AT-6 Texan

[texbaylea]

Before I retired for the last time I was working for Grumman on a Space Station contract. My office was on the top floor overlooking the flight line at Ellington Field, Houston. The Confederate Air Force annually has a show here every October. I usually could generate a reason to work at least one day of that weekend. I could see the displays and watch the fly overs. Great fun. There would usually be a dozen or more WWII aircraft on display. It is sad but it seems like every year they lose another of those old planes and their pilot.

Vernon

 

[Dyer retired]

I was impressed with the crew that made up the "Confederate Air Force" (wasn't completely sure I had the group name correct) and what they were able to do in such limited time frames. As an example, we had a DC-3 (began life as a C-47 in WW II) fly into Houlton, Maine years ago from Canada. They could not provide proper paperwork for the airplane and it was widely thought that it had been recently used for drug transportation, but who knows. Bottom line was that the plane was left on the tarmac at the Houlton Regional airport and the Pilot, crew, owners, never showed back up again. The plane sat there and began to show rust at rivet points, the tires went flat, the paint on the inside was flaking off, it was generally a depressing thing to see. At some point the CAF got title to the plane, showed up with a crew, and somehow just about anything you could think of to work on that particular plane, and went to work. They had the engines off, rebuilt and back on within a week. They had control surfaces and electronics up and running within that week and, after 5 years of just sitting there, had it taxiing around the runway. One more week to get permission from FAA to get it in the air and headed back to where they could completely refurbish it and off it went. I was impressed...if you couldn't tell, and felt like a nice old airplane with lots of history, both militarily and civilian, had been saved. Sounds to me like you had a very good seat for some of their shows over the years....I'd have found a reason to work too! Dyer, retired

 

[shvl73]

I wish they could have done the same with those two Constellations at the Augusta airport. I think they had an auction and they sold to Europeans.

 

[dbdartman]

Before I retired for the last time I was working for Grumman...

Vernon

Do I have a question for you!

First, my father was a Grumman fan as he flew gunner in a TBM in the early 50's, which is funny because he was born & raised in Trenton, NJ, where the TBM's were built during the war (at the GM plant in Ewing Twp).

Anyway, before he was discharged in '55 he picked up a few illustrated posters of Grumman aircraft from the PX. These were packed away until 3 years ago when we moved. I have four posters in my room: 1 unknown artist, 2 by Wayne Davis, & 1 (my personal favorite) by Chesley Bonestall (attached in that order below). I've looked through Grumman's web site & searched through Ebay but have never found any info at all about these posters. So, I'm hoping you might have an idea of who or where to look for some info.

Thanx!

 

[texbaylea]

Do I have a question for you!

First, my father was a Grumman fan as he flew gunner in a TBM in the early 50's, which is funny because he was born & raised in Trenton, NJ, where the TBM's were built during the war (at the GM plant in Ewing Twp).

Anyway, before he was discharged in '55 he picked up a few illustrated posters of Grumman aircraft from the PX. These were packed away until 3 years ago when we moved. I have four posters in my room: 1 unknown artist, 2 by Wayne Davis, & 1 (my personal favorite) by Chesley Bonestall (attached in that order below). I've looked through Grumman's web site & searched through Ebay but have never found any info at all about these posters. So, I'm hoping you might have an idea of who or where to look for some info.

Thanx!

I am sorry but I can not help you from my own knowledge. I never work for the aircraft division. I joined Grumman in Houston after I retired from NASA. I will ask around since there were a few of the one time aircraft division employees in the Houston community.

If they were a Grumman product they should have a Grumman logo on the face. I could not see one if there were.

Vernon

 

[dbdartman]

First, I apologize for the pic quality. I just took the pics down & snapped a few of each trying to keep the glare to a minimum.

Second, 3 of the 4 posters do have "Copyright (1945 Bearcat, 1952 Albatross, 1955 Tiger) Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp." on them (why the Mallard has none is a mystery).

I did find some Wayne Davis skiing prints on Ebay (obviously the same artist as the flying boat pics).

Of course, I'm not proud & will take help, hints, & suggestions from anyone interested in these beautiful, yet mysterious, posters about their rarity & relative worth (I know the Bonestall print is likely the most valuable as he's famous for his futuristic illustrations of space travel & colonization).

Many thanx!
David

 

[IllMarty1]

Here is a pic of a TBM on the USS Midway, located in San Diego harbor. Fascinating ship to visit.

Image of tbd - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

 

[texbaylea]

There is a TBM at the Bush Presidential Library close by. They even have a flight simulator so you can try your hand at a carrier deck landing.

George Bush Presidential Library and Museum :: Home

They have done extensive remodeling of the exhibits recently - have to visit again.

Vernon

 

[dbdartman]

My father used to laugh about the expressions on people's faces when they'd land a TBM somewhere that, first, wasn't used to seeing such a large single-engine aircraft, then, their jaws would drop as 7 men would climb/tumble out!