Bird
Rest in Peace
Anyone who enjoys those pictures would, I'm sure, really enjoy visiting the National Museum of the Air Force. You need at least 2 days to see it all.
For those who remember WWII and the aircaft
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RobertN
Super Member
Nice presentation. Chino has the only real flying Zero. They share planes sometimes with the Palm Aprings Air Museum. The Palm Springs museum is pretty cool!
Interesting how person at the website liked the F4U Corsairs; my favorite plane too. They noted the P-51 was the "glamorous" plane from WWII. After reading up on Corsairs, I found out there was late WWII testing done with F4U's, P51's, P38's, Zero's, Spitfires, and German fighters. Overall the F4U came out on top in mock combat against them all.
The F4U was also the only fighter to continue production after WWII. The P51 and P38 ended production right away when the war ended. The F4U though, continued production and refinement until the mid 1950's. It was the most flexible platform made for fighter and attack planes.
It's not as glamorous as a P51, but I'd rather be in a F4U when the going got tough.
Interesting how person at the website liked the F4U Corsairs; my favorite plane too. They noted the P-51 was the "glamorous" plane from WWII. After reading up on Corsairs, I found out there was late WWII testing done with F4U's, P51's, P38's, Zero's, Spitfires, and German fighters. Overall the F4U came out on top in mock combat against them all.
The F4U was also the only fighter to continue production after WWII. The P51 and P38 ended production right away when the war ended. The F4U though, continued production and refinement until the mid 1950's. It was the most flexible platform made for fighter and attack planes.
It's not as glamorous as a P51, but I'd rather be in a F4U when the going got tough.
RobertN
Super Member
You might like this
YouTube - Carrier Operations 1953-54
Dale is a docent on the USS-Hornet. He flew F4U's off of USS-Hornet and USS-Phillipine Sea. In the video he shows a successfull but awkward F4U landing. That was his shipmate, who flew F4U's in WWII and Korea before moving F9F Panther/Cougars. His shipmate, Julie, used to be a docent at the Palm Springs Air Museum, where they have an excellent F4U. I got to have an hour talk with him during a visit. I've also had the luck to meet Dale on the USS-Hornet, and get a pilots tour of some of the ship.
Do you ever get down around Corpus Christi? The USS-Lexington is there. It is suppossed to be a good ship to tour.
YouTube - Carrier Operations 1953-54
Dale is a docent on the USS-Hornet. He flew F4U's off of USS-Hornet and USS-Phillipine Sea. In the video he shows a successfull but awkward F4U landing. That was his shipmate, who flew F4U's in WWII and Korea before moving F9F Panther/Cougars. His shipmate, Julie, used to be a docent at the Palm Springs Air Museum, where they have an excellent F4U. I got to have an hour talk with him during a visit. I've also had the luck to meet Dale on the USS-Hornet, and get a pilots tour of some of the ship.
Do you ever get down around Corpus Christi? The USS-Lexington is there. It is suppossed to be a good ship to tour.
texbaylea said:
N80
Super Member
Here is a picture I took of B-17 Sentimental Journey. It stopped by our local airport with a number of other restored planes. They were giving rides but $300 for 30 minutes was too steep for me. I did pay to go inside the different planes. There was a German Heinkel and a B-24 as well.
OP
texbaylea
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RobertN said:
The one time I had reason to go to Corpus, the Lexington was closed for some reason, darn. Thanks for the Youtube link.
Vernon
Bird
Rest in Peace
We just happened to be in Pensacola when the Lexington came in to be de-commissioned. Of course we weren't among the dignataries who were allowed on the base to see it that day, but saw it on the TV news.
Then a few years later, we toured the Lexington at Corpus Christi. I think it was worth touring, but I was quite disappointed because so much of it was blocked off and not open to the public yet at that time. When we toured the battleship Alabama, we got to see a much larger percentage of the ship. However, I've heard that much of the Lexington that we were not allowed to see has been opened to the pubic since. So it might be better now.
