At the Airshow today...

[JumpBoot]

I had to work the airshow today at JBER and met a splendid fellow who started flying in 1944 and has kept on doing so. Today he flew one of the aircraft that did a demonstration flight, and afterward spent some time talking with me. It's a true shame that there aren't more of these fellows left. His jacket (which was part of the impetus for this post) was outstanding. It's his original issue item, though I'm not savvy enough to determine anything about it.


JB

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t270/sharkman19D/IMAG0238.jpg

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t270/sharkman19D/IMAG0237_1343618479434.jpg

 

[ButteMT61]

Very nice!

 

[BuzzTheTower]

Wow! That's Mike Hunt. He was an excellent pilot during WWII, and after Robert Morgan flew the Memphis Bell back to the U.S., Mike flew it around the country on a bond tour. His jacket is a Cable Raincoat A-2, and for a few years, it hung in a chicken coop (just shows that some of these older ones are pretty tough). I talked with him about ten years ago, and he was quite lucid, having flown his own BT-13 to the Sonoma County air show. He's a real gentleman, and wears his original uniform each time. I'm really happy to see him flying and doing so well.

Here's my photo of him from 2003, if I'm right:

Thanks!

 

[JumpBoot]

That's him! He was such a nice man, and very happy to answer questions that I had about his experiences. It was nice watching the younger soldiers snap him salutes, too. I admit that I got a huge kick out of it.

 

[oldcrow82]

Wow, that's awesome, it's great to hear Story's of those old birds still flying around. Great jacket too. That looks to be an L4 but I can't say for certain, any idea of what it is? My other guess is an L2, which is quite a bit more rare. My family had an L2 which is what I soloed in. Fun aircraft to fly, and boy do you learn how to fly. Real pilots can put on quite the airshow with those 65hp kites. Thanks for sharing

 

[Otter]

He still looks smart in that uniform and ready to fly!

 

[ButteMT61]

He still looks smart in that uniform and ready to fly!

. That there's the Real Deal. I'd love to tap into the memory banks of that man with a few beers. Just glad someone hasn't chimed in that his A-2 needs alterations - because even 70 years out, it looks great.

 

[Aerojoe]

Yep, he looks ready to fly at any time That Cable Raincoat A-2 looks superb. I own the ELC rep and it doesn't look so authentic.