Air Racing T-shirts - BVR Design

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I recently stumbled upon the BVR Design Instagram feed that features remarkable aviation t-shirts. Being a vintage aircraft nut myself, I was instantly fascinated by the unique design and layout of the shirts. After exchanging a few notes with the designer, Dylan, I inquired about what was on the drawing board next. A few mutually appreciated types were mentioned but when one of my favorites was in the queue I had to speak up! Within a few days the Lockheed 12 t-shirt was released.

As a deep-rooted, die-hard, Lockheed fan I often cruise the internet in search of “new” modern aviation t-shirt styles that also have an authentic vintage look, but am rarely able to find anything worth purchasing. So when I laid eyes on this Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior shirt from BVR, I knew this one would be worth it. Not only was the Lockheed rendering true to detail, but the addition of the designation and first flight dates anchoring either side of the aircraft were spot-on. The added touch of the classic Lockheed lightning bolt gave the final design punch to secure the deal. I had to have one!

Once it arrived, I was able to actually take a closer look at the artwork. It was an incredibly accurate representation of this classic airplane. The shirt is excellent quality and is comfortable. The fit is true to size so I recommend adding one of BVRs designs to your collection.

Further designs to come off the BVR drawing board that have me excited would be the ones in the Air Racing series. The powerful Gee Bee Z, the sleek Crosby CR-4, the timeless Travel Air Mystery Ship and the racy DH.88 Comet. I have just purchased 4 more shirts to add to my collection and am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next design release.

The eye-catching selection covers a broad aviation audience, so when shopping for yourself it will be hard to choose which one to buy first! The selections are also perfect for gift giving.  Click through to BVR for some beautiful bespoke aviation t-shirts.

Links - BVR - Instagram - Lockheed 12s

Rare Porterfield 35-70

This rare Porterfield 35-70 came up for sale recently. It comes from a collection in Texas that I have loved to visit for years. History and nostalgia are experienced when you land on a grass airfield and see an aircraft like this Porterfield. Below is the Barnstormers.com listing and some photos of this rare ship.

PORTERFIELD 35-70 • $25,000 • FOR SALE • 1935 Porterfield 35-70. Approximately 1400 TT, 300 TSMOH, restored in the late 1980's. Last flown about 10 years ago, ran great then. Spare LeBlond engine for parts. Always hangared. Beautiful airplane. Located in Krum, TX, just north of Dallas. As is, where is. $25K firm. Leave message. • Contact Jake Bilstad, Friend of Owner - located Plano, TX USA • Telephone: 817-709-8663

Taylorcraft BL-65 Showpiece

1940 Taylorcraft BL-65 N27652

When Jake Bilstad purchased his 1940 Taylorcraft BL-65 (N27652) in 2001 at Spinks Airport in Fort Worth, Texas it was in need of some serious attention. It was just a big pile of parts. It last flew in 1970, then it was disassembled for restoration. 

When I first met Jake he passed me in the hallway at work. He had a bag full of parts over his shoulder and I caught site of the large diameter tachometer. So I just had to ask what it was for! Being a former Taylorcraft owner myself I knew it might be from an early model Taylorcraft. Over the years Jake and I exchanged emails as I checked in on the progress of the rebuild.

The slow but steady rebuild was finished in 2013. Jake said he loves flying it “It performs really well with the C85 engine.” When asked what the biggest challenge was in the restoration Jake said “Finding the time, space, and money to finish it.” The logbooks told a story that took the history all the way back to 1940. It spent most of its life as a trainer at a flight schools based in Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the photos featured here show it is now a pampered cream puff based in Gainesville, Texas. 

(All photos via owner Jake Bilstad)

N27652

N27652

N27652

Lockheed 12 For Sale

This beautiful example of a Lockheed 12 (NC25628, Serial Number 1286) has come up for sale in early 2018. One of about a dozen actively flying Electra Juniors, this is a rare opportunity to purchase a Lockheed. I was fortunate enough to see this example at Oshkosh 2014 when seven were in attendance for AirVenture. Like many early Lockheed this one served as an executive hauler for an oil company having flown for Humble Oil Company.

NC25628 at Oshkosh 2014

Three of the seven Model 12s at Oshkosh 2014

Lockheed 12 brochure

Text from the advertisement on barnstormers.com

1940 LOCKHEED 12A • $595,000 • HISTORICAL AIRCRAFT FOR SALE • Classic 450 HP R-985 P&W twin. Right engine- 33 SMOH and left engine- 75 SMOH by Kenmore Air Harbor. Landing gear overhauled with new jack screws and gearboxes. Factory installed 50 gallon auxiliary fuel tank- 250 gallons total. Factory installed and functioning engine fire extinguishing system. Humble Oil Company corporate aircraft 1940-1963. Outstanding Antique Transport Aircraft- Oshkosh 2004. One of the "Magnificent Seven" featured at Oshkosh 2014.Featured in March 2017 Air & Space Magazine.Own a piece of aviation history. • Contact John T. O'Keefe, Owner - located Winthrop, WA USA • Telephone: 509-322-1630 . • Posted January 22, 2018

Grumman J2F-4 Video

When the video footage is too good NOT to post! Sit back and watch the air to air video by Scott Urschel. The Mid America Flight Museum's Duck flown by Kelly Mahon.

https://youtu.be/-kX-CwMJ-is

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

US Roundel Cap

Image from Red Canoe Brands

One of my favorites hats is the US Roundel Cap from Red Canoe Brands. I did say ONE of my favorites because I own a collection of hats from Red Canoe! The quality is top notch and the durability is excellent. Mine has held up for many years traveling to airshows all over the country.

