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Yup - Uncle Wes and LeMay. Don't have any of my dad in uniform. Before Wes was Deputy Commander of SAC, he was the SAC Inspector General - the guy who swooped in unannounced in the middle of the night with three airplanes full of specialists who then conducted the 3-day O.R.I.'s (Operational Readiness Inspections).
For anyone who is not familiar with the story of Glacier Girl, here is a link to the history and a pic below of her in flight a few years after the restoration was completed. Recovery and restoration spanned a 10 year period. When I worked for Sherwin Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. manufacturing plant in Richmond, KY, I was assigned the responsibility for providing EVERY drop of paint. There is MUCH more than just the Olive Drab green and we matched every part for color, gloss, and even texture. I was there for her first flight in 60 years. This was such a memorable and valuable experience and I am very honored to have made a small contribution to this piece of history.
I clearly remember the tears welling up when I first saw that video in 2003 and the big smile on Steve Hinton's face and the joy on Roy's face when she broke ground and climbed out. REALLY great stuff!
My father fought in WW II in New Guinea where two of the aircraft in the museum were recovered. The P-38 that is now restored and flying and the P-47 shell that will be restored in the coming years. I look forward to working on the P-47 when work starts on it.
In my aviation career (45 yrs). I was very lucky. Flew all over the world and flew everything from a Smith Miniplane to the 747. The highlight was working for Evergreen Aviation and being the Chief pilot of the flyable warbirds. I was able to fly most of them and trained others as well which we then took to airshows.
Great to see the A26 restoration coming along to the point the old girl may be up in the air soon. Hard to imagine the time and effort taking a project like this all the way down to every last nut, bolt, rivet, etc.........then back together again as a completed flyable aircraft. .. Well done!
Thanks to all for posting their stories and experiences here.
John
In my aviation career (45 yrs). I was very lucky. Flew all over the world and flew everything from a Smith Miniplane to the 747. The highlight was working for Evergreen Aviation and being the Chief pilot of the flyable warbirds. I was able to fly most of them and trained others as well which we then took to airshows.
Here's my favorite.
The Evergreen Museum is simply spectacular!! Thanks all for sharing these great photos of some truly remarkable aircraft. Here are a few From the Heritage flight museum when it was still in Bellingham.
I don't know who the idiot SOB is that made the video of Glacier Girl, but I'd like to meet him face to face so that I could kick his *** until his nose bleeds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHY DO PEOPLE HAVE TO RUIN VIDEOS LIKE THIS BY DUBBING IN MUSIC???????????????? WHY?????????????????
LET THE MACHINERY MAKE THE MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ONLY music in my videos is those wonderful Pratt and Whitney 2800s!
I agree the music was an annoyance to me also but don't think I need to be on medication. I would have enjoyed hearing the turbos and engines more. Beautiful restoration on a svelte P-38 frame though. I am not a pilot nor trained in any aviation discipline but read that the P-38 was somewhat awkward to fly. Not sure what the awkwardness was now, maybe the cockpit layout was not setup for smooth work flow, engine management. As a member of the 302nd AF Reserve unit at Peterson AFB in 1991, I remember the sounds from the 16 C-130s stationed at Pete Field when they all were in flight and came in for a landing single file. Having all 16 in the air was a way for the 302nd to celebrate homecoming after being deactivated from Desert Storm. That was a lot of props turning and made good music.
In general I think music in videos/movies needs to be used a lot less. The movies now a days seem to have music from the first frame to the last of the credits.
Last edited by Vitaminmopar; 11-20-2017 at 03:05 AM.
Shame the Bearcat didn’t see action. The result of Grumman studying why the FW190 was so successful/maneuverable. Suposedly first piston fighter with thrust ^ weight. I.e. vertical climb possible but probably at min weight. It would have been a very bad boy in a dogfight. Great thread. If interested Google Rare Bear. Beautiful.
Congrats to the OP for volunteering at the museum, and I am glad to read so many warbird afficionados here!
I have always been a fan of the piston-engined warbirds, even though I wasn't born when they were in service.
One of my fondest memories is doing an "experience flight" in a T6 Texan out of Aurora, IL. Not as good as a Mustang or Corsair, but still unforgettable.
For anyone who is not familiar with the story of Glacier Girl, here is a link to the history and a pic below of her in flight a few years after the restoration was completed. Recovery and restoration spanned a 10 year period. When I worked for Sherwin Williams Automotive Finishes Corp. manufacturing plant in Richmond, KY, I was assigned the responsibility for providing EVERY drop of paint. There is MUCH more than just the Olive Drab green and we matched every part for color, gloss, and even texture. I was there for her first flight in 60 years. This was such a memorable and valuable experience and I am very honored to have made a small contribution to this piece of history.
Very cool. Thank you for the memories. My two brothers and I went to Middlesboro, KY every summer for Mom's family reunion and visited the airport there while Glacier Girl was being restored. We have pictures of it as a crumpled mass of parts on the hanger floor all the way to the day she first flew. I love the pictures I have of the graffiti and signatures from the Lockheed assembly workers written/drawn in the inside of the fuselage. In that video, you can barely see the three of us standing to the left and back of the older gentleman covering his ears at the :35 second mark!
Love that pic of the Bearcat and the Vette. Two real bearcats.
Here's my best story. Airshow in Hillsboro, Or. 20 years ago with 5 of Evergreen's warbirds. Sitting under wing of our Ford Tri Motor watching show. Fellow taps me on shoulder, "I'm ex-marine, can I get closer to the Corsair?" Asked Darin who was flying it in the show to take him. When Darin comes back he says listen to this. The fellow goes up to the Corsair and kisses the cowling. Then he tells Darin in WWII he's trapped on the hill surrounded by Japanese, only him and one other marine left. Then he hears two Corsair's. The shot an escape path for them to get out. Made it to the end of the war. Now in the reserves he gets a call from the Marine Corp, it's Korea and we need you. Back in it again he's trapped on a hill again surrounded by North Korean's and only him and two other Marines left. Not going make it this time. Then he hears that sound again. Told his buddys to hunker down we'll make it.
The Corsair saved his life twice hence the kiss on the cowling.
Oh yeah, I see that now. I couldn't see it very well, but it looks like it could be one.
My Dad, Captain Gordon S. Haugen, USMC, front row far right.
This is truly amazing. Since there weren’t too many of these groups flying, I started looking through the pic and lo and behold, there is my dad kneeling behind Todd’s! Absolutely strange coincidence that the fathers of two guys into old Corvettes served in the same unit. Thanks for sharing Todd. We should stay in touch. Happy Thanksgiving!
I was back working at the museum today and took some more pictures. I was able to get up onto a few of them and take some pictures of the cockpits. The museum also has some old non-flying vehicles that are restored and drivable.
This is truly amazing. Since there weren’t too many of these groups flying, I started looking through the pic and lo and behold, there is my dad kneeling behind Todd’s! Absolutely strange coincidence that the fathers of two guys into old Corvettes served in the same unit. Thanks for sharing Todd. We should stay in touch. Happy Thanksgiving!
11-18-2017, 03:12 PM
