Bunny!
Not a Hugh Hefner Bunny! Memorial Day weekend was spent by me as photographer for the Palm Springs Air Museum. What incredible fun it was watching these warbirds take to the air doing flight demonstrations. Even had a chance to fly myself as well!
As one aircraft after another flew by with a crowd of 3000 people at my back, everyone applauded. But the biggest applause by far was for “Bunny”! Without question, the biggest airplane fan favorite, the P-51 Mustang from World War II.
This P-51 dedicated to the famed Tuskegee Airmen “Red Tails” and specifically to Lt. Col. Bob Friend who flew over 140 combat missions in an identical Mustang.
So while a runway filled with Playboy Bunnies might be fun, they just can’t compare to this “Bunny”! Flown by the very exceptional Tom Nightingale who obviously did some of that really cool pilot stuff! Thanks!
I’m Flying!
Extra benefit of being the photographer for the Palm Springs Air Museum is flying! Yesterday in a World War II Mitchell B-25 bomber. The United States Marine Corps version PBJ, the only one still flying in the world. My duty station for the Memorial Day weekend, the Palm Springs Air Museum. Come on out!
Come In Mission Control
Getting ready to photograph my next mission for the Palm Springs Air Museum! All geared up and ready to go!
Twin Beech
Always something fun going on at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Yesterday the B-25 bomber crew arrived to fly their plane for the Doolittle Raid On Tokyo flight demonstration. And they arrived in style in this vintage 1952 “Twin Beech”.
This is that 1952 Beechcraft D18S “Twin Beech” starting up and departing. Continuously produced from 1937 to 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were produced, making it one of the world’s most widely used light aircraft. These aircraft saw military use as light transport, light bomber (for China), trainer (for bombing, navigation and gunnery), photo-reconnaisance, and “mother ship” for target drones. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft.
75 Years Ago Tomorrow
It was 75 years ago on April 18, 1942 that sixteen B-25B Mitchell bombers did the impossible task of flying off the deck of the USS Hornet aircraft carrier en route to Tokyo. Without fighter escort, without fuel to guarantee a safe landing, the brave flight crews flew into uncertainly to deal the first major blow against Imperial Japan following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor.
Tomorrow, Tuesday April 18th at the Palm Springs Air Museum at 11:00 AM, come hear the story of the “Doolittle Raid”, the “Raid On Tokyo”. And following at Noon watch the “Pacific Princess” B-25 start up right at the Museum and do a flight demonstration. Then imagine sixteen of these thundering aircraft taking off from the carrier deck right in front of you!
Your presenter will be Lt. Col. Blaine Mack, World War II P-38 pilot, later F-86 pilot and Strategic Air Command pilot flying B-47 and B-52 bombers. What an incredible opportunity at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Please come join me! Thank You!
It Flies!
From Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Watch this plane takeoff in barely the length of a couple of regular home driveways. Owner and builder Steven Lund doing a flight demonstration in his replica World War II Fieseler Fi 156 “Storch”.
Way Fun!
Great fun yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum photographing Steven Lund fly his replica Fieseler Fi 156 Storch World War II airplane! Will be posting some really cool video tomorrow.
The Storch Has Arrived
You must come see this airplane and watch it fly! At the Palm Springs Air Museum today, Saturday April 15th. It is really interesting in person! Owner and builder Steven Lund will talk about his replica Fieseler Fi 156 Storch World War II airplane at 1:00 PM and then do a flight demonstration after the program at about 2:00 PM. With a stall speed of only 21 mph and a little headwind he could be in the air for a long time! It looks like it would be like flying a greenhouse with a rear machine gun! And yes indeed, Steven Lund built it! Come see the Storch for sure!
Not The Usual
When we think of historic wartime aircraft we think of planes like the P-51 Mustang and the B-17 Flying Fortress. But there are so many other interesting and unusual aircraft that have flown in air combat services. And tomorrow Saturday, April 15, 2017 you can see two of them at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
The Grumman Tigercat F7F was the first twin engine fighter to be used by the United States Navy. It missed combat in World War II but flew in the Korean War as a night fighter and attack aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. Too big for smaller carrier service, it required the Midway class of aircraft carriers. Actually a very rare plane, there were only 354 of them built and now there are perhaps only 12 still around!
From 10:30 – 12:30 you can sit in the cockpit of this huge Tigercat that flew at 460 mph and up to 40,000 ft! Think about firing off it’s four 20mm cannons or it’s four .50 caliber Browning machine guns. Get your photo taken too!
Then at 1:00 PM a really unusual military airplane, the German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch. Owner and expert, Steven Lund will talk about how this airplane, first flown in 1936 became pivotal in wartime events. In 1943 a Storch was used to rescue deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and it had a less than glorious role in the last dogfight on the Western Front. Very “prized”, one became the personal aircraft of British Field Marshal ‘Monty’ Montgomery.
