YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

and other stuff up in the air
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Joe Gopan
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YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Sep 14, 2012 6:37 am

41 years ago I heard the sound that only the twin R-2600's of a B-25 can make. I was at work in my testing laboratory and stepped out to view a B-25 headed North at 2000". A short time later I visited the Caribou, ME Municipal Airport to get a look at it. Itwas the oldest B-25 in existance, a "B" model, I believe, and belonged to an NCO at Loring AFB, ME. The owner was Jay Hinyub, at T/SGT or M/SGT, USAF at the time. When I spotted the B-25 in late Sept 1971, he was enroute to his new assignment at Loring AFB, 200 miles from me. This particular B-25 was modified in early WWII as a personal aircraft for possibly General Arnold, and may have belonged to Howard Hughes at one time. It is now at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in NY. Jay was an interesting GI and lost his life a few years later in a warbird.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
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Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:35 pm

Just before sundown in September 1975 I looked up to the rare sound of a C-47 on final to the former Dow Field, much to my surprise it was a B-24 instead. I jumped into my USAF surplus 1966 Chevy Pickup and got to the General Aviation Ramp in time to see it taxi in. It was a former B-24 used by India on maritime patrol. One of the crew commented "this is where the draft came from". A piece of the plexiglass nose turret had blown loose creating a 1' hole that made the last leg of the flight very chilly.
This B-24 was owned by David Tallichet and was returning from a stay at Duxford. I got up early the next morning and "borrowed" a piece of plexiglass and Duct Tape from the Army Guard Aviation Facility and the B-24 left in time to make it to Hartford for the 50th anniversary of Pratt & Whitney. This B-24J now belongs to Kermit Weeks. Dr Duece's CCKW got to star in the "Joe Kennedy Story" with this B-24 back in the 80's.
Small World. :wink:
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Oct 02, 2016 1:37 pm

The B-24 that Dave Tallichet flew into the airport that day is now owned by Kermit Weeks.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Oct 02, 2016 5:25 pm

Anyone remember WWII blackouts with air raid sirens sounding? I remember a few along with aircraft taking off from Dow Field that made a whistling sound. My guess thinking back over the years is that they were P-38's.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

ndnile
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by ndnile » Thu Oct 13, 2016 7:46 pm

Good stuff Joel, thanks for sharing
Doug
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Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:08 pm

I can remember stepping outside with my mom, looking toward the black sky. You could hear the aircraft, but not see them.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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Wes
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Wes » Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:42 am

I live near the former K.I. Sawyer AFB. I grew up in this house, and I vividly remember lying in bed on summer nights and hearing the B-52s doing an alert launch. An entire squadron of bombers would take off one after another as fast as possible. I would wonder if I was going to see a bright flash as the nukes started to hit but fortunately they were always drills.

Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:32 pm

I remember all the black smoke, something like 15 second intervals. We need Curtis Lemay to come back.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
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Re: YOU DONT GOTTA BE A BIGSHOT TO FLY YOUR OWN BOMBER

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Apr 13, 2018 4:59 pm

Any of you warbird enthusiasts remember Jay Hinyub. His dad was supposed to be a Texas oilman He was stationed at LORING AFB ME from 71-73. He was an enlisted man who owned the oldest flying B-25 which now is at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in New York.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


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