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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Ever wonder what it says on the bottom of the B-2?
Yup, Yer Gonna Die!
Maybe not...
WM = Wabbit Masher?
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Jan 14, 2016 - 02:45pm PT
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big day in smallsville. eight month rehab completed on this lockheed constellation which today became
the last one flying in the united states after serving twenty years as the flagship of our little air museum. the mechanics climbed onboard and departed on a gravel strip for a hop to planes of fame in chino, ca.was macarthur's ride, stayed busy during the berlin airlift, wowed me and the neighbors this morning.
took a lap around the block, but declined my request to make a low pass, wouldn't be prudent ...
they'll stick four new engines to it, and a fancy new interior. the new owner used the paved runway.
edit: i did see one fly outta fairbanks late '99. but i'll take the greasy guy's word for it, he spent
a good part of this year sweet-talking parts out of anybody he could find who'd be holdin'.
reference the link in my oct 16 post on this thread for more backstory
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 14, 2016 - 02:50pm PT
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I believe there is another flying in TWA livery IIRC. No matter, the
Connie is a beauty. Rode on one when I was young and I'm told I made more
than a nuisance of myself running up and down the aisle asking,
"When are we going to crash?"
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Gary
Social climber
Where in the hell is Major Kong?
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Jan 14, 2016 - 03:32pm PT
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WM = Wabbit Masher?
That's the external antenna for the CRM 114 Discriminator.
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Jan 14, 2016 - 06:51pm PT
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thanks dale. uhh, foto balm coming:
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Feb 21, 2016 - 01:01pm PT
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A PBY at the vintage airshow in Napier, NZ circa 2005. After the war my father hitched a ride from the Pacific Islands to NZ in a PBY to marry my mother, so it was mandatory I get a ride in this beauty. It felt so solid I was amazed; it flew low and slow but felt like it could go on forever. Being able to land on water was certainly a bonus. It's pretty amazing to fly in a plane that's about 65 years old!
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Feb 21, 2016 - 01:30pm PT
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nice post! love everything about a flying boat ... folding wingtip floats, oh my
[Click to View YouTube Video]wintered out on the aleutian chain and thought about those flyers daily
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Feb 21, 2016 - 02:32pm PT
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You are a talented photographer, hooblie
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Feb 21, 2016 - 02:51pm PT
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Wow hobblie, thanks for that video. The same airplane!!! Here are a few more pictures. My recollection of the plane is that, even though it's small by today's standards, the wing seemed enormously thick and massive and the whole plane really seemed impervious to almost anything. The radial engines were loud at first, but soon faded away into the background. I glad groups like these PBY guys preserve this history and make it real. There seem to be quite a few vintage planes in NZ, mostly based in Christchurch I think.
Hope I'm not being a picture hog!
The Warbirds group flew into Yakima last summer with a B-17 and a B-24; a ride was pricely but the wife said yes. Unfortunately they never returned my call and the opportunity was missed. Hopefully they'll be back this year.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Feb 23, 2016 - 07:38am PT
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Yes, and several of his records will never be threatened: he flew 487 different types and made
2407 carrier landings! These days you're considered bad assed if you do a couple hundred.
Had his carrier sunk from beneath him and crashed 11 planes, likely none of which were his
fault. An amazing life.
Wino, I went through a PBY that some toff had turned into the ultimate RV. It was so pussed
out it is hard to describe. The blisters had white leather booths. It had a galley. The best
bits were the speakers on the undersides of the wings so you could buzz some idyllic lagoon
and hail the natives:
"I say there, might we let down and have a palaver?"
The trouble is those engines take so much work you would have to travel with a mechanic.
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hooblie
climber
from out where the anecdotes roam
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Mar 14, 2016 - 07:26pm PT
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Mar 28, 2016 - 09:32pm PT
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My father flew those PBY's and the big Martin jobs for about six months in Pautuxet River NAS and especially didn't like the Martins because they anchored out and you had to wait for a boat to come out and bring you in. He said it took unacceptably long to get to a martini. He and his buddy finally got transferred as test pilots for Project Cadillac at NAS Banana River (Cape Canaveral).
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Vegasclimber
Trad climber
Las Vegas, NV.
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 28, 2016 - 10:45pm PT
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I keep saying that one of these days I will get my sh#t together and get the pictures uploaded from the half dozen museums and several wreck sites I have visited the last couple years. Here is a nice Scorpion, photo credit to Big Mike. Note the transport in the background, one of only three existing.
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