A Big Day In Flight!
The place to be today for a number of reasons! The Palm Springs Air Museum! There will be a flight demonstration of this incredibly powerful T-28 which in some ways out performs the famous P-51 Mustang. It is a real WOW when if flies by low and fast and pulls way up! The flight demo follows a presentation on the very historic X-15 at 1:00 PM.
Then as reminded by my buddy Brian Ratliff, today is the anniversary of the first flight. Yes it was December 17, 1903 that the first successful airplane took to the air. Tell you a secret that will be unveiled next month. There is a gallery of very rare, almost unseen, photos of that first flight on display at the Museum now. A selection of prints that were created from fully restoring the images created from the original glass photographic plates. Seeing these photographs is an incredible opportunity!
And then also from Brian, today is the day that the first Douglas DC-3 rolled off the assembly line in 1935. The DC-3 was perhaps one of the most significant advances in aircraft for both the military and civilian aviation. The DC-3 in it’s military designation, the C-47 can also be seen at the Museum. Down for maintenance, it is right over in the restoration area. Big airplane, you won’t miss it! See you there today!
Up It Goes!
Yesterday was the Beam Raising & Signing at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the new Kenneth P. Miles Korea and Vietnam Hangar. It will celebrate the history, personal stories, artifacts and aircraft from those eras and times.
In attendance were many of the heroes of those years, including the Veterans who flew the aircraft you see at the Museum and destined to have a new home in that hangar. Signers of the beam being raised and put into position for the years and decades ahead. And I am so very excited and humbled to not only have been there but to have signed it as well. Wow! Thank You!
Engine Check
Engine check on “What’s Up Doc” at the Palm Springs Air Museum. A C-47B that was built in 1944. Currently painted to commemorate the D-Day Invasion, this aircraft served the US Army Air Force, the US Navy and the Royal Air Force during World War II. It went on to serve in the Belgian Air Force, the French Air Force and finally the Israeli Air Force. Aviation artist Stan Stokes painted the Bugs Bunny logo nose art at the Air Museum.
Currently “What’s Up Doc” flies regularly at the Palm Springs Air Museum carrying museum visitors, skydivers, and on a busy air show schedule. So after this maintenance you too can check out “What’s Up Doc”!
Flying Santa
Santa arrived at the Palm Springs Air Museum in true aviator style. He even arranged for snow for all the kids (and maybe some grownups too). He will be flying back in today, Sunday, at 11:00 AM sharp so get on out there. You can even sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what you want for Christmas. And no age restriction! Be there!
Wow! All That Behind A Business Card
My new business card. Interesting story behind both sides. The beautiful woman is my friend Gabriella Muttone. Not only a gorgeous and successful model but also an incredibly talented photographer herself. Take a look at her work on her website and you will see why I admire her so very much! At https://gabriella-muttone.squarespace.com
That little boy on the other side of the card is actually me. Yes my photography interests go way back and had some detours along the way. But here I am now. Although I guess I used to dress much better. By the way that photo of me was used recently by the largest association for professional photographers in the world as a magazine ad for their organization, Professional Photographers of America.
A big Thank You to my friend Dennis Johnson, who is very highly regarded professional graphic design artist, for taking the time to create my card.
And a big Thank You to Fred Bell at the Palm Springs Air Museum for letting Gabriella use his office to change wardrobe during our photo shoot.
Wow, all that behind a business card! Even more actually… Gabriella photographed with a Hasselblad digital camera and Broncolor lighting on a Matthews roller stand. And ever reliable assistance by Clyde Sawyer. Very expensive business card!
The Face Of The Attack
Sunday morning at 7:48 AM December 7, 1941 you look up, and so close, see the face of a pilot of a Japanese VAL Dive Bomber unleashing the attack on Pearl Harbor. Commemoration of that day at the Palm Springs Air Museum just yesterday.
Shoot Down At Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 was done by two waves of aircraft. Two-thirds of the Japanese aircraft lost were during the second attack. American defenses would have been much more deadly during a third attack. This potential loss of more aircraft was one of the reasons Admiral Nagumo withdrew.
Clear Skies Pearl Harbor
In the clear skies over Palm Springs. Perhaps not unlike the view of the Japanese VAL Dive Bombers in the clear skies over Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. More photos and video to come today and the next few days. Thanks!
No Matter How Old You Are!
Always so very fun no matter how old you are! The sound and the power of this vintage aircraft taking flight. Just this past Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. A World War II Navy fighter, the Bearcat F8F-2, here flown by pilot Steve Barber.
Bearcat
A Grumman F8F-2 Bearcat Navy fighter plane on it’s way out for a flight demonstration at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Flown by Pilot Steve Barber. The Bearcat was a carrier based aircraft. It later still out performed many of the early jet fighter aircraft. Popular in air racing, they can exceed 500 mph and have held many world records.
Pretty Polly
Among my very favorite “Nose Art” at the Palm Springs Air Museum… “Pretty Polly”. This P-63 King Cobra from World War II is now a very rare aircraft and this one even more so because it is still flying.
I have been posting a lot of my aircraft photography over the last week and I have been asked by people when I was going to be posting more of my photography of beautiful women. “Pretty Polly” is my transition going into next week when I will show you more of those gorgeous women, and some guys too! So keep coming back! Thanks!
Canadian Invasion
It is actually very common to see military aircraft flying in and out of the Palm Springs Airport. So when everybody at the Palm Springs Air Museum saw a military cargo plane take off last Saturday, it was business as usual. I shot some photos and did not think about it again until now when I was going through all of them. And there it is, a Canadian Forces CC-130J Super Hercules transport. Well it is actually the “Palm Springs International Airport“.
