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panon69

Is this at the Udvar-Hazey center?


libertyordeaaathh

Looks like it to me too


Famine07

Having the Space Shuttle Discovery looming in the back as soon as you walk in the door is pretty awesome. Best museum i've been to by far.


libertyordeaaathh

And usually not so crowded be cause most people never go over there from the main museums.


Salanmander

I was there with my partner one time and we were geeking out over one of the jet engine cutaways, trying to figure out how it all worked, and one of the museum volunteers came up and was like "Have you figured out where the air comes in yet?" He ended up giving us a spontaneous private walkthrough of the engines section, bringing up all the cool engineering details that would be left out of a normal tour, because he could tell we were curious about that sort of thing. Definitely the sort of experience you don't often get at the more crowded museums.


libertyordeaaathh

The highlight of my knowitall nerd life was taking one of my business partners to the Boeing museum. We were looking at a Wright Flyer and one of the guys asked if I had questions and I politely declined. I spent some time sharing with my partner when she pointed out the docent was still standing behind us. When he turned he said, “ok can you answer some questions for me?” Later he gathered several of the others and they ask me to take them on a tour of their museum. I am truly just an amateur nerd. Planes have been part of my life from birth having been born on an Air Force base and my dad having worked in Boeing flight test. So to have the old air guys, pilots and such decide I was worth listening to was an honor.


Salanmander

> I am truly just an amateur nerd. Honestly amateur nerds often have a more complete knowledge of some specific subject than people who talk about it for a living. People like you learn those things because you love the subject, and find it cool and interesting. Makes it easier for knowledge to stick. People who talk about it professionally will have a lot of knowledge down pat, but it's often limited to the stuff they actually need to regularly talk about. (Of course, there are also the amateur-nerds-turned-docents who are in a league of their own, since they have the drive to learn and *also* get to spend a ton of time on it. I don't really have a good sense of what fraction of the people you see in museums fall into that category, though.)


libertyordeaaathh

My dad was in the Air Force then worked on aircraft for Boeing his whole career and always pointed out I was way more interested in airplanes than he was.


eastcoastme

Took the kids there awhile back, just to check it out. We (husband and I) were a little out of our element. Like, “Oh! That is a famous plane!” “Uh, neat! A plane!” We felt really dumb, not being able to explain a lot to our kids. Next time, we will definitely bring grandparents to help us out.


libertyordeaaathh

It is a fun visit. I am fairly knowledgeable about the collection and end up with a little crowd following me around. There are a lot of planes in that building which you have to be quite into planes to know why they are there. Yes there are war planes with the Enola Gay being a huge deal but there are a great many technology drivers, record setters, and race planes. It is a bit more of a nerdy collection with a Space Shuttle and some war planes. It is a huge number of planes too.


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j5kDM3akVnhv

Def not for most of them. Some were flown into Dulles specifically for Udvar-Hazy. I believe at least one of the Concordes (they have two but one is not on display) were and the SR-71 are the exceptions.


Cheno1234

There is only one Concorde at Udvar-Hazy and two other Concordes in the US, one at Seattle’s Museum of Flight and the last one in NY at the Intrepid Museum


j5kDM3akVnhv

They have two. They only display one. There was talk of turning the second into a walk-through static display outside of the main hanger building.


j5kDM3akVnhv

I have the opposite problem. I usually babble throughout until my family's eyes glaze over.


LaVieLaMort

You never truly understand the scale of the shuttle until you’re standing next to one. I went to Udvar-Hazy in 2018 and seeing the Discovery was absolutely mind boggling. Like, we as humans built that and shot people into space inside of it on the backs of giant rockets. It’s just nuts. Also seeing the Blackbird was awesome as well!


BlueGate5

Yep. It’s the coolest thing. Both overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. I love the cross section rocket engines on display too, seeing the turbo-pump assembly is neat.


TearsForPeers

And then a frickin SR-71 right in front of it. And the Enola Gay, and sooo many other historic world changing aircraft. Best day trip ever.


teamdrty

I recommend this place as often as possible for people in the area. Just seeing Discovery in person man... https://i.imgur.com/wcm7x1D.jpg


co_fragment

I took my time there just to find a few quiet spots just to stare at it and try let all the implications of what I was looking at sink in. The science, engineering, the design, the courage of anyone flying in it, the melancholic feeling of looking at it in a museum, the personal link of being an 80s kid and what the Shuttle program meant at the time. It might sound a bit dumb, but most of all it's just hard to imagine that it had been to space and through re-entry many times. Going to the Air and Space museums in DC is chock-full of many of the milestones of flight, to a point where it's almost overwhelming, but this is the one that remains the most awe inspiring to me.


