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For the love of aircraft


Chipster

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I don't know if any of the members of this forum have the fond affection for airplanes that I do, but if you do, this is the thread to post your love of all things that fly. I guess my interest started in a high school "Introduction to flight" class taught by an retired USAF pilot. Fast forward a few years I joined the Air Force and went to tech. school to learn how to "keep em flying". Fast forward a few more years I am in Nam as a crew chief of an 02-B (9th SOS psy-ops bird) and got to watch all the jets of those days take off and land directly in front of me. I also got to watch the older aircraft like the fantastic A-1E (Sandy) I also developed a love of the war birds of WW II. Here are a few pictures of planes I have worked on or had the opportunity to get up and personal with. Also a video I found that really gets your blood flowing if your into quick aircraft.If your also into aircraft which ones do you like.

 

 

 

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Awesome. Thanks for sharing. My dad was Air Force Reserves, then worked for the AF as a civilian for another 35 years. I grew up to the sights and sounds of F16s and C-130s at Hill Air Force Base in Northern Utah. Powered flight is simply magic. The distance that technology has come in a short 100 years makes cell phones seem like child's play. Type certification in a DC-3 is very near the top of my bucket list. Let's go flying.

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Marines, CH-46, avionics. Was assigned as Air Crew, flew as a door gunner by day, patched them up at night.

 

TAD for 2 weeks to Chu Li in January, 1970 as air/sea rescue; should any Phantoms need to ditch after takeoff.

 

Our helo was sited on a pad, halfway down the runway. As a game we used to stand as close to the runway as possible as the Phantoms took off, full load of ordinance, full afterburners.

 

Game was to see who could get their nose the closest to the wingtip as the plane passed by. I won twice. Loved those Phantoms, what a rush standing right next to the runway, feeling the jet exhaust burn your face.

 

Loved flying at dawn. Clouds came off land, rolling ever so slowly over the hills at the ocean. Like slow motion waterfalls. The early morning cold, crisp, clear air, away from the smell of the jungle. There were some good times amongst the bad. Seen nearly all of I-Corps by air and some of Laos (although we were officially never there). We resupply ed all of the fire bases, Fwd units, ran medivac's deep in the jungle in the A-Shaw, the Highlands and most all air fields.

 

Took some flying lessions after I got back but never pursued as had two young'ns to raise and flying is expensive. Have traveled extensively by air on business, but not the same as being in "Fields of the Lord" by yourself. I envy you, what a thrill.

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  • 2 months later...

Yes, one could say I love aircraft.

 

Former Marine helicopter mechanic/aerial observer/aerial gunner (CH-53E), about-to-retire USAF Reserve KC-10 boom operator (I refuel airplanes in flight), and civilian A&P mechanic on helicopters. 22+ years and nearly 3000 flight hours, both fixed-wing and rotary-wing... and I still run outside to look if I hear something big/different/round-engine.

 

I'm definitely afflicted with a love of aviation.

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Yes, one could say I love aircraft.

 

Former Marine helicopter mechanic/aerial observer/aerial gunner (CH-53E)... and I still run outside to look if I hear something big/different/round-engine.

 

I'm definitely afflicted with a love of aviation.

Former Marine Airwing, Avionics CH-46. Also flew as a door gunner in Nam. Whenever I travel I sometimes have to walk on the tarmac to reach the aircraft. The sounds and smells of avgas burning takes me right back to those days.

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JHB; Here is one for you! Remember the sound and the smell of these? They are hard to forget!

 

Been following Columbine II's return to the skies via Facebook for a while now. Every now & then, when I have the house to myself, I put a Youtube aircraft engine video on (round or V; love Merlins, Griffons, etc. as well) and crank the volume; my Boston Acoustics computer speakers do pretty well with this task.

 

 

Former Marine Airwing, Avionics CH-46. Also flew as a door gunner in Nam. Whenever I travel I sometimes have to walk on the tarmac to reach the aircraft. The sounds and smells of avgas burning takes me right back to those days.

 

Semper Fi, brother!

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I fly professionally as a part 91/135 Citation Captain. I currently Fly a pair of Citation 7's and a Citation Bravo, I have flown single Pilot in FedEx Caravans and Piper Navajos, And even taught Chinese students how to fly for a few years before that.

 

Here are the Current Rides:

 

Citation 7

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Citation Bravo

86D7E27D-E919-47B6-81C4-EA14FDBE72F2_zps

Edited by James Smith
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Love those Cobera's. First time I saw one was back in 68 when a pair came flying over MCAF Santa Ana, "upside down". Bout $&/! my pants. Pair of them saved our butts in the Ashaw Valley one day.

 

Never flew on the Osprey, after my time, but 53's were the king back then. I serviced and flew CH-46's as air crew and gunner. What was the Osprey like? How loud inside?

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Love those Cobera's. First time I saw one was back in 68 when a pair came flying over MCAF Santa Ana, "upside down". Bout $&/! my pants. Pair of them saved our butts in the Ashaw Valley one day.

 

Never flew on the Osprey, after my time, but 53's were the king back then. I serviced and flew CH-46's as air crew and gunner. What was the Osprey like? How loud inside?

I never had a chance get a ride on a CH-46 always wanted too. To me the Osprey seems to be quieter. Maybe because the motors are out on the sides?

I really cant speak for the mechanics of the things, I was just a passenger.

 

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Edited by gjb89
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