[DeTomaso] Flying a P-51 Mustang - NPC

[Mike Thomas]

My uncle, now 88, flew 41 bombing missions in B24 Liberators in the South
Pacific during WWII.  I tried to get him to go up in one of those rides for
hire, but said he wouldn't do it unless they let him fly the damn thing the
whole way.  Oh, did I mention he built himself an RV-6 when he was 78, and
was flying until the FAA took his ticket away at age 85?!?  He's a retired
AF Lt. Col., and to talk to him, you'd think he was ready to head back to
war.  His house is like a museum of flying.

He was the first squadron commander of the B-47, the first swept-wing super
sonic (I think) bomber.  When he was stationed in England in '56, he and his
flight crew all went out and bought the just-release MG A.  One of my
favorite photos of his many is of him and his crew with the MGs lined up
side by side under the starboard wing of his B-47, all of them in flight
suits standing ready at the sides of their new machines.  I told him I want
that one eventually.

Mike Thomas

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Mad Dog Antenucci
Sent: Monday, May 03, 2010 9:37 AM
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Cc: eb20erik at yahoo.com; Peter Menyhart; john bentley
Subject: [DeTomaso] Flying a P-51 Mustang - NPC

If you are a pilot or just love old WWII war birds you might appreciate this
touring group of old WWII war birds. See the site address below for details
of when it is going to be in a city near you.

Larry Kelsey who many of you know from his trips to Vegas or Monterey for
the old run rallys or in Texas, Nevada, or Nebrasaka for the open road races
got into the back seat of a P-51 Saturday out of John Wayne Airport. Not too
many WWII pilots still around today and we met several of them Saturday who
were pretty thrilled to see some of the same planes they had also flown or
crewed  in WWII.

Pilot let Larry take the stick after a few minutes to fly it for a few
minutes and even do some barrel roles, etc and Larry all most floated out of
that old  Mustang after it landed about 45 minutes later he definately was a
happy new 'young' man.  If you ever wanted to take a ride in a B-17 'Flying
Fortress", or the B24 Liberater or FLY a P-51 here's your opportunity. 

It's not a cheap ride but if its on your bucket list you need to do it....I
saw a 70+ year old tired old friend get into that cockpit but an hour later
saw a young man about 40 years younger climb out of that old war bird and
slide across the wing on his ass like he had been doing it for 60 years.

As an aside one of the veteran B-17 pilots was there with his daugther
waiting to take it up. Once airport they let the veteran ride co-pilot....I
heard he felt 20 years old again which was hold he was when he first flew a
B-17!!!

amazing weekend

Mad Dawg Antenucci
Team Pantera Racing
"If you're not on the edge you're taking up space" www.teampanteraracing.com





http://www.collingsfoundation.org/ma_p51mustang.htm
 
Larry Kelsey
Airports Development Group
Sr. Construction Manager - Aviation
D 424.646.7516
lkelsey at lawa.org
 
AECOM
7301World Way West
Los Angeles, CA 90045
_______________________________________________

Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA

Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/

DeTomaso mailing list
DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso