It's Time For YOU To Catch Bugatti (100P) Fever! Support The Kickstarter Campaign Today

 You might remember my post from August 2010 titled Coming Down With A Bad Case Of Bugatti (100P) Fever - With Video where I expressed my adoration for what the Bugatti 100P represented back in 1930's, and for the massive effort to build a flying replica of the airplane. As I mentioned in that post, a mega-sized project like this is hard to hit specific timeline goals... and while the airplane still isn't quite finished, it's getting very close! But as is usually the case, money stands in the way of reaching the lofty goal of putting the incredible design of the Bugatti 100P in the air for the first time in history. You may already know, but the original aircraft, on display at the EAA Museum, never actually flew.

 Scotty Wilson has put up a kickstarter.com campaign to raise the funds to complete this beautiful airplane and get it in the air. Watch the kiskstarter video above to learn more about the airplane and the campaign. This is YOUR chance to turn some Bugatti fever into the kind of support that will really make a difference! With 18 days to go, they are just under half way to their $50,000 goal, so if you can, make a pledge today to get the 100P in the air.

 You can be sure that I'm gonna be making a pledge to be part of this fascinating and historic aviation project! #bugattifever

The Bugatti 100P replica is getting close to completion but your support is needed!

https://www.facebook.com/TheBugatti100pProject

Poll: Which Triplane Trips Your Trigger? (Sopwith, Fokker, Or The Armstrong Whitworth Quadruplane)

Replica 1916 Sopwith Triplane in flight  (photo: davy59.deviantart)

 I think I already know the answer to the question but I still felt I should ask : )

Replica 1917 Fokker Triplane in flight  (photo: wiki)

1916 Armstrong Whitworth F.K.10 Quadruplane!

Video: Will You Take Your Russian AN-2 Biplane Waterskiing This Summer?

Disclaimer: the acts depicted in this video are not recommended, suggested or indorsed for anyone at anytime. However, if you feel you must take your airplane waterskiing this next summer, please be sure to do these two things: first, have enough cash in the bank to replace the (insert your beloved aircraft here) so you'll be prepared when the insurance company says "you did what?"... and second, it is recommended that have a good, right, and true relationship with Jesus as there is a good chance your spirit will soon be making a journey thru space to pay Him a visit!

 I've long understood that a great pilot can put the main tires of a taildragger on the water and have a fun-to-watch waterskiing adventure, but an average pilot will likely run into some very serious trouble giving it a go. Fortunately the pilot of this big ole Russian AN-2 biplane did a great job of rolling the mains in the water. You can get a pretty good sense for what's really going on if you look closely in these two passes as the airplane bounces a bit off the water. With enough velocity, the water is much more like a hard surface runway... but you sure better not slow down too much, and you sure better keep those tires from getting too deep in the water!

 You might have seen the video of the four T-6's waterskiing in South Africa back in 2006.... kinda makes this AN-2 stunt look positively boring.

 And remember, please don't try this at home!

CoolPix: Pitts Special As Art! Betty Skelton's 'Little Stinker' At Udvar-Hazy

(click pic for hi-res)  Betty Skelton's Pitts Special on display at the NASM/Udvar-Hazy

 I'm trying to find the time and energy to get a boatload of pix from the recent AirPigz National Air and Space Museum MeetUp posted, but my day job as a ceramic tile installer is more-than-full-time these days... plus I'm trying to develop an all new biz to produce a wildly successful packaged food item so my life as an underpaid ceramic tile installer can come to an abrupt end. That abrupt end is also where my career as a smiling-ear-to-ear aircraft owner is supposed to begin! But the bottom line right now is that there just aren't enough hours in the day.

 Anyway, I have found the time today (early before work and then over my lunch break) to post a CoolPix of a fabulous little airplane that was flown spectacularly by an amazing woman back in the late 40's. Betty Skelton won first place in three consecutive International Feminine Aerobatic Championships in '48, '49 and '50. The airplane in her first championship year was her 1929 Great Lakes, and the last two years were in this exact airplane, the Pitts Special that she had named 'Little Stinker'. However, that winning streak might not be too surprising when you realize that she actually made her first solo flight at age 12 in a 40hp Taylorcraft! Of course that wasn't legal, but it does appear to have been well within her capabilities. This woman was meant to fly, and nothing was going to stop her. When she met Curtiss Pitts and his little Pitts Special in 1948, the airplane had met the woman who would make it famous.

