October 2021 Articles

• One hundred feet above the Mojave Desert, Lyle Shelton fought to control his famed F8F-2 Bearcat. “The Spirit of ’77,” as the racer was known at the time, was on a qualifying lap, rounding the 8.5-mile racecourse at close to 420 mph. Mac McClain, flying the Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered “Red Baron” RB-51, had already qualified ahead […]

  

  Rare Bear – The wrecked F8F-2 Bearcat that became Air Racing’s winningest Unlimited racer

  One hundred feet above the Mojave Desert, Lyle Shelton fought to control his famed F8F-2 Bearcat. “The Spirit of ’77,” as the racer was known at the time, was on a qualifying lap, rounding the 8.5-mile racecourse at close to 420 mph. Mac McClain, flying the Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered “Red Baron” RB-51, had already qualified ahead […]
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• P-40s in the Pacific When the U.S. entered WW II after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, George Preddy was completing his flying training with the USAAF at Elgin Field, Florida. He graduated as a qualified pilot five days later. He was assigned to the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit […]

  

  Mustang – Ace of Aces

  P-40s in the Pacific When the U.S. entered WW II after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, George Preddy was completing his flying training with the USAAF at Elgin Field, Florida. He graduated as a qualified pilot five days later. He was assigned to the 9th Pursuit Squadron of the 49th Pursuit […]
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• In the fall of 1950, the increasing numbers of MiG-15s based just north of the Yalu River caused great concern with the Far East Air Force (FEAF), and when these swept-wing fighters started coming south of the river in November 1950, air superiority and safety of United Nations (UN) ground troops were threatened. The call […]

  

  Straight Wings vs. Swept Wings

  In the fall of 1950, the increasing numbers of MiG-15s based just north of the Yalu River caused great concern with the Far East Air Force (FEAF), and when these swept-wing fighters started coming south of the river in November 1950, air superiority and safety of United Nations (UN) ground troops were threatened. The call […]
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• With thousands of late-model P-51s available at the end of WW II, the Mustang became the predominant airframe in active and guard units into the 1950s until they were supplanted by jets. Consequently, redesignated F-51s and F-82s were available in sufficient numbers from bases in Japan and Okinawa to help stem the initial North Korean […]

  

  P-51: The 18th Fighter Bomber Group

  With thousands of late-model P-51s available at the end of WW II, the Mustang became the predominant airframe in active and guard units into the 1950s until they were supplanted by jets. Consequently, redesignated F-51s and F-82s were available in sufficient numbers from bases in Japan and Okinawa to help stem the initial North Korean […]
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• A derivative of the A-12 and YF-12A, which was designed in the late ’50s, the amazing Blackbird remains the fastest ever jet-powered aircraft in the world today. These “speed demons” last belonged to the Air Combat Command’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, with the last two examples having been based at Edwards AFB, […]

  

  SR-71 Blackbird – Faster than a speeding bullet!

  A derivative of the A-12 and YF-12A, which was designed in the late ’50s, the amazing Blackbird remains the fastest ever jet-powered aircraft in the world today. These “speed demons” last belonged to the Air Combat Command’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, with the last two examples having been based at Edwards AFB, […]
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• In 2019, I went to the EAA’s AirVenture fly-in in Wisconsin for just the second time. The first was back in the ’80s when I flew there in a friend’s Piper Arrow. This year I took my Stinson instead. But this is not about the trip but about one of the planes that really caught […]

  

  Fleet Finch The classic WW II Canadian trainer

  In 2019, I went to the EAA’s AirVenture fly-in in Wisconsin for just the second time. The first was back in the ’80s when I flew there in a friend’s Piper Arrow. This year I took my Stinson instead. But this is not about the trip but about one of the planes that really caught […]
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