75 Piper Cubs At Hartford Wisconsin! CoolPix 2Fer

(click pic for hi-res)  75 Piper Cubs on 7-28-12 (for the 75th anniversary) all in one pic!

 I went for a ride in a Cub on Friday afternoon July 28 (2012) during the CUBS 2 OSH event going on at the Hartford Wisconsin airport and was able to capture this sweet image of the Cubs on-site at the time. When I was prepping the pic tonight I thought wouldn't it be cool if there were 75 Cubs in the pic to match the 75th anniversary... and when I counted them I couldn't believe it - exactly 75 Cubs! I even counted a second time to be sure : )

 There were actually more than 75 Cubs on the airport and even more still were on the way, but it's pretty amazing to see 75 Piper Cubs all in one picture in the year 2012! The mass arrival at Oshkosh the next morning then moved this amazing sea of yellow into the middle of the world's greatest aviation event to celebrate the 75th anniversary. I'm guessing as long as there are people on Earth, there will be Piper Cubs here too. At least I sure hope so.

 As an added way of showing the indelible nature of this iconic airplane, I'm posting this second CoolPix below. I also captured this pic at Hartford, and I thought it was really interesting how even tho Cub logo sticker was no longer on the fabric covering, you could still make out the details. How cool is that?!

Long live the Piper Cub... and the people who love to fly them!

 (click pic for hi-res) As long as people are on Earth, the Cub will NEVER fade away : )

Video: GoPro, Red Bull Wing Suiters And Kirby Chambliss At OSH12. Wow!

 GoPro had quite a display at OSH12 and they sold a boatload of HD HERO2 cameras and accessories during the week. In fact, they sold out of everything before the week was over. But they didn't just show up to make some coin, they came to capture video to entertain us as well. Ok, they entertain us to sell cameras to make coin... but I think you get my point.

 This awesome video from many different HERO2 perspectives is part of the Red Bull Air Force, specifically two of the wingsuit flyers and Kirby Chambliss having some big fun during the airshow. The wingsuiters exited the DC-3 'Duggy' over Wittman Field and then they fly a wingsuit formation as Kirby does barrel rolls around them. It was a perfect day (with some really nice views of the airport and Lake Winnebago) and the aerosports are fantastic. Be sure to watch this in HD fullscreen for maximum effect!

Screenshot of the wingsuiters over OSH with Kirby's smoke visible in the background

FYI: I Plan To Win This Cub On September 10th (CoolPix)

(click pic for hi-res)  The gorgeous Cub I plan to win in the drawing September 10th

 Yeah, I know it crazy for me to think I really stand any chance of winning this little yellow cutie in the EAA Win The Cub Sweepstakes, but it never hurts to dream big! I bought a stack of tickets for the drawing during Oshkosh, and they'll pull the winning ticket out on September 10th. I figure this is my best chance to have an airplane of my very own for quite some time yet... so hopefully soon I'll be dealing with the hassles of registration paperwork and which airport am I gonna keep the ole girl at : )

 I captured this image of the sweepstakes Cub on Sunday the day before Oshkosh started. I had just been down at Hartford Wisconsin for the Cubs 2 OSH event and I was dealing with a pretty severe case of yellow Cub fever by this time. And then, with the awesome blue sky and sun, and then waiting a few minutes for the people to clear away from the airplane, I was able to get this really nice image. I did a few photoshop tweaks to it and then noticed that it actually takes on the slight look of a painting. The shadows and reflections in the yellow of the paint all around the airplane are a little extra special here. Especially when you open this CoolPix up big and get in close.

 Anyway, I just wanted you all to have a really nice look at my Cub before I get to bring her home : )

CoolPix: 'Golden Age' Antiques Meet The Modern Age At OSH12

(click pic for hi-res)  Antique airplanes and a young laptop user mix just fine at OSH12

 Maybe you don't think like I do, but when I see the shapes and colors of fabulous antique aircraft like these Waco biplanes and that Ryan PT-22, I feel passion and excitement. I think that's the big missing ingredient in most of what modern General Aviation has to offer today, but that's a debate for another time. The point of this picture is how well these great old aircraft mix with a young man using a laptop while sitting in their midst. It's the kind of 'people and airplanes' sight you see at Oshkosh. A lot. There's something incredibly extraordinary about living everyday life surrounded by the magical world of aviation... especially when it's aircraft from the Golden Age!

 I've posted this image as a hi-res CoolPix so you could take in those great colors, shapes and textures, but I didn't actually plan to make this one in the various 'desktop' sizes. I'd be happy to do that tho if anyone is wanting it - just let me know.