 It's especially interesting to note that this is the second Pitts Special ever built! The airplane is hanging upside down in the entrance to the Udvar-Hazy facility of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly Virginia. It's easy to not take much notice of the airplane as you enter in, but I hope when you get to the Udvar-Hazy (the next time or on your very first time), you'll take some time and really contemplate what that little red and white airplane represents. There's so much amazing history wrapped up in that little package... and it also makes for an awesome piece of classic art!

Betty in N22E, the second Pitts Special ever built by Curtiss Pitts  (photo: NASM)
 

 Betty had a massive amount of experience and opportunity to fly, to race cars, and to do all kinds of amazing things thru the 50's and 60's. Just as impressive as the fact that she had mad skills operating machines that move, Betty also had an incredible ability to remain a classy woman all along the way. She wasn't out to prove anything specific for the woman's movement, she just wanted to fly and to go fast. Rather than use her femininity to force her way or manipulate opportunities, Betty used her excellent skills to open the doors for her. She had a peaceful patience believing that the opportunities for women in flying would come in due time, and of course she was right. Betty Skelton was one amazing human being. She also spent many years in the advertising business working closely with GM, especially on the Corvette. 

 The amazing Betty Skelton passed away at age 85 on August 31, 2011.

 Back in 1999, Betty sat down for almost a 90 minute interview at the time when Eileen Collins was about to become the first female pilot (and first female commander) of the Space Shuttle on STS-93. This interview covers Betty's amazing life and it puts her graceful attitude on beautiful display. Click the video screenshot of Betty below to go to the video interview in the C-SPAN video library.

Click the screenshot to go to the 1999 84 minute C-SPAN interview with Betty Skelton
 

 You can expect more Betty Skelton history to come as I find the time to dig much deeper into the unique life of this very special woman.

Great Lakes (By Waco Classic) New Paint Scheme Design Contest! (Ends 2-17-13)

Click the pic to learn more about the Great Lakes paint scheme contest!

 You don't have to know me very well to know I'm a big fan of paint scheme design contests, and while we wait to see who the winner is of the race P-51 Precious Metal paint contest (winner to be announced 2-9-13) we now have another one to squeeze the creative juices onto! Waco Classic Aircraft has been building fabulous brand new open cockpit biplanes for years now, but now they also building a new version of the wonderful Great Lakes biplane, and they're having a paint scheme design contest to stir up interest.

 Click here to get the contest details, but most important, realize you only have until the end of the day (11:59pm EST) on February 17, 2013 to get your submissions in. (click here for the contest rules - please be sure to pay attention to all the contest details and rules!)

 The winner gets the following ffrom Waco Classic Aircraft:

A demo ride in the very first Great Lakes biplane!*

Your name on the plane.

A personalized commemorative award.

Credit for the great scheme, of course!  We'll  name you on the blog, our Facebook page, the newsletter, etc.

A WACO goodie bag.

Special invitation as our VIP guest at the public debut launch event for the Great Lakes. **

*  Demo to take place at a time and location convenient to both the prize winner and WACO Classic Aircraft Corp.  and is dependant upon weather conditions, aircraft availability and pilot availability.
**  Transportation, lodging and expenses not included.
Other conditions may apply.  Prize has no cash equivalent.
All submissions become the property of WACO Classic Aircraft Corp.
See rules for more details

 I'm cramped for time these days with too many things going on but you can count on me to try really hard to crank out an awesome paint scheme for the new Great Lakes... and you should too!

Click the pic to go to the new Great Lakes 2T-1A-2 page of Waco Classic Aircraft

CoolPix: 1970's Reno Biplane Racer Sorceress At The Udvar-Hazy Center

(click pic for hi-res)  Over 40 years later, the biplane racer Sorceress still looks hot!

 I returned from the AirPigz NASM MeetUp about noon today after driving back from the Washington DC area... what a fabulous adventure it was meeting up with 15 other avgeeks at the National Air and Space Museum facilities! I hope to post many more photos before long, including the bacon salute at breakfast on Sunday, but for now I'm sharing a hi-res CoolPix of the 1970's era biplane racer known as Sorceress. The aircraft is on display at the Udvar-Hazy NASM facility in Chantilly Virginia. 

