OSH15 Dawn Patrol CoolPix... Corsair And Mosquito (11Pix)

(click pic for hi-res)  A great Dawn Patrol sunrise at OSH15 on Thursday July 23

 This summer has been a real blur for me as I've been working to build a new online business... today I launched www.loudflowers.com, high-resolution flower images printed exclusively on vibrant aluminum sheet. The ads I placed here today are designed to drive a little traffic that direction as I start off from ground zero. If you like my work there, I encourage you to spread the word, and I hope you stay tuned because I have an aviation derivative of Loud Flowers in the works. In early 2016 I plan to launch BleedingEgdeArt.com with an upscale collection of aerospace images that should be pretty cool : )

 But this post is to share 11 pix I captured on Thursday July 23rd at OSH15 (the best OSH ever!) of a Corsair and the Mosquito while on a Dawn Patrol photo mission in the warbirds area. And all of these images open up to the big CoolPix size, so I think you'll enjoy the journey!

(click for hi-res)  Man and machine prepare for an early morning mission

(click pic for hi-res)  Sun, smoke, and fire... the Corsair comes to life!

(click pic for hi-res)  Two of the four Corsairs heading out for this morning mission

(click pic for hi-res)  The Mosquito with its nose pointed into the western sky

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Video: C-17 Countermeasure Flares... Wild Northern Lights!

 This short but very sweet video is from a few nights ago in Alaska at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson as several C-17's were testing their countermeasure flares. That's some beautiful northern lights to be sure!

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Video: Fascinating Documentary On The British 1960's Era (Mach 2) BAC TSR-2

 My usual goal for an AirPigz post is to give you a 3 to 5 minute avgeek experience that either thoroughly entertains or educates (or both)... but today you're gonna have to carve out at least 55 minutes if you're gonna take it all in. I found this documentary on the early 1960's British TSR-2 (Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance Mach 2) to be both extremely educational and entertaining. I admit that my interest in the details of aircraft development might run deeper than yours, but even so, I think you'll find this British effort to keep up with the rapidly advancing aerospace world of the late 50's and early 60's to be a fascinating story.

 As with any cancelled project, the politics of the situation are often as interesting (and confusing/frustrating) as the aircraft itself. This documentary provides some of the story, tho I'm sure any story like this is almost impossible to know what really happened. Regardless, the interviews with key people in the the TSR-2 development along with lots of film of the aircraft easily held my attention.

(click pic to enlarge)  The prototype (XR219) and only TSR-2 to ever fly

 For some reason I have never really been very familiar with the TSR-2 and its tragic story of seeming to be a tremendous aircraft lacking the will of the government to build it... tho there's no disputing that delays and cost overruns certainly tainted the achievement of the designers and builders. I had seen pictures of the airplanes and usually thought; that's kinda weird looking. Interestingly, now I look at it and think WOW!

 All I know is that one day I hope to be able to go to Cosford England to the RAF museum, or to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford England to see either of the two surviving TSR-2 airframes. Neither of these airframes (XR220 and XR222) ever flew, only the prototype XR219 was ever flown, but it sure seems to me that the feeling standing in front of the TSR-2 would have to be very much like that when in the presence of a B-58 Hustler or the XB-70 Valkyrie. Awesome.

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Video: LiveAirShowTV Report From Reno 2014 - Sunday 9.7.14 Practice Day

 Qualifying for the 2014 Reno Air Races starts Wednesday but there's a lot already going on at Stead Field as the teams are busy with race prep and practice. LiveAirShowTV is on-site and filed this report from Sunday's activities.

 And remember, if you aren't able to make the trip to Reno, LASTV will have live brodcasts starting on Friday September 12th.