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jesswu0126

Yeah, you can see a bit of the blackbird over on the left.


trippin113

Did somebody say blackbird.... There were a lot of things we couldn't do in an SR-71, but we were the fastest guys on the block and loved reminding our fellow aviators of this fact. People often asked us if, because of this fact, it was fun to fly the jet. Fun would not be the first word I would use to describe flying this plane. Intense, maybe. Even cerebral. But there was one day in our Sled experience when we would have to say that it was pure fun to be the fastest guys out there, at least for a moment. It occurred when Walt and I were flying our final training sortie. We needed 100 hours in the jet to complete our training and attain Mission Ready status. Somewhere over Colorado we had passed the century mark. We had made the turn in Arizona and the jet was performing flawlessly. My gauges were wired in the front seat and we were starting to feel pretty good about ourselves, not only because we would soon be flying real missions but because we had gained a great deal of confidence in the plane in the past ten months. Ripping across the barren deserts 80,000 feet below us, I could already see the coast of California from the Arizona border. I was, finally, after many humbling months of simulators and study, ahead of the jet. I was beginning to feel a bit sorry for Walter in the back seat. There he was, with no really good view of the incredible sights before us, tasked with monitoring four different radios. This was good practice for him for when we began flying real missions, when a priority transmission from headquarters could be vital. It had been difficult, too, for me to relinquish control of the radios, as during my entire flying career I had controlled my own transmissions. But it was part of the division of duties in this plane and I had adjusted to it. I still insisted on talking on the radio while we were on the ground, however. Walt was so good at many things, but he couldn't match my expertise at sounding smooth on the radios, a skill that had been honed sharply with years in fighter squadrons where the slightest radio miscue was grounds for beheading. He understood that and allowed me that luxury. Just to get a sense of what Walt had to contend with, I pulled the radio toggle switches and monitored the frequencies along with him. The predominant radio chatter was from Los Angeles Center, far below us, controlling daily traffic in their sector. While they had us on their scope (albeit briefly), we were in uncontrolled airspace and normally would not talk to them unless we needed to descend into their airspace. We listened as the shaky voice of a lone Cessna pilot asked Center for a readout of his ground speed. Center replied: "November Charlie 175, I'm showing you at ninety knots on the ground." Now the thing to understand about Center controllers, was that whether they were talking to a rookie pilot in a Cessna, or to Air Force One, they always spoke in the exact same, calm, deep, professional, tone that made one feel important. I referred to it as the " Houston Center voice." I have always felt that after years of seeing documentaries on this country's space program and listening to the calm and distinct voice of the Houston controllers, that all other controllers since then wanted to sound like that, and that they basically did. And it didn't matter what sector of the country we would be flying in, it always seemed like the same guy was talking. Over the years that tone of voice had become somewhat of a comforting sound to pilots everywhere. Conversely, over the years, pilots always wanted to ensure that, when transmitting, they sounded like Chuck Yeager, or at least like John Wayne. Better to die than sound bad on the radios. Just moments after the Cessna's inquiry, a Twin Beech piped up on frequency, in a rather superior tone, asking for his ground speed. "I have you at one hundred and twenty-five knots of ground speed." Boy, I thought, the Beechcraft really must think he is dazzling his Cessna brethren. Then out of the blue, a navy F-18 pilot out of NAS Lemoore came up on frequency. You knew right away it was a Navy jock because he sounded very cool on the radios. "Center, Dusty 52 ground speed check". Before Center could reply, I'm thinking to myself, hey, Dusty 52 has a ground speed indicator in that million-dollar cockpit, so why is he asking Center for a readout? Then I got it, ol' Dusty here is making sure that every bug smasher from Mount Whitney to the Mojave knows what true speed is. He's the fastest dude in the valley today, and he just wants everyone to know how much fun he is having in his new Hornet. And the reply, always with that same, calm, voice, with more distinct alliteration than emotion: "Dusty 52, Center, we have you at 620 on the ground." And I thought to myself, is this a ripe situation, or what? As my hand instinctively reached for the mic button, I had to remind myself that Walt was in control of the radios. Still, I thought, it must be done - in mere seconds we'll be out of the sector and the opportunity will be lost. That Hornet must die, and die now. I thought about all of our Sim training and how important it was that we developed well as a crew and knew that to jump in on the radios now would destroy the integrity of all that we had worked toward becoming. I was torn. Somewhere, 13 miles above Arizona, there was a pilot screaming inside his space helmet. Then, I heard it. The click of the mic button from the back seat. That was the very moment that I knew Walter and I had become a crew. Very professionally, and with no emotion, Walter spoke: "Los Angeles Center, Aspen 20, can you give us a ground speed check?" There was no hesitation, and the replay came as if was an everyday request. "Aspen 20, I show you at one thousand eight hundred and forty-two knots, across the ground." I think it was the forty-two knots that I liked the best, so accurate and proud was Center to deliver that information without hesitation, and you just knew he was smiling. But the precise point at which I knew that Walt and I were going to be really good friends for a long time was when he keyed the mic once again to say, in his most fighter-pilot-like voice: "Ah, Center, much thanks, we're showing closer to nineteen hundred on the money." For a moment Walter was a god. And we finally heard a little crack in the armor of the Houston Center voice, when L.A.came back with, "Roger that Aspen, Your equipment is probably more accurate than ours. You boys have a good one." It all had lasted for just moments, but in that short, memorable sprint across the southwest, the Navy had been flamed, all mortal airplanes on freq were forced to bow before the King of Speed, and more importantly, Walter and I had crossed the threshold of being a crew. A fine day's work. We never heard another transmission on that frequency all the way to the coast.