Busy Day Flying
Last Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. One of the Museum’s premier aircraft, piloted by the equally premier Tom Nightingale, headed out for takeoff. Waiting while the Stearman biplane comes back in to pick up another happy passenger.
“Bunny” is a P-51 Mustang restored and dedicated to the famed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. And specifically to Lt. Col. Bob Friend. To this day you can find the Colonel often at the Air Museum and many times in the back seat of this very special aircraft.
First Class Seating
On this flight all seating is first class. And the passenger rides in front. You can too! How Fun! At the Palm Springs Air Museum just this past Saturday.
The Outside Elevator
There is an elevator inside the building at the Palm Springs Air Museum and then there are elevators outside the building. This is one of the outside elevators. I actually do not think she was waving to me when I shot this photo Saturday, but you can ride the elevator too. Check it out on the Museum website at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org
Flabob Express
Another view of the “Flabob Express” DC-3 that was flying over Palm Springs yesterday. Part of the “Props & Hops” craft beer festival at the Palm Springs Air Museum. And yes there was beer tasting going on while it was overhead. Not the pilots, I know for sure, I was on board for one of the flights.
Flying Craft Beer Tasting
The DC-3 “Flabob Express” rolling out to the runway from the Palm Springs Air Museum. You could have been onboard Saturday tasting craft beers during your flight around Palm Springs. How fun is that!
DC-3 Backseat Driver
Doing some backseat driving in a DC-3. The “Flabob Express” yesterday flying out of the Palm Springs Air Museum. Can you believe there was craft beer tasting going on behind me! Too fun!
B-25 Mitchell Bomber
The B-25 “Mitchell” was the bomber flown off the aircraft carrier USS Hornet on April 18, 1942 for a bombing mission over Tokyo. It was intended to show that the USA could project power across the oceans and that Japan was vulnerable to an air attack. The mission was also retaliation for the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
This is a B-25J version which entered service in early 1945. It was used as a crew trainer and transport. Interestingly it appears in the 1970 movie “Catch 22” as “Vestal Virgin”. Now here flying out of the Palm Springs Air Museum on it’s tour schedule. The sound of those engines starting up is worth the visit all by itself!
Bunny P-51
The World War II P-51 Mustang “Bunny” at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Restored to the configuration of the famed Tuskegee Airmen and dedicated to Lt. Col. Bob Friend. Piloted by Tom Nightingale.
Sometimes They Never Returned
Sometimes they never returned from their missions. This bronze 1940’s flight jacket at the Palm Springs Air Museum always reminds me of that.
Today is the day we remember and honor all Veterans. They are the men and women to whom the Nation and the World turns to for so very many reasons in war and peace.
Join me tonight and tomorrow for programs at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Moments of honor but also fun and excitement as planes from our history fly overhead. Thanks! Check it all out at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org
1940’s Bronze Leather Bomber Jacket by Scott Hanson.
Up Close
Like nowhere else, you get up close at the Palm Springs Air Museum. That is where you find me with my favorite Hasselblad cameras. The cameras that orbited the Earth and went to the Moon.
This plane coming in from a flight demonstration is the North American Aviation T-28 Trojan… I have been told that it, in many ways, actually outperforms the famed P-51 Mustang of World War II. The T-28… “a basic trainer that was ordered in four advanced versions, the T-28A for the U.S Air Force and T-28B and T-28C, by the U.S. Navy, with the latter version designed for carrier training operations and the AT-28D. It was the first trainer designed to transition pilots to jet aircraft. In its second life, the AT-28D was used in counterinsurgency missions and later as a ground-support fighter in Southeast Asia. It’s a remarkably strong, fast, and capable airplane, and the big Wright radial engine makes that wonderful music that only a round engine can. The Trojan was the first American fixed wing attack aircraft lost in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.”
“Specifications and Performance –
T-28B Engine: One, Wright Cyclone R-1820-86 radial piston Engine. Horsepower: 1,425 hp., at sea level with auxiliary supercharger. Dimensions:Wing Span: 40.1. Length: 33 ft., Height: 12.8 ft., Weight Empty: 6,424 lbs. Maximum Speed: 343 mph Service Ceiling: 35,500 ft.”
Skyward!
I was at the Palm Springs Air Museum the other day and all the talk is the excitement of flying again for this season! This is a flying museum along with all kinds of great programs. You can watch historic aircraft take to the skies, sit in cockpits and see incredible one of a kind programs. Yes and you can fly too! Check it all out on the Palm Springs Air Museum website here at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org
And you will see me there with my favorite Hasselblad cameras. Hasselblad cameras were the choice for NASA taking into Space and to the Moon. So my first choice too!
F-102 Restoration
The restoration crew at the Palm Springs Air Museum are nothing short of magicians. This F-102 “Delta Dagger” sat in a forest for 40 years. This entire rear section has been re-created from jigs and templates that were 3-D printed from a survey of an intact F-102. Standing next to it up close made me think two things… First, now it almost looks like it just rolled off the assembly line. Second, it is a much bigger aircraft than I had realized. Especially having seen it on a truck when it first arrived at the Museum some time back.
The Convair F-102 “Delta Dagger” was the Interceptor that served as the backbone of the United States Air Force. It entered service in 1956 and 1,000 were built, designed to intercept invading Soviet strategic bomber fleets during the Cold War. In various versions, it had a top speed of Mach 1.22 and a service ceiling of 56,000 ft. The F-102 served in Vietnam, flying fighter patrols and serving as bomber escorts, finally retiring from USAF service in 1976. There are no flying F-102s in existence today.
By the way, The first operational service of the F-102A was with the 327th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at George Air Force Base, near Victorville, right here in Southern California in April 1956. I am looking forward to seeing the completion of this F-102 and it making it’s permanent home not far from it’s beginnings. Very exciting!
Before Photo Courtesy of the Palm Springs Air Museum
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