Photo of the Week: T-28 Blue Angels Trainer

This was a shot I took at the Kalamazoo Air Museum (the Air Zoo) back on July 12th, 2002. I was there visiting the museum with some friends when they announced a special demonstration flight. We headed out to the tarmac in time to see them preparing this old T-28 Trojan used by the Blue Angels back in the 1950's for team training. It was quite a sight to see this vintage war bird fired up, take off and perform a few maneuvers for the crowd. What can I saw, I like aviation!

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B-17 Visit

A vintage B-17 came to visit our local airport this weekend. Armed with my new camera, I set out to capture some shots of this historic war bird.

Here is an excerpt from a recent article that describes the heritage of this particular aircraft:

eAA’s B-17
Aluminum Overcast was donated to EAA in 1983 by the group “B-17s
Around the World.” Headed by Dr. Bill Harrison, the group of investors
had purchased the aircraft in 1978 with the intention of restoring it and
preserving the heritage of the famous military bomber. They decided to
donate it after assessing the costs involved with restoring and maintaining
the aircraft.

Delivered to the Army Air Corps on May 18, 1945—too late to see action
in World War II—the airplane performed a wide variety of tasks. Purchased
as surplus from the military inventory in 1946 for $750, the airplane has
served as a cargo hauler, as an aerial mapping platform, and in pest
control and forest dusting applications.

Since the donation to EAA, an extensive program of restoration and
preservation was undertaken to ensure Aluminum Overcast would be
a living reminder of World War II aviation for many years to come. The
restoration took more than 10 years and thousands of hours by dedicated
staff and volunteers at EAA’s Kermit Weeks Flight Operations Center in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. When the airplane was sold in 1946, most of the
original military equipment had been removed. Over the years, these items
have been located, restored, and returned to the aircraft, including the
Norden bombsight located in the nose of the airplane; restoration of the
navigator’s position (also located in the nose of the airplane); installation
of the waist guns located on each side of the bomber; rebuilding the radio
compartment, including original communications equipment; returning the
airplane’s floor to its original specifications; installation of a complete tail
turret assembly; and installation of a replica top turret just behind the pilot
and copilot seats.

Today, Aluminum Overcast carries the colors of the 398th Bomb Group,
which flew hundreds of missions over Nazi-held territory during World War
II. The aircraft commemorates B-17G s/n 42-102515, which was shot down
on its 34th combat mission over Le Manoir, France, on August 13, 1944.
Veterans of the 398th helped finance the bomber’s restoration.
The airplane was on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum until October
1993, when it was moved to EAA’s Kermit Weeks hangar for maintenance
and restoration in preparation for its first national tour in 1994.

New Presidential Helicopter Flies

From the AV web site (http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/903-full.html#195585)...

The next president will have an "Oval Office In The Sky" aboard what is described as the most technologically advanced helicopter ever built. According to a news release, the AgustaWestland/Lockheed Martin VH-71 flew for the first time on July 3 and test pilots reported the aircraft performed well on the 40-minute flight at Italy-based AgustaWestland’s facilities in Yeovil, England. The flight occurred 30 months after the controversial contract was awarded (this will be the first Marine One that isn’t designed and built by a U.S. firm) and the company says it’s on track for on-time delivery of the first aircraft in late 2009. Although it’s a European design, the presidential helicopters are being developed with Lockheed Martin and will be assembled by Bell Helicopter in Texas. The VH-71s will have significantly better performance than the existing VH-3D and VH-60N aircraft currently in use. The VH-71 is based on AgustaWestland’s EH-101 tri-engine military and search and rescue helicopter. The program is being implemented in two stages, and in the second phase the helicopters will be outfitted with the gear needed to allow the president to exert command and control functions from the air. By 2014, the VH-71s will replace all 19 helicopters currently in the presidential fleet. Why so many? Marine One is usually accompanied by four other identical helicopters that change formation with the one occupied by the president to lessen the chance of his being attacked.

Cool Plane - Cessna's Citation Mustang

Here's a video clip for a cool new VLJ biz jet from Cessna called the Citation Mustang. I wouldn't mind having one of these!