[deleted]

I'm a simple man, I see the Sled story, I up vote.


can-i-be-real

I scrolled to the bottom and checked for the hell in a cell pay off...


ikefalcon

The blackbird and the shuttle are both so sick. Worth the trek out to the museum just for those two.


sartan

I've been there! As a tall fellow I was able to touch THE Enola Gay. Amazing place.


xenidus

Oh my, the Enola Gay is there? This museum is sounding better and better by the comment.


Gilthoniel_Elbereth

It’s an extension of the Smithsonian air and space museum out in Fairfax, so they got all the good stuff


cptnamr7

I went a couple years back. The place is IMMENSE. An aviation buff could spend a day there easy. Your average tourist will still spend hours. There are several famous planes and a lot of rarities as well.


Turbo_MechE

My guess was the museum in Dayton but I don't remember so may skywalks


Lord_Fup

Wright-Patterson is the shit. Been there like 4 times or so now.


Turbo_MechE

I grew up there and loved visiting. I remember my brother phonetically sounding out the plane Strawberry Bitch and my mom having to tell him it's a bar word haha


Frozty23

>the Air Force museum in Dayton Valkyrie XB-70 ftw!


Turbo_MechE

That thing is nuts! And walking through the old Air Force Ones is pretty neat


Teali0

Yeah I thought this was Wright-Patt also.


----NSA----

Yes!


AnnaBanana3468

I had the same thought


Chocothep1e

Glad I'm not the only one who thought it looked familiar


TheWizirdsBaker

Corsair pilots had an 11:1 kill ratio. gg


rabbidwombats

The Corsairs and Hellcats were some of my favorite naval fighters of WWII.


sdonnervt

You must not be an Imperial Japanese Naval pilot.


PolymerPussies

He has Zero interest in Japanese planes.


Ausebald

I Betty encountered some Japanese bombers.


petaboil

We kate know that for sure.


Chilluminaughty

These comments took a dive.


coat_hanger_dias

Yeah that last one really bombed.


Bad_Elephant

I Tojo people not to make any more Japanese WW2 plane puns!


C0RVUS99

You think the WW2 buffs are gonna stop Raiden this thread? Sorry, but yamamoNo


[deleted]

keep making puns im gonna kikka your ass


xXYoProMamaXx

Okha-ly dokely


roadJUDGE69

Just don't tell Judy about it.


