[Flightgear-devel] OT: what a day

[Cameron M. <li...@to...>]

Boy, did I have a long (hot) day.  

I found out at the last minute that the Confederate Air Force squadron
in my town was having a fly-in.  I got there as fast as I could, but I
missed seeing the SB2C-5 Helldiver go up (it's the last one flying in
the world).  I did get to go up and take some pictures of the cockpit
and talk to a few guys about it.  Hopefully the pictures turn out.  I
want to model this aircraft if I can.

And I went up today in a small aircraft for the first time!  Not as a
pilot either -- as a passenger.  It was a Piper Cherokee 180.  And boy
howdy, was it *hot* in there.  No AC was brutal.  8-)  There were
three Piper's in all practicing formations changes.  It was awesome.  I
was "co-pilot" and had no idea if was supposed to be saying "Roger" or
just "OK".  ;-)  The pilot was a really nice guy though.  Definately
have to do that again...and learn the lingo.

Let's see.  There were 3 T-6 Texans that took off after we were up for a
while.  They were beautiful.  Now I want to model a T-6 too!  I'm
turning into a warbird nut!  My new goal is to model every aircraft
known to man.  Mwahahaha!  (<-- "I will rule the world" laugh)

Anyway, a co-worker of mine is a member of the CAF and showed me all of
the flight manuals they have (JACKPOT!).  I told him that I could get a
lot of info from them.  He was excited to hear about FlightGear and
offered to fly me to Midland where there are supposedly a few P-51Ds!
The squadron here has an Messerschmidt 108 (IIRC), a T-6 (SNJ really),
and a Stearman biplane of some kind.  They are restoring a Beech 18-S
(AAC C-45).  And all this is about 5 miles from my house.  I had no
idea!

Well, I'm off to get some much deserved ZZzz's.  Thanks for reading.
-- 
Cameron Moore