Lockheed 12 Gathering at Oshkosh 2011

EAA just release the news of a gathering of Lockheed 12s at Oshkosh 2011!

Text below.  The link here - http://www.airventure.org/news/2011/110208_electra_junior.html

AirVenture to Celebrate 75th Year of the Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior

Les Whittlesey’s award-winning Lockheed Model 12A NC18906 will be at AirVenture to mark the type’s 75th anniversary. One of the world’s classic airplanes, the Lockheed Electra Junior Model 12, flew for the first time on June 27, 1936 - 75 years ago this year - and that milestone will be celebrated at AirVenture Oshkosh 2011. Les Whittlesey, of Chino, California, owner of an award-winning Model 12A NC18906, is leading an effort to get as many L-12 owners as possible to bring their airplanes to Oshkosh this summer. “The plan is to get together, maybe even arrive at the same time in trail, and all park in the Vintage Aircraft area,” said Whittlesey, EAA 409631. “Ideally we’d love to get 12 airplanes to participate” for the Model 12, but he admits a more realistic goal might be six. Special presentations at Oshkosh on the L-12 will be announced as they are confirmed. Whittlesey’s Model 12, the product of an extensive three-year restoration, won the 2006 Grand Champion Antique award in Oshkosh as well as the Paul Garber Trophy in Reno that same year. Only 126 Electra Juniors were made between 1936 and 1941, when production stopped at the outbreak of World War II. The all-metal, twin-engine planes were designed for use as small feeders for airlines, but most were used by companies for executive travel, as well as government officials and wealthy individuals. It’s a six-passenger aircraft, plus crew, and weighs in at 9,200 pounds fully loaded. The Model 12A is powered by the 450-hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior SB radial engine and has a top speed of 225 mph with a range of 800 miles. Lockheed 12s are often mistaken for the plane Amelia Earhart disappeared in, but that was a Model 10, a 10-passenger airplane that first flew a little more than two years before the 12. However, a Lockheed Model 12A (NC2072) owned by Joe Shepherd, EAA 386618, played a Model 10 in the 2009 motion picture Amelia. EAA featured the oldest flying Model 12, The Spirit of TWA, owned by Ruth Richter Holden, in 2006. Click here for the story.

Aerial Beauties - The Most Beautiful Vintage Airplanes

A note from my friend Jeff today had my mind racing this afternoon.  What are my top ten favorite airplanes?  We talked of what our guidelines were... existing airplanes... extinct types... and just what we thought were the most beautiful airplanes ever built.  Beauty, as in what an aviation and even non-aviation person would think is a good looking shape for an airplane. So I separated my personal list from the "most beautiful" list.  Here is what I came up with...

Aerial Beauties - Hughes Racer, Spitfire, Lockheed Constellation, Ryan STA, Lockheed 12, Lockheed P-38, Beech Staggerwing, Stinson SR-9F, Spartan Executive.  I know that is only nine!  It is hard to pick the last one!

I will wait to share my all time favorites for another post.  What aircraft do YOU consider the most beautiful machines that ever flew or fly today?

Mosquito Rebuild Update

Victoria Air Maintenance is making good progress on the Mosquito in their shop!

Check out the update here.

Links - Victoria Air Maintenance

Warbirds For Sale - 2011

So, you have been saving your Benjamins.  Working hard so you can buy that toy you dreamed of as a kid, or as an adult?  That bank account balance looks high enough to achieve the dream.  Where do you find your dream machine?  Wheel that office chair up to computer and start shopping.

The internet is where I turn when seeking out who is buying, selling and flying vintage aircraft.  In the aviation world, Warbirds seem to have the most coverage on the internet so a good number of web sites, blogs and forums are listed when searching the subject. If you happened to have landed here from an internet search engine, welcome and below you will find links to the Warbird sites that I frequently visit.  Whether you are an enthusiast tracking Warbird sales out of curiosity or a serious shopper for a rare Warbird these are the links where they can be found.

Courtesy Aircraft Sales
Platinum Fighter Sales
Barnstormers
Trade A Plane

Spartan Article featuring S/N 11

A Spartan owner recently sent this link to me featuring Steve Marini's Spartan serial number 11. It is a short history and a nice selection of pictures of this gorgeous Spartan. Take a look here...

http://www.examiner.com/vintage-transportation-in-national/the-spartan-executive

Flying and Burgers - A Great Saturday

Today I am staying inside as there is a nice covering of ice/sleet/snow on the ground.  This happens just a couple times a winter here in Texas.  When it does, most of the DFW area shuts down.  Looking out the window today makes it hard to believe that just a few days ago I was enjoying the 70 degree temps out at the airport with my fellow aviators!  It was a great Saturday with flying, telling tales of our flying adventures and hot off the grill burgers.  Stan pulled his Swift out of the hangar so we could set up a few tables in the warm sunshine and enjoy the meal.  Good friends, good food, great weather.  Maybe this snow will be gone in a few days and we can do THAT again!