 I'm leaving tomorrow at noon to make the drive west and hope to arrive Wednesday evening to get started gathering loads of behind-the-scenes details of Thom Richard and the Precious Metal team as they aim for Gold in the Unlimited Class. Let's go racing! #lowfastleft

Video screenshot: no fly day for defending champion Steve Hinton in the P-51 Voodoo

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Video: LiveAirShowTV Will Take YOU To The Reno Air Races! (+ Precious Metal DeskTop Pix)

2014 Reno Air Races: September 10-14

 I'm fortunate to be able to squeak in another trip 2,050 miles west to the Reno Air Races... it'll be my fourth time driving there in the last six years of attendance. Driving is actually the cheapest way for to make the trip happen, tho it brings a special kind of fatigue. Anyway, getting to Reno is not something everyone can do, but LiveAirShowTV will take anyone there that has a computer and some internets to tap into!

 The video above gives you the details on when and how to catch the LiveAirShowTV coverage of the 2014 National Championship Air Races. Their coverage is fantastic and turns your inability to make the trip to Reno no big deal as you get to experience so much of the action right from home. They also have daily recap videos for you to check out if you can't find the time to watch the races as they happen. It's all an amazing opportunity to be part of the world's fastest sport! I will add however, NOTHING beats being on-site at the races! 

LiveAirShowTV

(click pic for hi-res)  Precious Metal and Thom Richard in the Gold race at Reno 2013

 I'm including another Precious Metal desktop image from the Gold race at Reno 2013. This time cropped in close for great detail! I'm planning for most of my 2014 Reno coverage to be focused on Team Precious Metal and Thom Richard as he returns with loads more Griffon power under the hood and another year of airframe tweaks. This really could be the year that PM shows that she's truly a contender for Reno Gold!

 Hopefully I'll have some nice pix and info to share during the races, and then afterward I hope to be able to share a very detailed post with much more behind-the-scenes info of what made Team PM tick at Reno 2014. Til then, I hope you'll consider downloading a free desktop pic of Thom and his mixmaster P-51 to put on your desktop as Reno fast approaches. #lowfastleft

Thom Richard and Precious Metal in the Gold race at Reno 2013:

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Warsaw Indiana Rocks A Great Little Airshow! (Plus Hot Air Balloon CoolPix)

(click pic for hi-res)  Friday night at the Warsaw Indiana Airshow  (photo: Andy Kerr)

 This post is really all about having the chance to share the awesome photo above captured in my hometown by local photgrapher Andy Kerr during last weekend's Warsaw Airshow. This was the second year for an airshow at the Warsaw Airport (ASW) and even more than last year's kind-of-a-surprise success, this event was awesome with great attendance! Congratulations to the organizers, volunteers, and sponsors that made it all happen. (note: I wasn't involved in any way other than to participate) - I did however help my son-in-law with the hot air balloon tethered rides on Friday evening and the Saturday morning launch. His balloon is the one in the air in the pic above, tethered late evening rides!

(click pic to enlarge) The C-54 Candy Bomber flew several times and was open to tour

 I've been living in Warsaw Indiana for almost 20 years now... it's a nice, small city of about 14,000 that has a good sized airport due in part to the city being the Orthopedic Capital with major players in the industry headquartered here. While the Warsaw Airport doesn't usually show a fun side, this Friday evening and all day Saturday it was pure passion and sport aviation central! I'm thrilled to see that this is possible right here in my backyard : )

(click pic to enlarge) Great weather Friday, and nice Saturday for airplanes & people

 The big features this year were the C-54 (DC-4) Candy Bomber from Berlin Airlift Histrorical Foundation, plus Dave Folk's F-4U Corsair,  along with a T-33, several T-6's, and a variety of other aircraft on display. The airshow included all the big aircraft mentioned plus a Pitts, a Chipmunk, and a Super Stearman, as well as some fun runway races between cars and airplanes, and a motorcycle racing the Chipmunk as well as doing a wingtip handshake with it! There were also lots and lots of airplane rides sold both days in Waldo Wright's New Standard 4-pax biplane, along with helicopter rides, hot air balloon rides and some local 172 rides. I was very pleased to see how much business they were all doing! Great food and both live and recorded music gave it all a nice festival atmosphere too. 

(click pic to enlarge) 4 passengers at at a time! 1931 New Standard biplane 

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Video: The 'SLICK' Look At Oshkosh 2014 (Must See!)