Following the presentation at around 2:00 PM, Steven Lund will do a flight demonstration in his Storch replica! Come check it out! Tomorrow Saturday, April 15th at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Not the usual! See you there!
Coachella Rocks At The Air Museum!
In the Los Angeles Times, just yesterday. April 12 2017. Such a great place to visit and my personal and professional interest and photographic avocation. Some highlights from the story at “Coachella’s second hottest ticket? The Palm Springs Air Museum“…
“The Palm Springs Air Museum has emerged as the (second) hottest ticket in town during Coachella week, on the strength of two massive off-site, Goldenvoice-sanctioned concerts held amid the vintage aviation equipment and military artifacts.”
“This is going to expose the museum to a lot of folks who would probably seldom come in here,” said Fred Bell, the museum’s managing director. “It’s an industrial setting that lends itself to these kind of events, and if it gets some people interested in airplanes, it’s a win-win.”
“The museum, which opened in 1996, first dipped into the Coachella-crowd scene last year when it hosted an event for Splash House, a Goldenvoice-presented, EDM-focused multi-site festival that proved music fans do have an interest in Palm Springs attractions beyond the polo fields and the hotel pool. “That was super positive for us. We’re a museum of living history. We’re not out to just teach historical facts,” Bell said.”
“Fans who come back for some non-music programming on April 22 can even take a spin a Vietnam War-era attack helicopter (they can’t drop you off at the festival, alas, much as it would be nice to skip the Coachella lines in a Cobra AH-1F Bell).”
Makes it my kind of place for sure! Hope to see more of you there and please visit and like the Museum Facebook page for more of my photography and video clips! Thanks!
She Takes Off!
As a long time photographer in the bodybuilding and fitness business, the first thing I noticed is that she works out. The World War II Bomber “Pacific Princess” visiting at the Palm Springs Air Museum. You can watch her take off again on this April 18th to commemorate the day of the “Raid On Tokyo” on April 18, 1943.
Flying Corsair
Great fun yesterday watching this World War II F4U Corsair take to the air and do flybys. Always any aviation enthusiasts favorite airplane. And to see it fly close up is just fantastic. At the Palm Springs Air Museum.
By the way this plane has the distinction of being the oldest air worthy Corsair. It arrived in San Diego and was assigned to Navy Squadron VF84 in 1943. Thanks Planes of Fame for bringing it on out!
Assignment Air Museum
Although not my photographs this time, I am now helping with the Social Media for the Palm Springs Air Museum. In the future you will be seeing more of my photos and videos. So please take a moment and “Like” the Palm Springs Air Museum Facebook page. Thanks! https://www.facebook.com/palmspringsairmuseum
And here is today’s post for the great events at the Air Museum for tomorrow…
Wow! Big day tomorrow, Saturday April 8, here at the Air Museum!
Guadalcanal…. one of the words that we see or hear that instantly causes us to remember our World War II history and the fight in the Pacific. One of the heroes of Guadalcanal, described as stubby and unforgiving and tricky to fly, was the Grumman F4F Wildcat. With all of it’s downsides, the Wildcat’s rugged build, heavy armament and fast diving speed made it, in the hands of the Marine Corps pilots, an instrument of destruction against the attacking Japanese Zero’s.
You can sit in the cockpit of that hero Wildcat of Guadalcanal from 10:30 – 12:30 and check it out and let your imagination take flight. You can get your photo taken too! Now that is a selfie! And to help with your imagination, watch The History Channel Dogfights Episode “Guadalcanal” co-created by Air Museum friend Brooks Wachtel. It is really great… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8eOo3nnGuA
Did you know we had a “Cactus Air Force”? No that is not sipping Tequila at 30,000 feet on your way to Las Vegas in a 737. The “Cactus Air Force” was the name given to the airplanes, including the Wildcat, that fought on Guadalcanal. Only months after the devastation of Pearl Harbor, the United States was still well under prepared for major conflict. But in August 1942, the Marine Corps landed on Guadalcanal for the purpose of denying the Japanese the ability to threaten Allied supply and communications.
At 1:00 PM come hear the story of Guadalcanal and the “Cactus Air Force” presented by Aviation and Military Historian Michael Parra. A United States Marine and thirty year law enforcement officer, pilot and helicopter pilot, Michael Parra was also a consultant on the Warner Brothers motion picture “Memphis Belle”. Not to be missed!