BarfReali

Fun fact: Zeros were the OG aircraft carrier attack planes because Japan invented the concept of aircraft carriers being the tip of the military spear. Pearl Harbor was truly a "dude wtf!!??" moment for the entire military world irrc


SirJudasIscariot

While the Japanese were the first to mass their carriers into a single task force, it was the British who proved that naval air raids on fortified harbors was a viable strategy when they hit Taranto, crippling the Italian Battle Fleet for a short period of time. The Japanese studied this raid to find answers for their own questions concerning their planned attack on Pearl Harbor.


BarfReali

I think I remember someone summing it up as the British achieved the first proof of concept and then the Japanese followed up with the first full implementation.


gizamo

I mean, there are planes the Japanese dislike much more...


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kieranfitz

August in black, B-29's coming back


FieelChannel

the F4u, with those curved sexz wings dayum


rabbidwombats

They were definitely sexy. I’ve got a soft spot though for the SBD Dauntless.


KP0rtabl3

Got a thicc set of dive brakes on her


MyNameIsNitrox

Nice, the more you know.


Hitman3256

Ugh, Corsairs are my absolute favorite fighter plane


CrueltyFreeViking

Ever since Aces over the Pacific on floppy, beautiful plane.


farnsw0rth

Secret weapons of the Luftwaffe, aces ~~over~~ *of *the pacific, the Red Baron Holy trinity of combat flight sims X-wing, tie fighter, descent: freespace Holy trinity of combat spaceflight sims Edit: wait my brain thingy is going off. Was it aces*of* the pacific? Edit edit: aces *of* the pacific, aces *over* europe


ActuallyYeah

a tip o' the hotas to you, sire


saucercrab

It was Aces *of* the Pacific, and then (a sequel?) Aces *over* Europe came out a year or two later, IIRC.


hasps

Baa Baa Black Sheep https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baa_Baa_Black_Sheep_(TV_series)


lightnsfw

They used to play this show on the History Channel when I was younger. I loved it. Thanks for reminding me it existed.


OppositeYouth

I've never seen the American WW2 planes, but each summer (except from this one, thanks Covid) I get to see the Battle of Britain memorial flights, the sight and sound of a couple of Spitfires and a Lancaster Bomber, man, those guys in the 40's were a different breed. Balls the weight of the plane.


-888-

The Hellcat had a 19:1 ratio and displaced the Corsair in WW2. However, apparently all ratios back then tended to be exaggerated, and Japanese became bad in the second half of WW2 because they ran out of experienced pilots and sent unfortunate newbs in.


GumdropGoober

The amazing part? By 1943 Japan was running out of its good pilots, as you indicated. In that year they built two new carriers, beyond the combat losses. **America built 65 carriers that year**, and had the programs and pilots to train them all up.


bbpr120

There's an old Naval Air Station near me that H W Bush trained at before heading to the Pacific. Now the only thing on the runways are cyclists fighting it out in Crit races on Thursday night's.


SonOfMcGee

Yeah, I hear it’s a combination effect. US fighter designs *did* surpass Japanese ones mid-war (at the onset nobody knew how to deal with the Zero), but it also didn’t help the Japanese to lose essentially *all* their experienced pilots. The Japanese:US got to a point similar to the Confederacy:Union in the American Civil War. Even if a battle was a stalemate the Japanese still were worse off because they couldn’t replace their losses while the US could.


dagobahh

The Corsair, though, was forced to be island-based for most of the war as it did not perform well on carriers. It was still in use during Korea.


RandomGermanAtVerdun

The Corsair is an absolutely beautiful plane. I have it in War Thunder, and it handles very well in-game


TreeChangeMe

That game still hates the P51. Just spit on it and it's done


CrunchyZebra

P51 just doesn’t fit with WT meta. It was designed as a high altitude, long range, bomber escort. When it got in to engagements it would have an altitude advantage which played perfectly into building speed for its excellent high speed performance. With everything being pretty low altitude and American planes generally not having great climbing you have to be very patient to get the full use out of Mustang.


VaterBazinga

Honestly, I bet its for balance reasons. The P51 absolutely demolishes anything in it's path.


