UPDATE: Due to family visiting, I was forced to scrub the mission...maybe some other time.
although I have only been in the air a few times, I count a maximum of four times with my uncle and another six times on commercial aircraft. I know I am not highly experienced at Being above the ground. I do love to fly, however. I will eventually attain a pilot's license, but for now I have the chance to accompany a real pilot into the air. I look forward to it. As a short person (5'7") I don't often get the chance to look down on others, so I have to enoy it while I can.
Perhaps there are heavier aircraft. Maybe there are larger ones. And, most likely there are faster ones. But, to me, there is nothing more sexy than a Republic F-105 Thunderchief.
I know, you are saying, this is a site about wrecks, and so far you have not shown alot of wrecks, have you? I have not, you are right. Life has not allowed me that luxury. I have gotten a few accident reports, but, I have been busy with an adoption, life, and college. Fuel prices are no help, either. The fact is, this is the site where I can post about aircraft and not have to hear the steady whine of my wife's nag machine spool up (I love my wife, but she thinks my other blog is NOT a place for airplanes, at least not in the fatal doses I would like to post).
So, instead of wreck photos, I hope you will not mind a few personal photos I have taken of F-105s that I have visited. If you want facts about them, I can spout off a few, but you can look them up if you are terribly interested. I know, for instance, that it was blazing fast on the deck. Some sources suggest that it could outrun an F-15 on the deck. I don't know much about the F-15's low altitude characteristics, so I make no claim as to the accuracy of that statement. I do know that they could outrun a MiG, and even F-4s at low altitude.
The photos I give you are from three museums.
1. McClellan Air Museum (now the Aerospace Museum of Northern California) [Sacramento, CA]
2. Travis Air Museum (Jimmy Doolittle Museum or something) [Fairfield, CA]
3. PIMA Air Museum [Tucson, AZ]
What follows are some detail shots. They might help model makers, but these were for my own interest.
I have been to several air museums. All on the West Coast, I am afraid. I have been to McChord (years ago), I have been to the Olympic Air Museum, Tillamook Air Museum, McAllister, the Museum of Flight, Castle Air Museum, McClellan (now the Aerospace Museum of Northern California...due to who funds it), Travis Air Museum, and Pima Air Museum. I have seen numerous aircraft. When I was young, Yakima had yearly air shows. Back then A-4s, F-4s, F-111s, F-14s, A-6s, and A-7s were huge participants. I even attended the Everett Air Show one year and saw a Victor...you know, that godawful ugly british bomber turned Recon/tanker?
One time, while still in California, Beale AFB had an open house type thing at the Yuba County air port. They had a mock-up of the new Gobal Hawk. It was huge! They also had an X-47B(Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and a Navy UAV helicopter. It was a very interesting look into the future of air power.
When I was done with my bachelor's degree, I began volunteering t McClellan Air Museum. That came with a few benefits. One was, the first day I was there, someone hnded me a card with numbers on it...they were the combinations to the locks to the aircraft. Oh, what a wonderful way to while way a foggy San Joaquin Valley winter...here is an example of what I could spend my days in. This is the office of a C-53. (look at the top of my other Blog and you will see it) This one actually took part in the D-Day landings, having towed gliders on that day.
And this is the front office of a C-119!
Also, being associated with the Museum put me in a place where, one rainy day, I stopped in on one of the California Fire Fighting wing...forgive my haphazard use of words...mechanics hangars, where they were replacing (or at least, fixing) the horizontal stabilizer of an S-2 Tracker...this one had been modified with multi-bladed props with Turbo-Prop engines.
I also saw this Saab Drakken...privately owned...
I have other pictures, but, these are just a few of the good ones. I hope you enjoy. One day, I will see other, better museums...maybe I will even get a pilot's license...
I had the opportunity to travel to McChord Air Force Base and see the air show there. I am afraid it has been awhile since I posted, but here are some photos from that wonderful experience.
Here is the F-22! What an awesome piece of aerial might!
It used to ake a real man to handle this much tail, but nowadays, they have hydraulic assist! Here is an F-15E...the Ground Attack version of the fighter.
Of course, we need to see the F-16...
Here is an A-10
Here is what McChord is known for:
C-5B
They were not all new jets, here is a Douglas B-18A Bolo.
This Blog is meant to fill a niche that is currenty empty. There are no sites devoted to Wreckchasing in Washington State. Here I discuss and describe local aviation accidents and other aviation related subjects. I use accident reports, local witnesses, and whatever else is available to me as resources. I am a History teacher and am working on the last of my graduate degree in History. I will also talk about specific aircraft, ships or other military and history subjects. Please comment if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. My first post goes into more detail.
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