Spartan Executive NC17662 to Texas

Spartan Executive serial number 28, NC17662 has a new home in Texas with the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant. This Spartan 7W is a welcome addition to the impressive collection of vintage aircraft. 

Serial number 28 was built in 1940 and served as a executive transport for the Spartan Aircraft Company. Maxwell Balfour, the Spartan Sales Manager, flew this 7W all around the country to promote the aircraft and visit the Spartan Schools in Muskogee and Miami, Oklahoma. Spartan retained this 7W for company use until 1976. 36 years of service!

It would fly on to new owners based in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and California before returning to Texas the summer of 2018. One interesting add on this Executive featured in years past was wing tip fuel tanks! The only 7W to be fitted with tip tanks.

We look forward to posting more photos of serial number 28 upon our next visit to East Texas.

Links - Spartan Survivors - Mid America Flight Museum

Grumman Duck N63850 - One of a kind

Grumman Duck NL63850

One of only four flyable aircraft that survived America’s “Day of Infamy” is now based in East Texas alongside one of its fellow survivors. In 2017 the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas acquired a rare Grumman J2F-4 Duck, Bureau Number 1649. 1649 is a very historic Grumman built Duck as it was on Pearl Harbor the day of the December 7^th attack. It survived and went to serve in the South Pacific. After the war it made it to the U.S. civilian registry as N63850. Sadly, it crashed in the 1950s.

An ambitious enthusiast recovered the airframe of 1649 from its crash site on the bottom of a lake in the Bahamas. The restoration project was sold to aircraft collector Chuck Greenhill from Illinois. After a multi-year rebuilt with Wichita Air Services in Kansas 1649 flew again in 2005. It went on to earn the EAA Grand Champion Warbird award at Oshkosh in 2007. Mid America purchased the Duck from Mr. Greenhill.

Vintage airplane collector, Scott Glover, has built up the Mid America Flight Museum into a history preserving, flyable collection. His love for vintage aircraft is evident by his many hangars of amazing airplanes. His respect for veterans shows when he hosts events at his museum and gives rides to the veterans and their families. In the Fall of 2017 Mid America hosted a veteran’s event and owner, Scott Glover and pilot Kelly Mahon gave rides to many special guests in the newly acquired Duck.

--> Now that the Duck has been added to the museum, Mid America now has two flyable Pearl Harbor survivors. Ford Trimotor NC9612 was also on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941.

Navy birds

My dad, son and I made the drive out to visit the airport during a World War Two pilot reunion in mid-October. The Duck was on our must see list so we sought it out and gave it a good walk around. Featured below are photos of Grumman Duck NL63850.

I believe this Duck to be one of a kind because of its Pearl Harbor history. Yes, other Duck's survive but none like this one. This one is on the same airport as a Ford Trimotor that was also on the island December 7th, 1941. Thank you to Mid America Flight Museum for saving and flying history!

Ford Trimotor NC9612

Links - Grumman Duck Video - Mid America Flight Museum

Grumman Duck Walkaround Mid America Flight Museum

The vintage aircraft collection continues to grow at Mid America Flight Museum. This Texas based collection recently added a historic Grumman Duck. Watch the video walk around for more of the story.







We highly recommend Erik Johnston's video so be sure to subscribe.

Springtime Bomber Visit - Love Field

Back in the Spring I took our boy to visit the Collings Foundation aircraft that were on tour. The Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field hosted the B-17, B-24, B-25 and TF-51. Brennen and I always enjoy a visit to the museum and sure love seeing the Warbirds up close.

B-17

B-24

Bomber Boys

B-25 and TF-51

Brennen naming the models

Mid America Flight Museum - World War Two Glider and Troop Pilot Reunion

Fall of 2016 my dad and I made the short trip out to East Texas for the National World War Two Glider and Troop Pilots reunion. The Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas hosted the event. Dad and I enjoyed walking around the airplanes on the ramp, checking out the museums hangars and visiting with some of the pilots. The museum was very generous to the veterans and their families with airplanes rides and open hospitality. Be sure to follow Mid America Flight Museum on Facebook and Instagram. They have an amazing collection of airplanes. Photos and link to a highlight video below. (Highly recommend Erik Johnston's videos!)