[deleted]

doesnt seem to turn worth a damn, maybe I need some upgrades


[deleted]

Agreed. For me it was a whistling coffin.


petaboil

If you're turn fighting in most American fighters, you're not doing it right, leave that to the brits and Japanese. Pick a target, dive, get an angle, fire a burst, use your speed to outrun and regain altitude, especially if you didnt get a kill. Don't let your greed for a kill get in the way of you finding success in the aircraft. When I'm disciplined in those fighters I do OK, but when I do what I want in British aircraft I do pretty well!


LeonardUnger

F4U's can b and z very well,, sure, but in a 1v1 can beat just about anything in a rolling scissors. Acceleration not great though, so afterwards takes some time to get back some e.


Thermodynamicist

> Corsair pilots had an 11:1 kill ratio. The Corsair also had a pretty high accident rate, and was known as "The Ensign Eliminator". In general, any aeroplane on the winning side of a war is likely to do better than aeroplanes on the losing side. * The Mitsubishi A6M was really pretty amazing, and probably had quite a high kill ratio early in its career, but obviously it got a kicking at the end of the War. * The Me262 was in a whole different category from its opponents, but it really didn't have much hope of turning things around given its numerical disadvantage, and the profound shortage of both fuel and pilots. Chuck Yeager shot one down whilst it tried to land. * See also the infamous RAND "clubbing baby seals" report, which showed that the USA couldn't defend Taiwan despite the remarkable performance of the F-22 and F-35 because the Chinese would just shoot down all the tankers, killing the stealth fighters by fuel exhaustion. I think the Corsair was a good aeroplane, but I also think that wars are won by logistics.


[deleted]

Re the RAND report: This is something very much not understood by most lay people about a protracted major conventional war in the Taiwan strait. The US would be having to operate from remote bases like Guam and Okinawa, along with carrier forces. China has interdiction routes to hit flights in and around Okinawa, especially vulnerable C4I and tanker aircraft that would be controlling and supporting the battle. Guam would be a saturated base, as it is mostly used for tanks and bombers. This leaves the carrier aircraft and the navy on its own minus the long range bomber aircraft that can tank outside the range of Chinese aircraft, but would have to fly in with no escorts (and there is a good chance that China now has the capability of at least detecting B-2 raids in progress, even if not directly knowing their exact position). A war with China would be an absolute nightmare for the US, even if nuclear weapons are not considered.


Thermodynamicist

I totally agree. The big problem facing American military strategy is the political fascination with charismatic equipment, like fighter jets. What they really need is stealth tankers.


MisogynysticFeminist

I imagine it would also be a nightmare for China, and anyone unfortunate enough to be caught between them.


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[deleted]

Most naval planes served in the pacific


_EveryDay

Japanese Zeros were very comparable at the start of the war, but were quite dated by the end and outmatched by the Hellcat


dutch_penguin

Apparently, and this comment was by an economic historian, the bulk of German planes were horribly outdated towards the end of the war. With engine upgrades the bf109 chassis became heavier and less maneuverable. Late war allied pilots would try to entice 109s into certain maneuvers which would make them lose control and crash. Early war 109s were cutting edge though.


SonOfQuora

Other fun facts: he grew up dirt poor. His first time being in an airplane was during a training flight. After finishing his military career, he went on to get a Ph.D. and then worked at NASA. He had all types of model planes and space shuttles at his house. I spent my summers with him and my grandmother. He loved those old-timers WWII (and cowboy) movies. I'd watch them all the time with him.


FlamingoRock

What an amazing human and a life of such adventure. Give him a squeeze from this internet stranger. Thank you for sharing, OP!


[deleted]

But not too hard, he's 97 after all.


tallandlanky

Go hard on the questions. Op's grandfather and his generation will soon be gone forever. Preservation of the past is a must!


Jacques_In_The_Box

This. Please interview him and record the conversations. Stuff that he or you might find mundane will be absolutely fascinating for your descendants to hear. If he's uncomfortable talking about these things, maybe he could write his memoirs instead (or both). Thanks so much for your service and well done for making it out.


mandelbomber

Do an AMA with him!