Still more and maybe the best for last! Following the presentation, be on the tarmac around 2:00 – 2:30 for a flight demonstration. If you asked any bunch of aviation enthusiasts what their favorite airplane would be, way at the top of the list would be the F4U Corsair. You will be seeing a Corsair take to the air! Capable of carrying incredible armament and a top speed of 446 mph, the Corsair was also a motion picture hero in “Flying Leathernecks” with John Wayne, and the movie and television series “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. Seeing a Corsair fly right in front of you… Very Cool!
Much to do! And making it easier to stay the day, get some good food in the Freedom Cafe. Then take home a souvenir, a cap, a cool t-shirt from the Museum gift shop!
So come on by, Saturday April 8th! You will love it!!
Along The Way
You have been seeing a lot of my aviation photography mixed in with my bodybuilding and fitness, as well as my edgy lifestyle photo shoots and photo excursions. It goes back to when I was 9 years old and taking pictures of my model trains. At 12 I was shooting through my telescopes at the skies. My bodybuilding and weight lifting started at age 12 too. Building model airplanes as a kid and then getting in the airplanes. My interests along the way have always been accompanied by my photography or driven by it. Anyway some were asking, so I thought I might say something here about it all. Thanks!
B-25 Sunday Morning
The World War II B-25 bomber “Pacific Princess” doing flight demonstrations at the Palm Springs Air Museum today.
Come on out to the Air Museum tomorrow morning, Sunday, opening extra early at 8:00 AM. The “Pacific Princess” will again take to the air at 8:48 to coincide when the carrier USS Hornet departed San Francisco carrying the B-25 aircraft that would make the raid on Tokyo on April 18, 1942. Called the “Doolittle Raid”, it was the turning point in the War with Japan and also in the history of air power. Not to be missed! See you there! AND… Admission is free for this starting at 8:00AM until flight time!
Mr. Sulu WARP SPEED!
Fred Bell, director of the Palm Springs Air Museum, taking command of the 1928 Ford Tri-Motor. At start up, over the comm, he can be heard saying “Scotty give me everything you got! Mr. Sulu WARP SPEED!”. I know for sure, I heard it myself 🙂
Yak Attack!
Actually a Soviet Yak-3 fighter from WWII. Doing flight demonstrations at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. Not something you see everyday! From Wikipedia…
“The Yakovlev Yak-3 (Russian: Я́ковлев Як-3) was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft. Robust and easy to maintain, it was very much liked by pilots and ground crew alike.It was one of the smallest and lightest major combat fighters fielded by any combatant during the war. Its high power-to-weight ratio gave it excellent performance. It proved a formidable dogfighter. Marcel Albert, World War II French ace, who flew the Yak in USSR with the Normandie-Niémen Group, considered it a superior aircraft when compared to the P-51D Mustang and the Supermarine Spitfire.”
From The Co-Pilot Seat
The takeoff in a 1928 Ford Tri-Motor passenger airplane. Yesterday leaving the Palm Springs Air Museum. This is one of the very first passenger aircraft. Three engines and ten passengers. Cruising speed of 107mph and a range of 570 miles. A must see, it will be available at the Air Museum through this Sunday (March 19th) and available for rides all day each day.
They’re Flying!
Lots of flying today for lots of people at the Palm Springs Air Museum. And not just any flying! In a 1928 Ford Tri-Motor, one of the very first ever passenger airplanes. You can fly too, through Sunday! I will be!
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury heading out at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday to do a flight demonstration. This plane is fast and powerful! Top speed is 460mph and has a range of 700 miles. It was armed with 20mm cannons and could carry bombs or rockets. The pilot told me yesterday that he flew in at approximately 15,000 feet and a speed of 295 knots (340mph) for pretty much his entire flight from Ione California.
Fastest Ever!
“One of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.” – Wikipedia
The Hawker Sea Fury doing a fly by for flight demonstrations at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday. I do get a comparative idea of how fast an airplane is going when I am tracking it with my camera. This was going REALLY FAST!
These planes entered service in 1947 and flew in the Korean War and the Bay Of Pigs Invasion of Cuba in 1961. There were only 864 built. Top speed is 460mph and has a range of 700 miles. It was armed with 20mm cannons and could carry bombs or rockets. The pilot told me yesterday that he flew in at approximately 15,000 feet and a speed of 295 knots (340mph) for pretty much his entire flight from Ione California.
Pipes And Sea Fury
The Palm Springs Pipe Band for the Annual Canadian Military Tribute at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The aircraft is a Hawker Sea Fury. Outstanding! Turn your sound on!
Mustang And Zero
Not something you see everyday for sure! The P-51 Mustang “Bunny” and a Japanese Zero starting up and headed out for the El Centro Air Show. Leaving the Palm Springs Air Museum where “Bunny” calls home, dedicated to Tuskegee Airmen Lt. Col. Bob Friend.
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