Rimowa Fokker F-13 Replica

One of the cool announcements to come out of Oshkosh 2015 was that Rimowa, the luggage maker, would be offering Fokker F-13 replicas for sale. The Rimowa company has a dedicated web site for the project... click here for the full details.

Photo via Fast Company magazine

For the press from EAA at Oshkosh.... click here.

The EAA press states that it will cost about $2.2 Million... cruise at 86 knots... and be powered by a Pratt and Whitney 985.

For some press from FAST COMPANY magazine... click here.

I guess you will spend quite a bit of money to fly slowly... BUT you will be THE COOLEST airplane on the ramp at every airport you land at!

Cowtown T-6 Texan

In June, just as we pulled into the Propwash airport, a radial engine broke the silence and pealed off to land. My boy and I were on an outing to drop in on the Cowtown Aerocrafters hangar in Justin, Texas. We watched as Lanny Parcell and his son landed in the newly restored AT-6 Texan. The gang at Cowtown had this T-6 in storage for a long time and spent the last few years bringing it up to flying status. A fine T-6 now graces the skies over Texas. The glint off the polished skin will have you reaching for your sunglasses! On our visit preparations were being made for the big trip to Oshkosh. (Lanny and Tom Swindle made the trip up and back successfully.) Below are a series of photos from the visit in June.

Cowtown T-6 Gleaming in the Texas sun

Search for "Cowtown Aerocrafters" on Facebook to follow along on their restorations.

Central Texas Wing CAF - South Texas Trip

I am In review mode for this summers activities so posting more photos from a few months back. In June our family headed south for a good friends wedding near Austin. Brennen and I dropped Candice off for some outlet mall shopping (air conditioned!) while we headed out into the warm sunshine to check out a local airport. We drove around the San Marcos, Texas airport until we found the Central Texas Wing of the Commemorative Air Force hangar. They have one COOL hangar! Big open hangar space and plenty of wooden beams with character. Equally eye catching is the variety of vintage aircraft on display. B-25, P-39, AT-6, Beech 18 and more! It was fun to run into a pilot from back in the Breckenridge Airshow days and catch up. If in the Austin/San Marcos area this is a great stop for the aviation enthusiast. Below is a series of photos highlighting the visit.

"Dad... that is NOT a REAL Zero!"

B-25 Mitchell "Yellow Rose"

P-39 Airacobra

Check out the cool hangar structure!

P-39 up close

Hangar overview

Plenty of aircraft on display!

Links - Central Texas Wing CAF - Commemorative Air Force

Are you a Warbird Airshow enthusiast? Check out the book Breckenridge Warbirds! 

Follow this link to preview and purchase.

Corsairs at Cavanaugh Flight Museum

Back in May I took my boy over to see the Warbirds at the Cavanaught Flight Museum. The day worked out perfectly with great weather and plenty of flying Warbirds. It was great to see the two Corsairs flying together! Highly recommend visiting this museum especially on their "fly days" they have twice a year.

Navy folding wings

Cavanaugh Corsair

Visiting Corsair from Oklahoma

Cavanaugh Skyraider

Cavanaugh Mustang

Brennen swinging his hand around to the engine sound

Corsair departing for flybys

Brennen inspecting the Corsairs

Mustang engine start

Cavanaugh Warhawk

Link - Cavanaugh Flight Museum

B-17 And B-17 Dallas Visit - Frontiers of Flight Museum

It was back in March that I was able to visit Love Field in Dallas to see the Collings Foundation bomber tour at the Frontiers of Flight museum stop. My son and my mom spent the afternoon walking around the bombers and the museum with me. I called it a "bomber history lesson" for my boy! The weather was cool and overcast so MUCH different than the 100 degree heat we have in Texas today!

Brennen getting the boost to see the B-24

B-24 gear leg perspective

B-17 walk around

Airplanes everywhere!

Looking over the Vought "Flying Pancake" once flown by Lindbergh

Links - Frontiers of Flight Museum - Collings Foundation