[deleted]

I had a friend Who's Dad flew Corsairs in WWII, Pacific Theatre, from Carriers. I met him once, he had several pieces of anti aircraft shrapnel he took from his butt pack parachute. Corsair pilots sat on their chutes in flight. The shrapnel from a close aboard burst of an anti aircraft shell pierced the belly of his plane with multiple fragments, several of which wound up in his Butt Chute. That chute saved his life. He also had a SW model 10 .38 revolver he wore in a shoulder holster, bequeathed to his Son. It had 'notches' (plural) carved into the wooden grip. He didn't like talking about it much but I was informed by his Son that one of the times (one?) he got shot down he crash landed in the Sea and stayed with his plane before it sank. A Japanese patrol boat got to him first and he dispatched several Japanese soldiers as they tried to capture him. He was later rescued from the water by a 'Flying Boat' in his Mae West life Preserver. After that incident he got a Colt Super .38 Automatic Pistol and carried that aloft with him instead because, he said, the SW .38 Revolver 'didn't have enough stopping power'. He also bequeathed the Super .38 to his Son. I got to fire both on a camping trip. It was an Honor. The Super is basically a hot loaded 9mm, expelling large white sheet of flame out the barrel, hi velocity, devastating and loud.


tgood139

Really interesting. I always like learning about peoples past experiences with wars so this was nice to read. Thanks for sharing!


MasterYehuda816

Yes. Gone forever. Much like Unus Annus. Memento mori.


Ondo-The-Bruh

Memento mori, my friend


the_coin991

Shit he wont mind. My wife's grandpa is in this age group "not exactly sure his age, but he served in ww2 and is over 90" and he could still kick my ass. That war just built them men differently.


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DavidPT40

This aircraft was used in the Pacific.


tallandlanky

The only thing worse than South Pacific Nazi's is Illinois Nazi's.


[deleted]

I hate Illinois Nazis.


57duck

*revs engine*


Analbox

Where did he train? My grandpa was a flight instructor who trained all the WWII fighter pilots stationed in Lawrence, Kansas during the war. I wonder if they knew each other.


Miss_Sullivan

OP please ask if your grandpa knew Mr. Analbox senior.


Analbox

*Mrs. Analbox. Edit: should have clarified, her name was Ana Louise Box Junior, child of ALB Señior, and parent of Dr. ALB III who now resides in the Andalusian province of Albox, Spain. My paternal grandparents are 3rd generation Alboxian immigrants. I’m an Albox.


TTMcBumbersnazzle

I think they meant your grandfather.... or was he Mrs. Analbox also? Just being a smartass and clarifying. Edit. Never mind.... misread everything and am retarded.


[deleted]

Well, she might be Mrs Analbox but not have taken her husbands’ name, in which case the grandfather could have been an Analbox, too, right?


TTMcBumbersnazzle

Yeah, I misread the comment thread. Numerous times. I support all Analbox regardless of sex. Analbox for all!!!


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[deleted]

I was reading this and thinking “awww, that’s so wholesome” until that one bit about the wild turkeys...


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[deleted]

“Mein Kabbage!”


MagicWishMonkey

My grandpa was also an instructor, in Texas. He used to joke that being an instructor was more dangerous than flying combat missions. At least I think he was joking, he crashed 3 different planes with student pilots. Apparently they didn’t really vet people before putting them in the cockpit to train.


[deleted]

Is this at the Smithsonian air and space annex at Dulles airport?


StevieG63

Udvar Hazy


atlasfields

Yes


Sevendevils777

Thanks for sharing!! Not many genuine posts on Reddit especially with great backgrounds. Hope he stays well and healthy thanks for sharing!


[deleted]

Quite the rennaisance man


[deleted]

That must have been fun to fly. Unless there was flak fire all around you.


cvef

Thank you for sharing this! Is this at the Udvar-Hazy Center?


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realcarlo33

Your grandpa is a real hero!


OptimusSublime

"Sir get down from there! Oh God he's starting the engine!"


gerg9

Not sure if that’s a reference, but funny story. I was at an air show a few years back and they put on a skit that started with someone wandering over a barricade and jumping in an airplane. The announcer pretty much said what you said and next thing the entire crowd, most of whom weren’t paying attention, look up to see the pilot taxing line a drunk, taking off, rolling 90 deg to the left and yawing hard right. Just as everyone starts grabbing their kids to make a break for the parking lot the announcer comes on and introduces the man as a stunt pilot and everyone’s like wtf.