Then a few years later, we toured the Lexington at Corpus Christi. I think it was worth touring, but I was quite disappointed because so much of it was blocked off and not open to the public yet at that time. When we toured the battleship Alabama, we got to see a much larger percentage of the ship. However, I've heard that much of the Lexington that we were not allowed to see has been opened to the pubic since. So it might be better now.dmccarty
Super Star Member
I am partial to the F4U as well. I guess it was because my father and grandfather served in the USMC and I had lots of books about the Marines around the house. Plus stories. Read Pappy Boynton's book, some of which may have been fiction , at an early age.
I toured the Alabama once or twice as well as the sub they had docked nearby. The thing that I remember the most from the Alabama was a new article they had about some young man who tried to climb through one of the 16inch cannons. Almost made it before he got stuck.
I'm a plank holder for the battleship USS North Carolina.
OK, I'm not that old but we saw the ship a few years ago and they were replaceing the deck. You could buy a chunk o deck for $5. So I did and thus I'm a plank owner. If only that wood could talk. Those ships are so amazing.
I'm finally finishing "Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea." Great book but I got to the Dardenelle's campaign aka Gallipoli which slowed my reading. That campaign was such a disaster because of a few bad decisions and a few good ones by one or two men. Our geopolitical world today could be vastly different if not for a few decisions. The political history in the book shows how things change but remain the same.
Later,
Dan
, at an early age. I toured the Alabama once or twice as well as the sub they had docked nearby. The thing that I remember the most from the Alabama was a new article they had about some young man who tried to climb through one of the 16inch cannons. Almost made it before he got stuck.
I'm a plank holder for the battleship USS North Carolina.
OK, I'm not that old but we saw the ship a few years ago and they were replaceing the deck. You could buy a chunk o deck for $5.
So I did and thus I'm a plank owner. If only that wood could talk. Those ships are so amazing.I'm finally finishing "Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea." Great book but I got to the Dardenelle's campaign aka Gallipoli which slowed my reading. That campaign was such a disaster because of a few bad decisions and a few good ones by one or two men. Our geopolitical world today could be vastly different if not for a few decisions. The political history in the book shows how things change but remain the same.
Later,
Dan
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texbaylea
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An interesting coincidence, I just received an on-line sale notice from Duluth Trading Co.. They have F4U playing cards on sale.
DTC is a good place to get work wear and accessories that last.
Vernon
DTC is a good place to get work wear and accessories that last.
Vernon
RobertN
Super Member
I have been to USS-Hornet a few times, mostly with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. They do a really cool overnite program(Many musuem ships, including the Lex and Midway do too).
The USS-Hornet really came out of mothball in poor shape. Some of the water proofing measures failed between 1971 and 1993. The flight deck had some major water damage. It was also being prepared for scrap; a lot of wiring was cut, and a lot of stuff was taken off the ship.
There are a lot of area's still closed off. It is also lacking in planes compared to other ships; lack of budget. Alemeda NAS was suppossed to be retired and redevelope; very little redevelopment has occurred. So, tourism is limited.
It is a great ship to visit though.
The Lex and Midway, in particular, came through well; both wer made museums very soon after decommissioning. Both were in much better shape.
There are a lot of ships out there, sub, carriars, battleships etc that are museums. I have only been on CVS-12 USS Hornet, and the WWII sub USS-Pampanito.
If any one is involved in Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, YMCA, or church groups, doing an overnight tour of one of these amazing ships is very interesting and fun!
The USS-Hornet really came out of mothball in poor shape. Some of the water proofing measures failed between 1971 and 1993. The flight deck had some major water damage. It was also being prepared for scrap; a lot of wiring was cut, and a lot of stuff was taken off the ship.
There are a lot of area's still closed off. It is also lacking in planes compared to other ships; lack of budget. Alemeda NAS was suppossed to be retired and redevelope; very little redevelopment has occurred. So, tourism is limited.
It is a great ship to visit though.
The Lex and Midway, in particular, came through well; both wer made museums very soon after decommissioning. Both were in much better shape.
There are a lot of ships out there, sub, carriars, battleships etc that are museums. I have only been on CVS-12 USS Hornet, and the WWII sub USS-Pampanito.
If any one is involved in Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, YMCA, or church groups, doing an overnight tour of one of these amazing ships is very interesting and fun!
Bird said: