Caption Contest #54 Winner - Let's Here It For 7-Eleven!

 Sometimes it's the first thought that pops into your head that's the best one. That's what happened here as the sharp captioner known as 'airpigz lurker' was not only the first to respond, but y'all voted that caption the most popular too. So it's another bacon sandwich at OSH11 for the lurker... whoever you are (and would you like a Big Gulp to go with that? : )

 Thanks to everyone who submitted this time around - there were so many good ones to choose from that it wasn't easy. There's more pressure on me than you might think when it comes time to pick the captions going into the poll. But just remember, we're all here for good ole avgeek fun, so if yours didn't make it, it's ok, just go with the flow.

 I'll probably have another contest up Monday morning, but next week will be a challenge as I'll be driving down to Sun-n-Fun. Between the time on the road, and then a variety of enhanced aviation media tasks, it'll be a busy week! But I'll try to have another contest up if I can.

 Hmm, I'll have to look for a 7-Eleven on the way down too... 

Caption Contest #53 - The Love Child Is The Winner!

 So if you didn't know, this odd looking, kinda Guppy, sorta 747, almost a DC-6 machine is for real... it's called a Carvair. Congrats go out to 'TenDegreesFlap' for submitting the most popular caption as seen above. This winning effort will be rewarded with a bacon sandwhich at Oshkosh 2011 - mmm!

 The Carvair was originally conceived in the 1950's by the late Freddie Laker as a way to haul more automobiles (along with some pax) on short hauls around the UK. The Bristol 170 Freighter had been the mainstay of this work, but its ability to haul only 3 cars greatly limited profitability. The Carvair (Car-via-air) was based on the Douglas DC-4 and created the ability to carry up to 5 cars, which were loaded thru the small swing-open nose. With the cockpit relocated above the loading area, a fairly simple overall arrangement was achieved. Just 21 of these unpressurized freighters were built, but several operated for many, many years, some until relatively recently.

 The Carvair was a really unique adaptation of an existing aircraft that preceded the 'Guppy' concept to first flight by over a year. It also might have been just a touch of inspiration for the designers at Boeing when the 747 'hump' was conceived. The Carvair is certainly an interesting footnote in the history of aviation. The video below shows the same aircraft as in the caption (with the lips painted on) apparently performing at an airshow at some point in the recent past. This aircraft may still be airworthy today in South Africa, tho I can't confirm that. If it is still flying, it would be the only Carvair still airworthy.

 The Carvair isn't very pretty in the air, but the sound from four Pratt & Whitney R-2000's is sure awesome!

Caption Contest #52 Winner - Mother-In-Law Edition

 Usually a nice short caption is the most effective at making a powerful humorous punch with a wacky pic. And we had a really great one in this contest - "take me to your weeder!!", but in the end, there was just the right amount of whiny-wife attitude in the mother-in-law caption to pick up the most votes in the poll. So we say congrats to the mystery captioner simply known as 'airpigz lurker' - great job! Maybe the smell of a bacon sandwich at Oshkosh 2011 will draw you out of the shadows and into the light so I know who you are : )

 Thanx once again to everyone for throwing some fun captions in the ring, and to all who voted in the poll. It's a lot harder than it looks trying to pic the overall best captions for the poll, so if yours didn't make it, just hang in there. And remember, even if you never win a bacon sandwich, anyone can fetch up free bacon strips at one of the three official AirPigz evening 'bacon parties' that will take place at Camp Bacon (my campsite) at Oshkosh 2011. Watch for more details as the greatest aviation event on earth gets closer.

 More avgeek fun is scheduled for this next Monday morning as the caption contest continues - don't miss out on the fun!

Caption Contest #51 Winner - I'm In Trouble!

 Congrats to what I think is a new captioner, 'Davo87', for fetching up the most votes with his I'm in trouble caption. Fortunately, he's not really in trouble, and if he makes it to Oshkosh 2011, I'll have a fabulous bacon sandwich for him to enjoy for winning.

 Once again, a big thank you to everyone who partcipated this time around. It wouldn't be a game, or any fun, without you! And, keep in mind that there will be free bacon strips available to anyone during my bacon parties at Oshkosh 2011. The dates and times for these chew-the-fat avgeek gatherings will be posted as we get closer to the greatest aviation event on earth!

 Watch for more from captionation this next Monday morning.