 SLICK (Wesley Perkins) has crunched down the footage and his OSH14 video hit the streets (of youtube) over the weekend! This year's version is more of what we've come to expect in the way of a great video that captures the incredible aviation diversity that is Oshkosh, the world's greatest aviation event.

 With such strong attendance this year in both people and aircraft, there's no reason to think that OSH won't remain king of the hill for a long time to come. The reality tho is that Oshkosh isn't about being a mega event, it's really all about people with a passionate love for flying (and building, re-building, or restoring) airplanes of every imaginable kind. It's grass roots. It's down to earth. It's real. If for some reason this isn't the Oshkosh you know, may I suggest that you're doing it wrong. I've experienced 36 or 37 Oshkosh weeks since I was just 9 years old in 1970, and I love my time there every bit as much today as I ever have. 

 Thanx SLICK for another fabulous video reminder of how great Oshkosh Is!

(I've no idea what this A********e thingy is... I've never been to one of those and I never will. To understand what I mean, read reason #1 under 'WHY IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN'  : )

other Slick OSH videos:
OSH13
OSH11
 OSH10 

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OSH14: Monday July 28 - Day One Starts Big And Beautiful! (10 Pix)

The amazing Gee Bee QED replica taxiing in from its OSH14 arrival this morning

click any pic to enlarge

 It was a great opening day at OSH14... the weather was very nice and there were airplanes and people all over the place. I made a couple runs thru much of the grounds and found lots of interesting to take pictures of. The following are some of those pix with simple captions captions. I hope you enjoy!

Rich Alldredge: QED pilot and project leader (after the passing of originator Jim Moss)

A very unique view of a very unique airplane!

As you can see, the Gee Bee QED is a really big airplane!

The cockpit of the big Gee Bee beast

Cessna 170's and other classics in the Vintage parking/camping

The one-week-wonder Zenith project begins on day number 1

A busy build team and lots of observers of the Zenith CH750 quick build project

I'll try to post some updated pix of the project each day

It was my first chance to see a V-22 Osprey fly... I was impressed!

More pix and a little info tomorrow.

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Oshkosh 2014 And The AirPigz Bacon Parties! (Hog Heaven : )

AirPigz OSH14 Bacon Parties:
Wednesday (7-30) and Thursday (7-31) from 6pm to 8pm

#CampBacon location map (pdf)

 Oshkosh 2014 is almost here! That means the widest variety of airplanes, the coolest collection of aviators, and of course... a side order of bacon! The Bacon Parties are on different days this year so take note that you can swing by CampBacon between 6pm and 8pm on either Wednesday or Thursday this year (link to location map above) to chew some free crunch pig AND talk airplanes. And hey, you can definitely talk with your mouth full at CampBacon : )

B-25 Lady Luck at OSH11

 I'm bringing a full size household oven this year to cook the bacon, and I'm expecting this will increase my output significantly, so please spread the word about free bacon from AirPigz at CampBacon. Attendance has been growing the last few years, and I'd love to see 75 or 100 people at each party, so be sure to tell your friends.

Beautiful Wittman Tailwind from OSH13

 Download the CampBacon location map and then mark your schedule for either Wednesday evening or Thursday evening (or both) from 6pm until 8pm for great airplane chat and free bacon. And thanx for being part of the crazy AirPigz world!

North American FJ-4B at OSH13

Video: The Hostile World Of F-18's On A Carrier's 'Pitching Deck' (Must See)

 This 20 minute video from the 2008 PBS series 'Carrier' is about the most must see video I've ever experienced. Maybe you saw the series, but I never did... and this segment, that chronicles the extreme hazards of flying off an aircraft carrier's 'pitching deck' (due to the swelling seas) in both day and night operations, is simply incredible.

Screenshot: F-18's launch and land on a wild 'pitching deck'

 I'm sure you're like me and have huge respect for the people who live and work on aircraft carriers, especially the pilots... but your respect for these pilots after seeing this video will be off-the-scale. Truly amazing.

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