360 view of P51 cockpit

[Steve - K4HX]

I like this Coilings much better.

http://www.collingsguitars.com/Instruments/?ID=25

[K5WLF]

They say (the mythical 'they') that you only regret the things you didn't do. While that doesn't apply to ex-wives, it certainly applies to the B-25 ride I didn't get. After a 3 B-25 low fly-by at an air show at Rialto (CA) about '92, I was talking to one of the crews after they'd landed.

"What do you have to do," sez I, "to get to ride in this bird?"

"Come by and help us polish on it sometime," was the answer.

I never got back to the airport on a weekend to help the guys polish that Mitchell, and I sure wish I had. All the rides being offered are now $400/hr or so. I shoulda...

[w3jn]

I scored a ride in a B-25J that was visiting the St. Paul MN downtown airport for an airshow - $25 back in 1983.  Best money I ever spent.  I think they charged $50 if you wanted to ride in the nose, but the 4 or 5 of us aboard took turns at the tail gunner's position.  Every small motion of the aircraft is amplified back there - I can't imagine being cooped up there, looking for enemy aircraft and knowing it's me or them.  WWII vets are truly the greatest generation.

To this day the B-25 is one of my favorite airplanes.  The Tokyo Raid of April 1942 underscores the heroism of both the men and the machines.

[K5WLF]

I scored a ride in a B-25J that was visiting the St. Paul MN downtown airport for an airshow - $25 back in 1983.  Best money I ever spent.  I think they charged $50 if you wanted to ride in the nose, but the 4 or 5 of us aboard took turns at the tail gunner's position.  Every small motion of the aircraft is amplified back there - I can't imagine being cooped up there, looking for enemy aircraft and knowing it's me or them.  WWII vets are truly the greatest generation.

To this day the B-25 is one of my favorite airplanes.  The Tokyo Raid of April 1942 underscores the heroism of both the men and the machines.

The Mitchell is my favorite airplane of all time. I got to crawl through "Miss Mitchell" when she was on static display at CAF HQ in Midland TX. I have some great pix of me in the left seat. I l crawled back to the tail gunner position, and even on the ground you can feel a bit of the vulnerability the guys experienced back there. Great airplane, and nothing sounds better than those Cyclones.

[W8VG]

Prior to the Mustang, existing fighters all had to turn back somewhere around Aachen and let the bombers go it alone over Germany.  Luftwaffe would hang back for the shooting match.  Losses were so high in 1944 that the legendary 8th AF was stood down to develop better tactics.  When the Mustang was introduced, they could escort bombers in all the way and make daylight precision raids less costly.  I read somewhere that when Goering looked up in the sky over Berlin and saw a fighter with the telltale star on its wing--he remarked, "the war is lost." 

Not sure about fighter guys but think the bomber pilots really loved em! 

Gonna send link to some pilot bubbas--they'll love it!  Thanks for the read!

Best 73's
Geo W8VG/6

[KM1H]

By 1944 most of the high command knew the war was lost.

[Ken - K2UPI]

Back when I hung out in the tower at Hancock Int'l Airport I knew an ATC guy who flew the Brewster 2A Buffalo during early WW-2.  He called it "10,000 rivits in close formation".  He also claimed it had some "real nasty" stall character
Also claimed it had some "real nasty" stall characteristics. 

Ken - K2UPI

[W8VG]

By 1944 most of the high command knew the war was lost.

Ur probably right--unfortunately they hadn't worked up the nerve to tell "Herr Meyer" or his boss 

Mustang:  Cadillac of the Sky!