Caption Contest #50 Winner(s) - 'Caspian Sea Monster' Comrades

 Not only did we have a tie in the voting poll (and thus I'm awarding 2 bacon sandwiches), but I got side-tracked this morning and didn't get the winners posted like I should have! Oh well, better late than never comrades : )

 So here are your two winners... the top one from 'William', and the bottom one from 'biggeral' - congrats to you both for having the most popular captions of the odd, unique, bizzare and pretty much just plane weird 'ground effect' flying machine from Russia sometimes referred to as the Caspian Sea Monster! I hope both of you will be able to claim your bacon sandwich winnnings at Oshkosh 2011.

 And I'm working on a detailed post about the Ekranoplan (a more official name for the aircraft in the pic) so you can all be up to speed about what I consider to be one of the most disturbing looking flying macchines ever made!

 Thanx to all who submitted and voted... and more captionating to come.

Caption Contest #49 Winner - Don't Text And Fly!

 I'm a little late getting the winner of Caption Contest #49 posted, but I have a good reason... I've been really busy this morning getting a boatload of pix at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio! It's the first ever AirPigz AFM meet-up and it's going great. There are 7 of us today working our way thru this amazing collection of historic military aircraft. Even better, 'seerjfly', who came out on top with the caption above is here too!

 And you might remember that his wife won contest #48 last week. This avgeek team is beginning to take over! They're building a nice collection of OSH11 bacon sandwich winnings... good for them.

 Thanx again to all who participated, I appreciate you playing along and making this a fun way to play with airplanes. Watch for more of the same next week.

Caption Contest #48 Winner - A Wife Cleans Up!

 Short and sweet is usually the best approach in great captioneering, and this one from Mrs. 'seerjfly' cleaned the competition this time around. Congrats to an avgeek's wife for getting this one right! If you're able to make it to Oshkosh 2011, there'll be a tasty bacon sandwich waitin' to reward you for your great work... and if you can't make it, you can still bask in the glow of being a champion : )

 I gotta say this was a tough contest with so many good captions to choose from. Thanx again to everyone who submitted and to all who voted. It's always best to keep in mind that the real goal here is just good ole harmless avgeek fun, so even if your caption doesn't get picked for the poll, you're still a cool part of the process. Plus, my official 'bacon parties' that will take place in the campgrounds at Oshkosh (more info later) will include free bacon for anyone... everyone wins with free bacon! It's just that contest winners will be getting specially designed, meticulously hand crafted sandwiches of fabulous bacon greatness in recognition of their stellar accomplishments.

 Watch for more caption fun next week. Now I'm off the feed the pig... we're gonna need a lot of bacon!

Caption Contest #47 Winner - Beware Of BIG Birds!

 Wow, not only is this pic from an amazing true story in the development of the Super Guppy, but the winning caption was the first one submitted right after I put the post up on Monday morning. And then, the voting wasn't even close, this stellar caption from @RayRod59 was the easy winner - congrats! I hope you've got Oshkosh 2011 in your schedule so you can claim your tasty bacon sandwich prize! 

 As always, thanx to everyone who submitted a caption and to all who voted. We most likely will be right back at it on Monday morning, and watch for a detailed story about what happened to the Super Guppy to cause all that crumpled aluminum... and no, it was a really big bird!

Caption Contest #46 Winner - And Happy New Year!

 Wow, what a new year's eve story... this caption contest literally went right down to the last minute with two captions running in a tie, but when the smoke cleared (from the sizzling bacon?), 'CBarnes' wound up as the come-from-behind winner. Congrats! And I hope you'll be able to make it to Oshkosh 2011 to claim your bacon sandwich prize.

 And speaking of Oshkosh, here we are already waltzing into 2011. That means just 204 days to go til we turn Wittman Regional Airport into the most amazing avgeek experience in the world. I hope you'll be there to join the fun... and Happy New Year!

Caption Contest #45 Winner - Someone's In Big Trouble!

 The voting this time around went back and forth between a couple of captions, but in the end it was @PilotDamon who surged to the top with this winner. Great job! BTW, the principal called and, umm, he's got a few questions for you.

 There'll also be a sizzling hot (and tasty) bacon sandwich for you at Oshkosh 2011 for your effort. I sure hope you'll be there to collect it.

 Thanx again to all who submitted a caption and to everyone who voted. We'll take a break next week with with Christmas and all, but I'll probably throw another contest up the week after to help us finish out the year with some harmless avgeek fun. Til then... always remember to respect authority : )