Theodore's World

The more I hear about the Rature, the more impressed I am. American technology and American troops ROCK!!

Well, that's just awesome!
Yes, good things are happening in afghanistan too - not that you would know from the news...

This story on our Air Force says the are one of
the best Along with the Navy(Wings of Gold).I
tend to be an air field rat where War Birds
are concerned.Now we have the F-16 AND THE F-22
lets go back a few years say 65.

Before Arriving at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
Glacier Girl, the Lockheed P-38 WWII fighter that was rescued from beneath the ice in Greenland and meticulously restored to original condition, will appear at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, parked on display at the main showcase ramp, AeroShell Square. But before she gets to the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration for the week of July 23-29, the airplane has some unfinished business to take care of.
Sixty-five years ago, Glacier Girl was one of eight aircraft--six P-38s and two B-17 bombers--assigned to Operation Bolero, a World War II aid mission to support U.S. allies in the war-torn European theatre. The mission was cut short by brutal weather, and the entire squadron was forced to make an emergency landing on a remote ice cap in Greenland.

Fifty years later, the P-38 was salvaged from under 268 feet of ice and was painstakingly restored over the next decade. It flew again in late October 2002 and was an immensely popular attraction at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005.

On June 22, pilot Steve Hinton will take off in Glacier Girl from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, and fly to Duxford, England, to complete the aborted Operation Bolero from 65 years ago.

“This monumental flight will bring closure to Operation Bolero as well as pay homage to the brave aviators who beat the odds to survive certain death on that polar ice cap in Greenland during World War II,” Hinton said. “It’s thrilling to be a part of this historic event.”

“Operation Bolero II” will also include air show veteran Ed Shipley, who will be Hinton’s wingman in the recently completed P-51 Mustang Miss Velma. The Mustang will be equipped with Wingspeed Corporation’s satellite-based aircraft communications technology that will allow anyone on the ground to communicate with the pilots via e-mail communications and receive answers from the cockpit while the planes are in flight.

The cutting-edge technology will also allow real time tracking of Glacier Girl’s historic journey at Shipley’s website for aviation enthusiasts, AirShowBuzz.com.

“It’s an honor to be Steve’s wingman as we trace the same flight path that Glacier Girl flew over 60 years ago,” said Shipley, U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight pilot.

Glacier Girl will remain in Duxford for the Flying Legends Air Show on July 7-8, and then return to the U.S. to take part in EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007. The airplane will be on display at AeroShell Square and be a featured aircraft in the popular Warbirds In Review program, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, July 28. It’s also scheduled to be a part of the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flights.

2 weeks ago the Glacier Girl was in Nampa Idaho
and flew with 2 P-51 Mustangs all weekend.Jet
engines sound ok but nothing sounds any better
than the Mustangs and 38...

Tincan Sailor - I love the sound of those old inline Rolls Royce and Allison engines. About three times a year the Collings Foundation brings to Dallas it's rebuilt B24, B17 and B25 bombers from WWII. They take passengers up for rides. Their assigned flight path is relatively low level and right over my home. So for about 5 days at a time I get to see these 3 old warriors sortie by 6 or 8 times a day. What is neat is that I can hear and feel those old multi-engine planes with their radial powerplants before I can see them. I would love to see that P38. I think that is the neatest aircraft of WWII.

Maybe 50 years from now some old codgers, now teenagers, will get a thrill seeing a rebuilt F16 roar overhead.

Kids of the future just won't have the thrill of reciprocating engines. My first flight was in an old twin conversion from WWII from the Hughes Airwest fleet, with oil streaming across the windows and flames belching from the exhaust, on a milk run from Los Angeles to Seattle, I was like a kid with a book of matches. Then I got to ride in a C47 once, noisy and cold due to no insulation. But I've always enjoyed the Mustang's roar of power, so much power and torque that they'd ground loop if given too much throttle on roll out. Then there is the joy of seeing the the OV-1 Mohawk and the OV-10 Bronco at work. I was taking flying lessons for a while and enjoyed it immensely at the time but now I just hate to fly.

Around 10 years ago I had a good friend who had
a Crop Dusting business in California.He had
a Thrush Commander and A couple of Grumman
AG-Cats all three had 640 HP-P&W Radials,I used
to ride with him. I would get in first then he
would sit on my lap and off we would go 3' off
the deck..Thats a rush I'll never forget

Tom....for me when I first saw the Raptor I giggled because it was so unusual looking, then after seeing it more often and really looking at it I am in awe of it and what it does.

Yankeemom your so right, it sure is hard to find things on Afghanistan and I am so disappointed about that. We have a lot of our troops there. Once and awhile I find something and I am thrilled.

Tincan Sailor thank you so much!! I love reading about that.