B-25 RESTING ON THE FLIGHT LINE
I commented to wife how small the B-25 is. Looking at photos and flight videos of these old twin engine airplanes, I thought them to be much bigger. But they are not. And the history that flows from this plane while standing next to it can be felt.
UH-1H HUEY This helicopter flew in Vietnam, had been shot down several times, was brought home and restored.
Flying a UH-1H Huey, 57 years later.Old men like to talk, tell stories and this old man could write a book here on my/our visit to the Mid-America Flight Museum last weekend. I will do my best to be short.
I have for all of these years wanted to get in a Huey one more time and fly. Hover, take off, turn, climb, approach to a landing and hover. I always knew I could still fly, but had no illusions of having the same touch I did at 20 years old. But I could fly if given the chance.
And that chance happened by accident, last weekend.
When my wife and I arrived at the museum/airport, we were picked up and taken to the open hangers and museum. Sitting there on the apron were a Huey Cobra, UH-1H Huey lift helicopter and a Hughes OH-6, LOH. That moment put a lump in my throat and touched a place in my heart and soul that I cannot cover here. That moment was bright and alive and I was again the kid walking the flight lines of Army Helicopter flight school and 500 Vietnam combat missions.
(I will briefly say here that the politics of that war, tearing apart of our nation in the 60's never played in me then. Even to this day, knowing more of history of that era, the rights, wrongs, politics do not play.
I flew for the boys on the ground. They called for aerial support and we flew to them. Never once did I ever worry about anything other than getting to their location, making contact with a forward observer, identifying their threat and expelling the armament load of two Huey gunships to eliminate that threat.)
A fellow was calling out and making a list of folks who wanted a ride the Huey. I told him I did and wanted to sit in the pilot seat. He took my name and said I would be "pilot" on flight #2. He asked for my wife's name and she was put in the jump seat between the pilot and co-pilot seats. Not only was I going to get to fly, but my wife was going to get a ride with her veteran husband, an Army helicopter pilot.
We were loaded, buckled in along with 8 other passengers. The pilot climbed in, shook by hand and started the helicopter. The feelings and sounds have long been subdued inside me, but came alive in an instant. The vertical bump of that turning rotor system (the Huey bounce), then spooled up to flight rpm. The pilot said that he was going to pick up the helicopter, fly to a high hover in the middle of the runway and then "give the helicopter to me." And he did.
There it was, that moment I have been longing for for 57 years. Rusty, but ok. Not that fine-tuned young pilot, but this old pilot did have a hold of a Huey again and was doing fine.
The pilot talked me into forward flight and to climb to a 100/200 feet. I was searching for the forward flight attitude. It took a little coaxing, a helpful push forward on the cyclic, but the helicopter was mine. I could feel "it" coming back. "It" was there, but 57 years rusty.
We flew an oval course over a lake, a large field with a large building in it, then towards two twin silos and finally back to a left downwind, descending left turn base leg and final circling to final approach. "Head to the center of the field" and I was working on that approach to a high hover. The pilot told me to hold the hover. For a minute I got to try to bring back every ounce of skill I once had to hold a perfect hover. I was close, held steady but wanted so to ask for a few more take offs and approaches. The kid in me was not satisfied. "I can feel it. I want more, just a few more trips around the pattern" I told myself.
After that minute of hovering, the pilot said "I have the helicopter." I raised my hands up from the cyclic and collective. Just like that it was over.
After landing and idle down, the pilot reached over, shook my hand and said he would fly with me anytime.
Today, these old war birds rest inside a hanger with their own special place, together and representative of helicopter history at its finest. To this day, these birds are still active in the service and in civilian aviation. I have video in the making marrying this past weekend flight along with old super 8 video I took in 1967 and 1969. I am adding music of the era. I just need time to finish it properly.
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I cannot turn from this month, what is happening and all the negative prospects from media outlets. To think we are going to make it through this month and November, unscathed, is head-in-the-sand thinking. A personal opinion.
The hurricane that ran through the southeast is in the news. What to believe? Who to believe? What is my gut telling me? My lying eyes? Rabbit holes everywhere I turn. Add the longshoreman's strike shutting down the ports for a few days only to come back to work Friday with some wage increases and the strike postponed to mid-January. Does not "feel" good.
The longshoreman's strike had our attention for a couple days. I was thinking long term given the history of dockworkers' strikes. Powerful union and they are not folks to mess with. Facts of life. These folks can shut down the good ol' USA in a heartbeat and the longer it goes on, the longer it takes to come back to "normal." So that is postponed.
The southeast hurricane is surfacing surprises for me. Never, ever thought that services to hurricane victims would be denied from any agency or governing bodies. That people like us on the ground and trying to serve are being threatened by governing agencies from doing so is beyond horrifying. If this is indeed the case, then "Houston, we have a problem."
New hurricane forecast to hit Tampa and mid-Florida later this week. If there is any good news here, the governor of Florida is on top of these kinds of emergencies, folks have time to prepare and I doubt that the governor will turn down civilian help if offered. I believe recovery will be in high gear for these folks after the storm passes.
Lineman son has been in SC for 10 days now on storm duty. We talk briefly every morning. He still sounds good, strong, and taking one day at a time. Said this morning that another crew from New England arrived yesterday and that he had time to visit with old friends and get caught up with current events. This father just wants to know his boy is OK. Safe. Sound. He said that his crew and the other crews are strong teams working hard and together. Great news. "We turned the power back on dad!" Pride in his voice.
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SQUIRREL MODE
Seasons and "times they are a changin'." Every year, when we find high quality and fresh zucchini and yellow squash, we take time to dehydrate a batch or two. Using a slicer to get even cuts, they are laid on racks and dehydrated for about 10 hours. Let set in a bowl for a couple days, turning and then set into airtight glass container. This year, we are going into winter with double batches for soups and stews.
JIBBER JABBER
With all of the jibber jabber reporting, the constant hint of nuclear exchange looms larger than ever in my lifetime. But it is just anther elephant in an already crowded room of elephants. Folks are quiet.
I was surprised to find these still available. One box lasts one adult 10 days. If you do not have these on hand for everyone in your immediate family, order now. You can also find them on the shelves at pharmacies/wally world/Amazon. They will disappear in an instant so get them while you can.
There are sites on the net that also give good, easy reading of what to do in a nuclear event. If you have not done your homework, then you have not done your homework.
Did you buy toilet paper last week when the dock strike started? If you did, then you have learned how fast basics will run out. You acted on what you learned. Good for you.
Water? Food for the family for how long? Waste management? Protection? Learn all you can now and being as ready as you can.
And oh yeah, the folks showing up at your doorstep expecting you to take care of them? Go ahead, say "NO" like you will when they are at your door. What is your reason?
What will you do when there is no internet, no phone service and no way to call friends or family. Day after day after day? Just asking.
Thanks for the visit.
A-1 Skyraider
This photo was taken in 1967 at the Phan Thiet air field. We were stationed there for a couple months and when I was not flying, I was near the runway with my camera. Every kind of fixed wing and helicipoter was always on an approach or taking off. We flew a couple mission with the Airforce Skyraiders. They would make a strafing run and we would follow with a pass using rockets and doors gunners. Then circle and watch these pilots make another diving run with guns and bombs. We had the best front row seats watching these planes in action. They were beautiful on the ground and in the air.
The plane above was taxxing for take off. The sound and feel of those big radial engines working is breath taking. I was in awe of those planes and pilots and still am.
Side note: The Phan Thiet air port was located parallel and close to the coast line. I always marveled at the beautiful white sand beaches right next to that airport. I often thought of how out of place all of that was in war time.