And, I'm making plans now to get myself over to Blakesburg Iowa for a couple of days at the Antique Aircraft Association invitational fly-in that runs August 29th thru September 3rd. My young aviation adventures back in the 1970's focused mostly on Oshkosh and the Reno Air Races, but I know my dad took me to one of the AAA fly-ins when I was about 10 or 11. For whatever reason tho, the AAA fly-in didn't become a staple for me. I wish it had. I can see that spending some time at Antique Airfield for this very grass roots event has the potential to be most satisfying! I really love old airplanes!

 Get more info on the event at this page at AntiqueAirfield.com.

Video: Oshkosh - It Feels Like Coming Home (Must See)

 I got the heads-up on this older video (made by DGL & Asociados Aviacion) from a friend on facebook that knows a thing or two about making great videos about Oshkosh... you might know him by the name slickhutto (check out his AWESOME OSH videos here) - btw, you might have noticed that we haven't seen a 2012 OSH video from slick yet - and unfortunately, we won't. College and the Navy got in the way of a trip to Oshkosh this year for him, so the video work is on hold at least until 2013.

 Given the high quality of slick's video work, it really caught my eye when I saw his fb post of a video by someone else that he thought was the best at showing what makes Oshkosh so special. So, here's that video for you to checkout. It's six minutes long and does the best job I've ever seen at helping us to understand what makes the people that design and build airplanes (including the ones that only get to dream of such things) so unique, and so special.

Video screenshot: homebuilt airplanes are the core of what makes Oshkosh special
 

 I'm grateful to the EAA for bringing Oshkosh to life, but the truth is that it's the people that gather together each year that make Oshkosh such and incredible place to be. There's a line in this video that says: "It doesn't matter if it's your first year or your tenth, it will feel like coming home." That line sums it up for me... I've been experiencing Oshkosh (I never ever say A********e) since I was 9 years old. 2012 was my 35th I think, and it has felt like 'home' to me since the first time I was there.

 If you only know Oshkosh from blasting in for a day and thinking you've seen it all, I'd like to suggest that you find a way to 'live' Oshkosh for many days, or even the whole week. When you get this deep into the OSH experience, it becomes the place you want to call home.

 I've said it before and I'll say it again... Oshkosh is the best place on Earth : )

Video screenshot: at Oshkosh... and he helped HER build that airplane! : )

Videos: The Pure Flying Perfection That Is The Piper Cub

 Here are two short-but-sweet videos that give a little peek into the Piper Cub invasion of Oshkosh 2012 that celebrated 75 years of Piper's iconic little airplane. The Cubs had gathered at the Hartford Wisconsin airport (40 miles south of OSH) on Friday and Saturday July 20th and 21st and then made the relatively short trip up to OSH early Sunday morning July 22nd, the day before the world's greatest aviation event began. Both of these videos start at Hartford and end at Oshkosh.

 You might also enjoy seeing my post about the Cubs at Hartford from that Friday: Lots Of Cub Yellow At Hartford Wisconsin For 'Cubs 2 OSH'.

 I still believe that the old, original Piper Cub has more potential to save General Aviation in America than any other aircraft. Having 200 or more rebuilt original Cubs scattered around the nation in an organized effort to make flying both affordable and exciting isn't a new idea to me... I originally posted details of the idea two years ago:  Add 'Cub Training Centers' To Save GA In America (CoolPix & Video) - and I believe in this idea all the more after experiencing the Cub celebration at Oshkosh this year.

 The well-established Cub flight training and rental that's been going on at Hartford for years factors heavily into all this too. I hope to expand on this concept in the next month or two with some great insight into the Hartford airport and how Cub flying there is alive and well. Stay tuned. But for now, enjoy these two EAA videos that show why Cub yellow is just as relevant today as it was in the 1940's : )

CoolPix: OSH12 - Duggy! (The Little Yellow Aluminum Overcast : )

(click pic for hi-res)  Duggy, 'the smile in the sky' DC-3 going almost directly overhead

 I'm getting closer to getting things back under control at AirPigz after the failure of my primary computer during OSH12. I'm still taking the easy way out today with just a CoolPix and a couple complimentary images... but very soon I should be able to get back on track with some detailed posts of some cool things from OSH12. The new computer is working great and I should have the all the files restored in the next 36 hours.

 It's hard not to notice Duggy at Oshkosh. A beautiful all yellow DC-3 with a smile on the nose that also doubles as a workhorse for the airshow skydivers. I just happened to be in a good spot one day as the airshow was preparing to begin and had this view of Duggy almost directly overhead. (I'm all about the details: note the tailwheel, it's not on the centerline... a clear sign that the airplane isn't actually 'directly' overhead)

 So if you've ever wondered what the bottom of a DC-3 really looks like, here's your chance. Click the pic to open up the hi-res and have yourself a look. If you're like me, you'll scout around the bottom of the airplane looking for something interesting. The small 'tm' trademark after 'Duggy' was the only thing I specifically noticed, other than the bottom looked pretty clean to me. That's a lot of wing area to keep clean!