Red Canoe's description:
The US Roundel was introduced in 1917 and painted on US Military aircraft from 1919-1941. The design coordinated with the colour and style of roundels used by French and British allies. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour in 1941, the red circle in the centre of the star was removed, to distance resemblance to the Japanese flag. This resulted in the US Stripes: a white star within a blue circle (stripes on either side) that is seen on all US military aircraft today.

Add one to your collection - Red Canoe Brands US Roundel Cap

Howard 500 Honor of Flight Video

One of the highlights of Oshkosh 2017 for me was to see Howard 500, N500LN, in person. This is a powerful beauty. To see this one fly take a few minutes to watch the video below. Hats off to TPAero for restoring it and the other flyable 500 in their collection.







Links - TPAero

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.

Oshkosh AirVenture 2017 Photos

Wichita based B-29 "Doc"

 Oshkosh 2017 was an outstanding show. I attended the first couple days of the show this year. It worked out well to see the highlights I hoped to see. Two B-29s at one show and in the air together was an aviation first for me and I would guess for most at the show. "Fifi" from the CAF and "Doc" from Docs Friends. Over a dozen B-25s were on hand to commemorate the Doolittle Raid. Three P-63 Kingcobra's along with an Aircobra had the Warbird community buzzing.

Atlanta based CAF P-63

So many Warbird highlights I can't list them all. Just take a look at the photo album linked below.

Howard 500s

The Vintage parking was packed full of gorgeous show planes. It was awesome to see two Howard 500s parked side by side. The shine on Cessna 172 serial number one caught the attention of the crowds. Thousands of airplanes on the field so follow the link to my photo album so the photos will describe what I can't in a thousand words!

Link to Oshkosh Photo Album.

Breckenridge Warbird Airshow May 2017

Mustang on takeoff

When the Breckenridge Chamber of Commerce and Ezell Aviation announced the return of the Breckenridge Airshow for 2017 my dad and I were beyond excited. Known for its lineup of rare aircraft and their spirited flying displays the Breckenridge, Texas airshow was legendary to Warbird enthusiasts in the 1980s and 1990s. We attended the previous Breckenridge airshows twenty years ago and had such great memories of watching the historic aircraft fly. I knew that sharing the event with my son and my dad would make even more great memories.

The Corsair at the airport entrance

We drove the 100 mile trip west on the Friday before the show to see the early arrivals. The Ezell Aviation hangar was full of visiting airshow aircraft as well as current restoration projects. Right away we spotted several Corsairs, two Sea Furies, a Lightning, a Tigercat, a Bearcat and more. My son was wide eyed seeing so many warbirds all under one roof! It was fun to catch up with friends and walk around the aircraft in the hangar. To escape the hot afternoon sun we left the airport for our hotel in Eastland about thirty minutes south. The evening conversations had us guessing what might show up at the airport the next day.

Brennen with the Corsair in the hangar

After a quick breakfast at the hotel on Saturday morning my dad, son and I headed to the airport to see the action. The airport was alive with the sound of Warbirds! Like shows of the past, the general public was allowed to roam the ramp among the airplanes. Marshals directed the aircraft and the people for safe operations on the ramp. The sun was heating up fast so we found some shade under a C-47 to watch arriving aircraft. Two B-25s took to the skies as other warbirds arrived for the Sunday show. The day was one of the warmest days of the year with temperatures in the high 90s. In order have the energy to watch the full airshow on Sunday, we retreated to the hotel air conditioning for the afternoon. We did miss the practice airshow that afternoon but after dinner we visited the airport again to try and catch some flying. We were treated to an awesome display of four Corsairs flying over the airport in tribute to the late Howard Pardue. Pardue, along with his friends, hosted the airshow in years past. The big grin on my son’s face was evidence of the excitement that was building for next day’s airshow.

Corsair flyby

To help enjoy the show even more I made a “spotters book” for my son so he could check off the airplanes he saw at the show. The notebook had copies of Warbird airplane drawings pasted inside. Brennen pulled out his pen and started checking off the airplanes he recognized on the ramp. My dad and I were not surprised that he knew his Warbirds!

Brennen and PopPop with a Mustang

Cooler temperatures greeted us when we walked out of the hotel Sunday morning. The hot Texas sun was defused with the passing clouds. We wandered the ramp again looking over the variety of World War Two aircraft that included Mustangs, Corsairs, Trojans, Texans, a Lightning, a Tigercat, a Helldiver, an Avenger, a Wildcat, a Spitfire, and replica Japanese Zeros and Kate from the Tora, Tora, Tora airshow act. Along with the airplane watching we caught up with old friends and shared stories of recent aviation adventures.

On the airshow line 

Snack time!

The ramp was cleared right after lunch time and the pilots made their way to the aircraft to start the airshow. We found our spot on the North end of the show line so we could watch the action. The sky filled with the sights and sounds of vintage aircraft. The Tora, Tora, Tora Pearl Harbor reenactment, Warbird aerobatics, formation flybys and the finale featuring the Texas Flying Legends. Our boy was cautious in his excitement at first with all the pyrotechnics displayed as bombs but once he saw the correlation to the flying action he moved right up to the show line. A few passing rain showers did not deter us from staying for the entire show.

Helldiver flyby

Afterwards we visited with pilots and watched the other Warbirds take off for home. At these small town airshows I enjoy that we can get up close and personal with the pilots and the historic aircraft. As we drove home my son quickly fell asleep and Dad and I recounted our highlights from the weekend. We will return again next Memorial Day weekend to the Breckenridge airshow.

Visit my online photo album at this link… Flickr Photo Album

Back in 2014 I published a book of the event titled “Breckenridge Warbirds” that feature photos of airshows from years past. Follow this link to buy the book.