year. Boy, I tell you, that thing sounded so sweet. I hope everyone enjoys the photos. These are from an earlier post of mine and a link to the Collings Foundation. http://www.ww2f.com/members/saltyshellback-albums.html Home - TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting The Collings Foundation - Preserving Living Aviation History for Future Generations In my new member post I had mentioned growing up next door to an airport which instilled in me a love for all things aviation. Well these are pictures of what it looked like back in the 50's to early 70's. Yes folks, this was my playground. Credit for photos goes to Aerovintage.com and Tallmantz Aviation. I was suprised to find these while doing research. Tallmantz Aviation I was familiar with growing up as I was alway at the Orange County Airport (now John Wayne Airport) with my Grandpop.
Ive had the pleasure to climb into many WWII aircraft at EAA's Airventure. I have lots of pictures on many of them. Some of the aircraft Ive been are B-17's, B-25's, British Lancaster, P-51, P-38, Helldiver, B-24, Junkers Ju-52 and a few C-47's. Its always a great adventure if you ever get to climb into and explore these aircraft. Im regretting it now but I had a chance to climb into a A-26 invader but ran out of time this year. I hope to be able to do it next year.
Some pics from the Friendly Foes Over the Falls Airshow I took in June: This last one was taken in March at the CWHM in Hamilton, Ontario:
I listened to Bud Anderson at this years EAA airventure for a guest speaker and talked about the pair of OLD Crows that where restored in his colors. One was a P-51D and the other was a P-51B. I did get to talk to a 83 year old man that was a flight mechanic for the P-51. It was kinda funny. The owners of the P-51 quick silver found out he was there and a bunch of guys lifted him up and placed him in the cockpit of there P-51. Cane and all went up. Talk about a gleam in the old guys eyes when he was up there in the cockpit. You could tell he was remembering old memories. If I remeber right it was last year right before he died that I got to meet Tex Hill and his wife and listen to his lecture on the P-40 warhawk and the flying tigers. Tex was missed this year at the EAA Airventure because he would show up every year to give the presentation on the P-40. Just wasnt the same this year without him.
very cool Mic ~ of course you know that Bud A. has his own dedicated web-site to his buds of the 357th fg. I need to write that guys again anyway .........so thanks for the word up
Another air show is the "Canada Remembers Air Show" every August in Saskatoon - except 2008 as there were extensive runway repairs at the airport. Here is a blurb from the home page http://www.canadaremembersairshow.com/default.htm: "Aug. 15-16, 2009 will be here in no time !! Stay tuned !! The Canada Remembers Air Show was created in 1995 as a part of the Canadian Government's National "Canada Remembers Program", as a salute to the 50th Anniversary of the end of WWII. It is Canada's only annual attraction dedicated to the Remembrance of Canadian Veterans (as depicted in the name, "Canada Remembers"), while also paying tribute to Allied Veterans. It is heralded as Canada's largest annual Salute to Veterans and has been instrumental in raising the awareness of Remembrance. In it's ten years of existence, the Air Show has educated and entertained well over 300,000 people. Saskatoon also hosts Canada's largest "indoor" Nov. 11th Ceremony, drawing 7 - 8,000 spectators and participants each year. This non-profit community project has generated a to-date economic impact in excess of $20 Million dollars and has helped raise over $400,000.00 for dozens of charities and community groups. The Air Show has been recognized by the following: The country's only Air Show to receive an Attractions Canada Award. Awarded Saskatchewan's #1 Outdoor Attraction. Recipient of the Aviation Council's "Industry Service Award". Not only has the Air Show been recognized throughout Canada, it has been the focus of numerous international publications." There are some photos if you drill through or check the links of the demonstrators. Unfortunately, I don't have photos. For a couple of days before the airshow the planes are often practicing, and since where I work is near the airport they go overhead and we go out to see them at lunch. They also sometimes go over where I live on the edge of the city. There are always WW II era planes in the show.
I took some pics from the military show but they are huge and the only editor on this pc is paint which is very limited. I've got an old copy of photoshop that I will try to load and edit the pics with this week. Great pics of an M-4, M-24, quad .50 white, stuka, t-6, pt17, 88, pak50 and opels with lots of jeeps.
Hi Herr Oberst, Actually paint is not bad for reducing pictures sizes for message boards in my option. Open your picture, go to image and find stetch/skew and click on it. Then change the stretch from say 100 percent on both horizontal and vertical to say 50 and hit ok. Reduces pictures and does a pretty good job with quality. Percentage depends on your scanner and how big you want the pictures to show up. Once you have the right size just save you picture and post. Hope that helps and cant wait to see the pictures.
