Archive for the 'News' category
World War II Aces Honored
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Altus AFB gets a KC-135 for display
December 13, 2009 3:36 pm
Brad over on the WIX forum reports that Altus AFB, OK has received a KC-135 for display.
It took a few weeks to get her together but there is now a KC-135A on display at Altus AFB. She is 58-0070 and just needs a paint job to be finished. The wings were hacked off for transport and scabbed back on with various patches, plates, angle iron and screws. Once it’s under paint you won’t be able to tell except for the steel plates on top and bottom of the wings that hold the spar together!
Tuskegee Airman gone west
December 11, 2009 9:07 amRADNOR, PA. - Luther H. Smith, 89, a Tuskegee Airman who later worked as an aerospace engineer after his military service, has passed on.
Smith flew 133 combat missions with the 33nd Fighter Group of the U. S. Army Air Force. In 1944, on his final mission he was shot down and captured by German soldiers and became a P.O.W. for the remainder of the war. Captain Smith is credited with destroying two Luftwaffe aircraft in aerial combat and an addition 10 German aircraft on the ground, destroyed during strafing missions. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, 8 European and Mediterranean Theaters Campaign Ribbons and in 2007, the Congressional Medal OF Honor.
Luther H. Smith was a native of Des Moines, IA and returned there after retiring from the U.S.A.A.F in 1947. In 1950 Captain Smith earned his B.S. Engineering degree from the University of Iowa and went on to spend 37 years with General Electric before retiring in 1988.
Our condolences go out to Captain Smith’s family and friends.
Thunderbirds officials announce 2010 schedule
December 10, 2009 12:06 pm12/9/2009 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) – Officials from the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, “Thunderbirds,” here announced its 2010 airshow schedule.
The team’s 57th show season is scheduled to take them to more than 65 shows in 27 states and Canada.
Lt. Col. Case Cunningham will join the team as commander and leader for the team and fly the No. 1 position.
Other officers beginning their first season with the team are Thunderbird No. 3, Capt. Chad Shenk, right wing; Thunderbird No. 6, Capt. Aaron Jelinek, opposing solo; Thunderbird No. 8, Maj. John Gallemore, advance pilot and narrator; Thunderbird No. 9, Capt Thom Bowden, flight surgeon.
The new team members will join returning officers Thunderbird No. 2, Maj. John Baum, left wing; Thunderbird No. 4, Maj. Sean Gustafson, slot; Thunderbird No. 5, Maj. Rick Goodman, lead solo; Thunderbird No. 7, Lt. Col. Derek Routt, operations officer; Thunderbird No. 10, Capt. Petrina Hanson, executive officer; Thunderbird No. 11, Maj. David Lemery, maintenance officer; Thunderbird No. 12, Capt. Jason McCree.
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World War II Vets Remember
December 8, 2009 1:30 pmWarbird movie coming to a theater near you?
December 7, 2009 1:19 pm‘War Birds’ film flying at TMU Pictures
Michael Chait set to direct combat action-adventure movie
Dec 6, 2009, 11:00 PM ET
TMU Pictures is moving forward with the action-adventure film “War Birds.”
Michael Chait wrote the original story and will produce and direct the screenplay written by Josh Staman and Bryan Binder. J. Todd Harris (”Bottle Shock”) and screenwriter Richard Jefferies (”Tron Legacy”), who will polish the script, are producing.
Sean Miller and Kyle Heller of Chait’s Michigan-based TMU Pictures also are producing. Marc Marcum will serve as co-producer.
“Birds” follows an Air Force veteran-turned-reckless airshow re-enactment pilot as he gets pulled into the underground culture of illegal, real-life aerial combat. Shooting is scheduled for the summer in Michigan using all real airplanes and aerial sequences, including authentic P-51 Mustangs, P-38 Lightnings, F4U Corsairs and a B-17 Flying Fortress as well as modern military helicopters and jets.
Click here to goto the full article at The Hollywood Reporter
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
A Trader returns to the air
January 19, 2009 11:31 amDaniel Serrato of Eufaula, AL has acquired C-1 Trader Bu. 136778 and with much time, money and effort has returned this unlikely warbird to the air in late 2008. The C-1 Trader was the workhorse of U.S. Navy carrier aviation for many years before being replace by the C-2 Greyhound. While the C-1’s cousin, the S-2 Tracker, has found life after service as a firebomber, often being fitted with turboprop engines, only a handful of C-1 Traders managed to avoid the scrap yard. Congratulations Daniel for preserving an unusual piece of aviation history.
FMI: Warbird Registry
Spitfire crash lands at Masterton Aerodrome, New Zealand
January 15, 2009 5:58 pmAt approximately 3pm today, Supermarine Spitfire Tr. Mark 9, ZK-WDQ was forced to crash land at Masterton Aerodrome in New Zealand. The two seat Spit was practising for the upcoming Wings over Wairarapa airshow. The cause of the accident is currently unknown. The pilot, Doug Brooker, is reported to have walked away uninjured after the crash. The aircraft, while severely damaged, will undoubtably be repaired and will fly again.
At the NZ Warbirds open day, Dec. 7, 2008.
Video: 3 News in New Zealand
Discussion: WIX
Image: Courtesy of WIX Member Hairy
Yankee Air Museum’s time short
12:56 pmby Khalil Hachem | The Ann Arbor News
Monday January 12, 2009, 2:49 PM
After a fire destroyed the building in 2004, the Yankee Air Museum took up quarters in a large building on the south side of the Willow Run Airport.
Museum officials hoped to stay there until a new facility can be built. But they learned last week they may have to move as early as next month because the Wayne County Airport Authority plans to close the building to save money.
“We’re unhappy about it,” said Frank Ernst, development committee chair with the museum. “We’re disappointed with the decision, and we feel we are taking a huge step backward.”
Airport spokesman Michael Conway said the number of tenants in the aircraft hangar has dwindled, and the authority is losing about $250,000 a year in utility costs for the 191,000-square-foot building.
“We can’t afford to heat it anymore,” Conway said.
Full Article: mlive.com
Discussion: WIX Forum
Gone West… Ralph D. “Hoot” Gibson
January 12, 2009 7:17 pmTUCSON, AZ - Colonel Ralph D. “Hoot” Gibson (ret), a Korean War ace and former lead pilot for the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds demonstration team, passed away on January 2nd, 2009.
Mr. Gibson retired from the U.S.A.F in 1974 and founded a Tucson, AZ real estate firm. His son, Scott Gibson, said that his father was showing a buyer a piece of property when he struck his head, later passing away from the injury.
Ralph D. “Hoot” Gibson was born in Keensburg, Illinois but raised in nearby Mt. Carmel. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and thus began a long and colorful career. He served as a fighter pilot with the occupation forces in Japan and later became the world’s third jet ace. He later served a tour in Vietnam.
He also served a tour as Leader of the USAF Thunderbird Air Demonstration Team. Colonel Gibson retired from the Air Force in 1974 and moved to Tucson, AZ to start a real estate business, Hoot Gibson Realty. He was active in numerous civil and military associations and organization as well as the Pima Air & Space Museum. In recent years he was inducted into the Illinois Military Aviation Hall of Fame as well as the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife, Donna; three sons, Scott, Duane and Craig; four grandchildren, Alexandra, Layla, Carrie and Michael; a sister, Opal Hamm and brother, Will Gibson.