Where the Vintage Airplanes are - Sonoma

In my travels I have made it a point to visit what I would call vintage airplane "hot spots."  Airports around the country that are home to large collections of vintage airplanes.  One of those places is Sonoma, California.  I visited Sonoma a couple years back (see here for that trip report and go to the June 2006 Blog archive for all three of the posts) and was blown away at the high quality vintage aircraft that reside there.  The above picture is a Curtiss Jenny based at Schellville.  A recent post on the Plane Talk forum has my aviation photographer friend, Mike Shreeve, posting a nice selection of the fine airplanes from the Sonoma area.  Click on the link below and come along on a tour of the airplanes!  See the post here... Another Fine Day...

AvGas, JetA and Steam

Advances in aviation technology surprise me.  Some days it feels like we should all be flying around in flying cars or spaceships.  Other days I am fascinated by the aircraft that do fly.  Thanks to my friend, Jeff, for sending me a link to this video from the 1930s of a modified Travel Air with a steam engine.  Just think... a good number of general aviation planes could be flying around in the skies today with steam engines!  I wonder if someone will replicate this early biplane and fly on steam again!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw6NFmcnW-8

FW190 at Planes of Fame

I must confess that I really am a big fan of these new build FW190s.  What once was absent from the skies now flies again.  No matter what era of aviation, no matter what type of airplane, I love to see types that haven't been seen in the skies return to tell their story again.  Hats off to the organizations, men and the money that they invest in returning these rare aircraft to the air.  What other aircraft types would you like to see fly again?  Lockheed Vega, Northrup Gamma, Northrup P-61, Vultee P-66... who knows!?


Links - Planes of Fame - Frasca International

Traveling Light - as in Light Plane

The first couple of times I attended Oshkosh and Sun N Fun I would drive with family or airline in with friends.  When I purchased my Taylorcraft I knew I wanted to jump in and fly to Florida for Sun N Fun.  My friend Jeff Stone was just about to get his pilots license and was up to joining me.  We had an adventurous flight down!  Three days down and two days coming back.  An encounter with some DEA agents, sleeping under the airplane and waking up with frost on the ground... but all in all a safe and fun trip.  That same year I flew to Oshkosh solo in the Taylorcraft and camped out.  When I purchased the Cessna 170 I took it to Sun N Fun and battled weather the whole trip.  But the weather has been more in our favor in making trips to Oshkosh in the 170.  A few friends have made the trip with me but the more memorable trips were made with Mom and Dad along.  There is nothing like sitting at Oshkosh in the shade of your own airplane and watching with show with family and friends.  Good times!

Somewhere in my digital files are my stories of these flying trips in detail.  When I find them I hope to publish them.  In thinking about my flying adventures on this snowy day here in Texas I thought of a trip that I read about my friend Kent Wien took many years ago.  He wrote about it here on Gadling.  Enjoy the read!

Links - Gadling - Kent Wien

Day in the Life of an Aviation Enthusiast

The alarm clock goes off on his B17 alarm clock with engine noises and machine gun fire.  He sleeps in his favorite worn out airshow t-shirt.  Wipes the sleep from his eyes and walks into the closet.  Checks the date on his airplane wall calendar. Shaves, showers and prepares for work thinking about his favorite airplanes.  Puts on his airplane tie to go to the office or another worn out airplane t-shirt to go turn wrenches at the hangar.  Goes to work in his office with aviation art on the walls and airplane models on the desk.  Or if going to work at the hangar opens his tool box that is covered with aviation stickers and airplane pictures.  Looks thru an aviation magazine over lunch.  Daydreams what it would have been like to race in the 1930s Air Races.  Calls an airport buddy to find out the plan for the weekend flying activities.  Drives out of his way to go by another airport to see any glimpse of an airplane on his way home from the office.  When he pulls in the driveway he can't hardly contain himself as he opens the mailbox to see if there are any new aviation magazines in the mail.  At home after work he looks thru all the channels on tv for airplane related shows before looking at any other shows.  If nothing is on tv switches to the Internet for aviation content.  When tired of sitting in the office chair at the computer  moves to an easy chair that is made from airplane seats. Reads aviation magazines or books from his massive collection that overflows the office and spills over into the garage until he gets hungry.  After dinner calls friends to talk airplanes.  Returns to the internet for more aviation content.  When he about falls out of the chair from exhaustion he stumbles back to the closet to find another airshow t-shirt to sleep in.  Falls into bed but before he turns the light out he grabs the aviation magazine off the night stand and thumbs through a few more pages.  Wakes up at 2am with the magazine on his face, returns it to the night stand and turns out the light.  The next day repeats almost exactly the same until the weekend!