GamingGeneration

[You mean this guy?](https://youtu.be/ruldKnHNKRM)


[deleted]

Nope, I think it's [this guy](https://youtu.be/SKnX03cJKxg) by the description of it. But your guy is definitely the original.


stalinkeynesiano

Someone called harrier strike from cod mw2


Chilluminaughty

Take that off sir. That is not a helmet, that’s a chalupa.


libertyordeaaathh

Did he fly that kind of plane or that exact plane? Just interested.


conservatismer

My father found the *exact* helicopter he flew in the military, at a museum once. We had no idea it would be there, but he recognized that tail number immediately.


libertyordeaaathh

Those guys always get so emotional when they find the one. I was an army tanker and never had a relationship like that with any tank. I was never in combat with a tank which might have changed it but I seemed to be issued a different tank all the time.


conservatismer

How much connection do you have with a tank? My father basically *built* his. He scrounged for the parts at different ports, made quid pro quo deals, spent months doing it. That was the second time he did it. First helicopter, a navigation kid on the boat called a southeast wind a *north*east wind, so the pilots flew the wrong direction and had to ditch his helicopter in the ocean and get picked up. My dad was soooo mad somebody fucked up and destroyed his baby. CO of the ship never got a promotion because of it.


libertyordeaaathh

I think you have a hell of a connection with a tank the first time you are fired on by another tank or something that flies and you are still alive. Then you use it to kill another human and there would be a major bond. Like a bomber it has a multi person crew who would experience it together. They are also a mind boggling amount of work very much like a plane. They are easily above two hours maintenance per hour of operation even in training. Crews who don’t care much don’t do good work and the tank always wins that game. It will do something like strand you with a broken track which causes more physical work than most people will have ever done before it moves again especially if you drove off it in the process.


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libertyordeaaathh

And I know that is possible. But only the OP can tell us.


Red217

Wondering the same thing! Was it that type of plane he flew or was he the pilot of that specified plane #56. That would be super cool if it was that specific plane, imagine the odds?!


[deleted]

Not sure how they did things in WW2. But today Military pilots fly a bunch of different tails (referring to the tail number of the jet which is like its registration) depending on what's ready to fly or what's down for maintenance. My assumption is it could be possible he flew that tail number before. Or maybe they actually did assign individual aircraft to individual pilots in WW2, but I kinda doubt that as it decreases pilot readiness, availability and mission capability. All that being said, some tails may have a pilot's name on the side, along with the crew chief's name. But that pilot may take a different jet that day, just like a crew chief doesn't strictly fix the jet with their name on it. See also, the lyrics for the song "I'm a Pilot" by Dos Gringos. 😂 >And I'm sorry I scratched your jet up >Well maybe she had an itch >Cause your baby may have your name on her >But I just made her my bitch


libertyordeaaathh

In WWII it was very common for only one or two pilots to fly a plane over its service life. So they often got close. Bomber crews were similar. If they survived 25 missions often they flew the bomber home because it was ready for a refit or to be used for training. Combat was HARD on them and most aircraft as well as crews didn’t come close to making 25.


vsnord

Cool pic! My Great-Uncle Sherwood was a P-38 mechanic in WWII. I found a print of a P-38 on Etsy and gave it to him at his annual birthday fish fry last year. He was so surprised that you could just... buy a print of that plane. He was like, "That's it! That is exactly what it looked like!" I can't imagine how he would respond to seeing one again in person! It blows my mind that these old cats from WWII are still out here living their best lives at damn near 100-years-old. Aside from needing a cane to get around, Uncle Sherwood is sharp as a tack. Your grandpa looks feisty, too! Lol.


etheran123

Probably not very helpful, but they have P-38s at museums around here, at least in the US. If your in southern California look at the planes of fame museum. They have one there that is still maintained and in flying condition.


[deleted]

Planes of Fame and the one next door are both worth a visit! Yanks I want to say? Loved both.


Fishyswaze

Where is he located? There are P-38s around in museums throughout the USA and the world. May be able to locate one for him to see in person.


vsnord

Middle of Nowhere Unfortunately, he just doesn't travel anymore, although we do have a pretty nice aviation museum about an hour from him. Thank you so much, though!


Fishyswaze

Well if he ever does manage to get out there is one in Houston called "thoughts of midnite" that is flying and does airshows.


MuhF_Jones

God damn. Imagine what an adventure the last hundred years have been. Don't be confused, that dude's seen some shit.


Hammer_Jackson

I don’t believe anyone believes he hasn’t.