Dan and Dad with the C-41

C-47 Sky King

General Hap Arnold's C-41

Sky King and the C-41 stayed busy giving rides

Links: Mid America Flight Museum - Glider Pilots Association

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

Cavanaugh Flight Museum Fall Fly Days

Back in September the Cavanaugh Flight Museum hosted a Fall Fly Days.  Some of the visiting aircraft were from Texas Flying Legends. It was great to see three P-40 Warhawks flying together! Along with a Zero, Avenger and another visitor from Florida, the Reno Air Racer Precious Metal. The weather was perfect so the day produced memorable sites, sounds and photographs.

Texas Flying Legends P-40E

Texas Flying Legends P-40K

Cavanaugh P-40N

P-40E on takeoff

P-40K at gear up

P-40 art

Zero and Avenger

Happy Jack's Go Buggy P-51D

Precious Metal

Links - Cavanaugh Flight Museum - Texas Flying Legends - Precious Metal Air Racing

D.C. For The Day

Some adventures take weeks or months of planning.  Some are just thought up over dinner with friends.  My buddy Jay and I had been talking about a day trip somewhere to see an aviation museum or event.  So after he made a flight to D.C. for work he asked me about the Dulles NASM and was it worth the trip to see it.  A resounding yes from me put the trip planning in motion.  He had only toured downtown D.C. and wanted to go back to see the museum.  About two weeks ago our schedules looked like they would allow a day trip to Dulles on July 2nd.  I took a day off work and he sorted out the passes on the airline.  My excitement to be his tour guide in "Americas Hangar" and his flight privileges would make the trip come together.

My wife helped me pack up my gear for the day and sent me out the door when Jay pulled up at 5:15am.  Do all adventures have to start so early in the morning?!  We launched out of DFW on a 6:55am flight to IAD.  It even worked out to takes some open seat in first class!  That helped make up for the early morning departure!  The flight landed at Dulles at about 10:45am.  With only our back packs to carry we walked right out of the terminal to catch the bus around to the museum.  It was nice to have a bus that makes the round trip from the terminal to the museum about every 45 minutes to an hour.  An easy way to make the trip to the museum!

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is aptly named Americas Hangar.  This museum has some of the most historic aircraft in aviation history and they are all housed in one BIG hangar!  My wife and I had just made the trip to see this museum last September but I couldnt wait to bust through the door and start blasting Jay with historic facts about the aircraft inside.  Just as I watched my wifes face when we walked in... I watched Jays face as we entered the main hall looking for the "OH WOW" face!  Aviations history as far as the eye can see.  Talk about aviation sensory overload!

Jay and I had from about 11:30am until 5:30pm to give the place a good looking over.  This was my third visit.  The first being the grand opening in December of 2003, the second as I mentioned was last September.  This visit they had added to the displays a few jets and a couple gliders.  If you love aviation this is THE museum to visit.  Pieces from every aviation era are there in one hangar.  This is about the time I run out of words to describe the facility.  Monocoupe, Mustang, Thunderbolt, Super Fortress, Concorde, Blackbird... so much history!

Take a look at the pictures here.  They best tell the story of what we saw!

We took pictures, gawked at airplanes, took more pictures, more gawking, ate lunch, more walking and more pictures.  Visited the gift shop.  A few more pictures.  Rested our feet and looked at our new aviation book purchases.  At about 5:30 we wandered outside to catch the bus.  A quick bus ride back to the terminal at IAD and the day started to catch up to me.  My eyes were burning from waking up early.  A quick dinner and we boarded the flight back to DFW.  It was a lot to fit into one day but we both commented on the flight home how we thought it was worth the trip.  A fast trip... but worth it.  Modern air travel took us there and back.  Excitement fueled us for the day.  The search for more historic aircraft will have us planning more trips just like this one!