 Since I'm tired and preparing for a full week of regular work yet to do, I figure the easiest way to fill you in on this unusual and very interesting aircraft is to point you over to my post; Sorceress: Radical Sport Biplane Racer At Reno 1970 that I put up just over a year ago. I've got three pix in that post that show you how the airplane looked at Reno in !970 along with some history on the design. Be sure to click the pic above to see it hi-res and enjoy!

CoolPix: Hughes H-1 Racer (AirPigz NASM MeetUp Starts Tomorrow!)

(click pic for hi-res) 1935 Hughes H-1 racer at the Air and Space Museum (photo:NASM)
 

 The third AirPigz MeetUp starts tomorrow, Friday January 25, and this year we’re meeting up at the National Air and Space Museum! The first two MeetUp’s took place in late January (2011 and 2012) at the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio, but I’m currently en route via car to the Washington DC area so I can gather with 15 or more avgeeks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the two NASM facilities.

 The legacy NASM facility is located at the National Mall in Washington DC where they have a large collection of some of the world’s most important historic aircraft, including the Hughes H-1 racer shown here in an image from the NASM website that I’ve tweaked a bit and posted as a CoolPix. I saw this airplane nearly 40 years ago when I was a young teen, and while it was impressive to me, my appreciation for what it represents is greater now than ever before. I will stand and stare at this stunning piece of high-performance aviation art for quite some time this Saturday! Btw, here's the post from back in December that gives the overview of the AirPigz NASM MeetUp.

 The more recently opened NASM facility known as the Udvar-Hazy is located about 25 miles west of DC on the edge of Dulles airport in Chantilly Virginia. There is a very large collection of aircraft there also, including the recently positioned Space Shuttle Discovery. There’s no question that this is gonna be one hardcore avgeek meetup!

 Keep watch the next few days as I try to post some great pix that show why you should get to the NASM sometime soon... and why you should consider making the trip to the next AirPigz MeetUp : )

Me With Darryl Greenamyer's Conquest 1 At Reno 1968! (+ NASM MeetUp Reminder)

(click pic to enlarge)  Me at age seven and in love with Conquest 1 at Reno 1968

 This little Kodak picture (that I cropped down a bit) scanned in fairly well, tho if you click the pic to view it larger you'll see that it wasn't really meant to go big. But I think it's a pretty amazing image... that's me as a seven year old kid at Reno in 1968 in awe of my favorite racer, Darryl Greenamyer's modified F8 Bearcat. And tho the airplane was named Conquest 1 for the speed record attempt in 1969, my research indicates that technically it was just Bearcat No. 1 at the time of this pic in 1968. Btw, Darryl did indeed set the speed record on August 16, 1969 at Edwards Air Force Base with a speed of 483.041 mph (average of four passes).

 I'm not only excited that I found this pic from my avgeek youth, but I'm gonna see this exact airplane at the upcoming AirPigz National Air and Space Museum MeetUp on January 25-27 in Washington DC! Conquest 1 is actually on display at the newer of the two NASM facilities, the Udvar-Hazy in Chantilly Virginia about 25 miles from the National Mall museum facility in Washington DC. We're still a week away from the museum MeetUp so you've still got time to make plans to join the fun. Check out my previous NASM MeetUp post for more details. Currently it looks like 12 to 15 people will be attending on one or more days (Fri, Sat, Sun - January 25-27, 2013) but there's always room for more avgeeks!

Click the pic to go to the NASM Udvar-Hazy page about Greenamyer's Conquest 1

 The pic above shows the airplane in modern times on display at the Udvar-Hazy looking just as it did when it was donated to the museum back in 1977. I'm old-school in my Conquest 1 adoration, so I'm not a big fan of the yellow paint, but you can be sure I'm gonna tingle when I stand in the presence of this amazing aircraft. It's kinda interesting to note that the pic of me from 1968 and the pic above from the NASM website are remarkably almost the same perspective.

 As I was doing a little research on the Conquest 1 name to be sure I got my info correct, I stumbled across an incredible plastic model built by a master modeler name Russ Camp who passed away back in 2010. His detailed LargeScalePlanes.com forum post about modifying a Bearcat kit is still up for viewing and it's fascinating to go thru the 8 pages of posts seeing the project take shape. As the picture below shows, his work on the Conquest 1 model was simply fantastic. Click the pic below to go to the forum post to see the project from December 2009 take shape.