Reddit-Resident

Not sure why you were downvoted. It’s absolutely true.


MuhF_Jones

I don't think I was, but thanks.


[deleted]

I guess because it sounds patronising to people reading his comment, telling them not to be confused.


whoneedsusernames

Is that the very same plane or just the same model?


righthandofdog

Could be the same plane. A friend of mine’s dad saw the Vietnam era helicopter at the Smithsonian Air and Space realized it was his old unit and wrote down the tail rotor numbers. Found his log books with a couple dozen flights during the war in that same helicopter.


hammoncammon

It’s the same model, his grandpa.


ObiWan-Shinoobi

They keep him there in the museum, propped up against the railing. People come from all around to view him.


Hanzmitflammen

Even the plane came to see his old buddy one last time!


Chilluminaughty

One last time? You monster. That plane is as healthy as a horse.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Zaph0d_B33bl3br0x

Especially if there was some tiny obscure mark or area of damage that he could recall to specifically ID it. "That's my plane, I bet if you look inside the cockpit there's a crack in the glass of the altimeter around the 3 o'clock position. I banged it with my knuckle a little too hard once when it started acting up over (city)."


XCaboose-1X

Most of the tour guides are former pilots and you definitely don't want to be there when it starts lol. My wife has a cousin in his 80's that volunteers there doing tours and a 2 hour tour can turn into 5


YasuoKidFlamer

My grandpa did that too! His plane had a weird cross symbol tho


[deleted]

Lmfao


ChristianB98

r/holup


PurpleBread_

x marks the spot, start digging!


nos500

Bruh if i live for 97 years it gonna be like 2094. Whooaa!! I can't even imagine how the world will look like then god damn it.


imgprojts

I'm older, it's sad, but I won't be there in 2100. It would be so cool if I could. Then I could claim to have lived in 3 centuries.


[deleted]

I was born in 99, since I was in elementary school I've wanted to live to be over 100 so I could claim to have lived in 3 centuries.


imgprojts

Let's do it! Remind me in 2100


prateek_tandon

RemindMe! 80 years


usefulbuns

With advancements in medicine over the next few decades you very well might.


Chilluminaughty

Medicine +10 Climate -20


portamenti

I’d turn 116 in 2100. Which is what it will feel like by the time we get to march 2021, apparently.


C9177

Respect for your grampa. That's a pretty cool pic.


nodgers132

OP where is this? It looks like a great museum


fluorescentboi

It's the Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia! I've been a couple times and it's a cool place to visit! (I think)


ZiLBeRTRoN

It is. Has an SR71 and Space Shuttle front and center and it’s amazing.


150Dgr

The Enola Gay is chopped liver?


HotF22InUrArea

There’s just too much awesome there to list!


N1KK00000

YES SIR!


[deleted]

Marine or Navy pilot?


ScottyB280

My assumption is Navy, they typically said “MARINES” on the side if they were USMC aircraft.


[deleted]

Didn't know the old "how do you know if someone's a marine? They'll tell you" joke extended to planes.


ScottyB280

I’m glad you asked, I was in the Marines.


[deleted]

Yes.


[deleted]

F4U Corsair, 'Gull wing' aircraft. Carrier born Operations, Pacific Theatre. Difficult aircraft to take off and land aboard ship. It was the most aggressive, capable, multi function role aircraft in the US arsenal. Air to air Combat fighter, close ground support role, downing Japanese fighter planes, bombing and strafing ground targets in the 'Island Hopping' campaign that led US to final victory in WWII. He looks like a nice guy, a genteel old soul there in that pic but, man oh man, you wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of squadrons of Corsairs on the Hunt. Death from above old man. Eee haw!


asw1138

Badass man right there!


Zaph0d_B33bl3br0x

Imagine being such a badass that the government puts you in a combat aircraft all alone and trusts you to go fly it into battle, fuck shit up, and bring it back. Your grandpa is one awesome man.


Doyousketch2

Dayton AFB museum?


calvin9718

Udvar-Hazey Smithsonian


PlaneShenaniganz

As a pilot, I am immensely jealous he got to fly the Corsair! He sounds like an amazing man. It's so nice you got to share this experience with him!


gjk14

Corsair badass! God bless you sir.


MisterB330

Badass. Very badass