A rare look at Duggy without a crowd around the happiest DC-3 in the world at OSH12

The rather small front office of the smiliest Douglas DC-3 during taxi - Duggy.com

CoolPix: OSH12 Seaplane Base And A Beautiful Cessna 195 On Floats

(click pic for hi-res)  Polished Cessna 195 on floats at the Seaplane Base at OSH12

 I'm still taking the easy way out by posting a single CoolPix from OSH12 instead of putting together an extensive post... I've got a new computer to replace the one that stopped working after getting caught in a surprise rainstorm (with massive winds driving the rain horizontally in thru an opened window), but I'm still getting it formatted properly to make my work here get back on track. Hopefully by tomorrow night I'll be back to 'normal'.

 On Friday, near the end of Oshkosh 2012, I finally made a trip over to the Seaplane Base that's located a couple miles southeast of Wittman Field on the western shore of Lake Winnebago. If you've ever been over there, you already know how tranquil and beautiful that place can be. It always makes me feel so good spending time in the presence of airplanes that float, and the people who love them. This picture of a polished Cessna 195 on floats is a perfect way to share the essence of the experience at the base.

 I plan to put up several more pix from my short stay at the base on that Friday, but for now I sure hope you enjoy seeing this gorgeous 195 on floats : )

CoolPix: OSH12 - Big Prop P-51 In The Morning Sun!

(click pic for hi-res)  The back side of a massive P-51 prop in the morning sun at OSH12

 My inop computer problem from a surprise OSH12 rain won't be under control until Tuesday, so I'm still limping along on under-powered resources... so once again I'm taking the easy way out by posting another OSH12 CoolPix.

 I left CampBacon with a few friends early Friday morning (5am) at Oshkosh for another 'dawn patrol' photo shoot in the warbird area. It was last year on a similar adventure that I captured that amazing image of the B-25 Lady Luck with the rising sun behind it. The effort on Friday wasn't nearly as successful since the clouds way off to the east were in the way for part of the sunrise and there weren't the stunning clouds overhead like the B-25 image had. I now realize just how awesome that pic of Lady Luck really is! Anyway, I got some nice pictures, but one of the best was taken after the sun was well above the horizon, but still casting its light more horizontally on the airplanes. I was just finished with breakfast in the warbird area, standing at the edge of the tent ready to get back to walking, when I saw this P-51 in the distance that had just fired up. I've been working on using a much slower shutter speed to improve the spinning prop results in my pictures and this looked like a great chance to experiment a little more... and this one paid off pretty well!

 With that morning sun lighting up the back of the prop, that big spinning disc really came alive here. Plus, the low sun was really making the all the warbirds in the pic look vibrant with so much light on them. So I thought the combination of the big prop and the layering of two additional P-51's and a P-40 made for a pretty interesting image. And while jets are really cool, I just don't think you can beat a massive prop to sit behind!

 After I get my computer issues remedied, I may come back and make this CoolPix available as a desktop pic in a variety of sizes. For now tho, I hope you'll just enjoy seeing my slow shutter speed experiment of a P-51 in the morning sun at Oshkosh 2012.

CoolPix: OSH12 - Super Corsair Pointed At The World's Busiest Tower

(click pic for hi-res) A great pic of a great airplane at a great place! Super Corsair at OSH12

 
 AirPigz is still running in 'safe mode' after my primary computer (laptop) got rained on at Oshkosh last Thursday. It's still currently reduced to being not much more than a really big paperweight. I thought I had it worked out for a new one to be here today, but I hit another snag... hopefully by Monday I'll have a solution.

 To make my work easier today (because I'm also buried in 'everyday' work this week) I decided I'd put up a CoolPix from OSH12 instead of the string of pix I wanted to get up from Thursday there. I think this pic of a Super Corsair racer pointed toward the 'world's busiest control tower' makes a pretty nice substitute! Be sure to click the pic for the hi-res version.

 I was just walking by when I looked over and saw this view of the Oshkosh control tower and the Super Corsair in the relatively early morning sun. The combo of having this amazing airplane, the interesting angle, the great sunlight and the tower in the background makes a great Oshkosh image to enjoy. When time and energy allow I'll try to format this pic for desktop use... but for now you'll just have to enjoy it as a basic CoolPix : )