Click the pic to see the LargeScalePlanes.com forum post on this amazing plastic model

 And I have one last pic for you to check out... it's my March 2009 post: Reno Air Races 1970 Darryl Greenamyer And Conquest 1 from back in the days when being in the pit meant you could get this close to an Unlimited racer while the engine was running! Wow, now that was an awesome America! #neverthoughti'dsayitbutireallymissthe70's

Video: Forget The Beatles, The Best Music EVER Comes From The Mosquitos!

 The Historical Aviation Film Unit has just uploaded a new video of the incredible Avspecs Mosquito making some of the best stereo Merlin music ever! Forget the Beatles, it's all about the Mosquitos now! Even tho I'm a hardcore old-school radial engine guy, I have to admit that there just is no sound made by man that's better than the Rolls Royce Merlin V-12 engine... and the concert with two of them bolted to the wooden airframe of the de havilland Mosquito is just pure perfection. Some day I'm gonna publish a top ten (and also a top 100) aircraft of all time, and the Mosquito is most likely gonna be on that top ten list!

 So do yourself a favor and stop reading my words and listen to this fantastic video!

 After you've enjoyed the awesome sights and sounds of the video, you might wanna check out these Mosquito links:

Mosquito posts on AirPigz

Avspecs LTD facebook page

Would You Please Buy Me An Airplane? (Support AirPigz Today!)

VW powered Nieuport 11 replica homebuilt for sale on barnstormers.com - $8,900

Use this donate button to support AirPigz and help me buy this airplane!

($220 in donations as of 3:59pm EST on 1.13.13)
 

 This might be preposterous (btw, that's the first time I have ever spelled out preposterous in my life!) but I'm asking you to consider supporting AirPigz today with a least a $10 donation (or more, or much more if you are willing and able) so I can buy a very inexpensive flying machine. A great example, and one that I would absolutely consider if it's in good airworthy condition, is the Nieuport 11 replica pictured above that I found on barnstormers.com last night. It's a VW powered homebuilt with 160 TT and is available with an asking price of just $8,900. Just $10 from about 1,000 AirPigz friends gets me back in the air! I floated this idea on twitter and facebook last night and raised $50 already... so maybe I'm not so crazy afterall for asking : )

 But why would you give me money to buy an airplane? Good question, and I'm glad you asked. Well, I have a list of reasons starting with the fact that I'm four years into running AirPigz.com and the total amount of revenue thus far is around $1,000. That's pretty sad. And there are many reasons for it... but it isn't because I haven't been working hard! It's also not because I don't have a pretty good sized audience... I am now solidly over 50,000 page views each month with 25,000 or more unique visitors each month. It's taken quite a while to get to that level, but that's a pretty good aviation audience for a one-man operation. Seems like a small donation to support the one-man-show efforts here at AirPigz isn't really so preposterous! (you paid how much for that fancy cup of coffee?)

 Btw, this might be a good time to point out the CoolPix category here on AirPigz which includes a rather big collection of large images (many now also available in 'desktop image' sizes) - some are historical images, but many are photos I've captured and made available here for you to enjoy at no charge.

A weathered AirPigz logo and web address would look perfect on this Nieuport replica!
 

 I have spent an unbelievable amount of time developing this website as a fun and interesting outreach, and as an entertainment tool for aviation. But the ads you've seen here on AirPigz (except for the book ads like the one currently at the top right) have been just me trading promotion or service with other avgeeks. The book ads are a good idea, but so far the revenue there isn't enough to cover my $20/month blog platform fee. And, in the last 18 months, my day job as a ceramic tile and hardwood/laminate installer has picked back up to the point that it's about all I can do to keep the quality content showing up here 5 to 7 days a week. There's not much time left for figuring out the enigma of generating internet revenue. Most all of my day-job income is still going toward undoing a pretty severe financial crisis that occured in 2008/2009... I'm still on the deep stall side of the power curve!

 I'll happily answer any questions you have about my financial situation, but mostly I'd like to ask you to consider making a donation to support the quality avgeek content that I put out on a consistent basis... and if enough money comes in from this request to buy an airplane like this cute little Nieuport 11 replica, then you can feel good about putting a passionate avgeek, who has worked hard to bring the best of avgeekery to you, back in the air again. (I have about 1,000 total time but haven't been current since 1995)

Thank you for considering my request : )