Yup, different breed... almost all gone now. They don't make them like that anymore. Mine was a P-51 guy, I was 16. I can still smell the Chesterfields.

The one thing is he never talked much about it and when I was at the LFI aero club guys always wanted to ask him questions and he was rather mum. He was career USAF so he went from the P-47 to jets but heck I don't know if he was in Korea or anything, just the Pacific in WWII. Really, he'd rather tell me stories about when he ground looped a Stearman or took off with tape on the pitot tubes of the jet rather than war stories. Which having grown up in a military town, that's how you knew you were talking to someone who really did something. Like my dad's friend at church, knew him for 10 years before he found out he was an original SEAL.

I did overhear Mr. Watson say that when it came to the P-47 when you dived on a target you were happy to have the big engine to hide behind. And I guess if you wanted to impress your girlfriend take a picture on the wing of the P-51, if you want to make your parents feel better take one on the P-47. Something like that, but that sums up all he ever said about it.

He was jealous of me though, he got like a 98 or something on the instrument written. I got a 100. Yeah, everyone was shocked including my CFII. I was humble about it. I didn't do great on the ride, I just had too much going on between stupid high school and work to pay for the flying loan that I don't think I would've passed me. But he did, probably because I got a 100.

The humbleness was warranted by the way, a month or so later the FAA wrote me a letter to say there was a foul up on the computer when I took the test, I didn't make a 100. I made a [redacted]. But I passed. And I passed my ride probably because I got a 100. :D

FTB
C average a-hole.

They made a lot of those at the Whirlpool plant in EVV. There's a great PBS show, called 'A Fighter Pilots Story'. Its about 15 years old now, but it's a documentary narrated by the subject, a P47 driver whose first day on the job was D-day. It's a harrowing tale, he's maybe the only guy who survived the war in his unit. The Martin Cadin book, Thunderbolt, also a good one for fans of the "Jug"

Here's a link to his website, he passed away 5 years ago.

http://quentinaanenson.com/

Nothing wrong with "the gentlemans' C"

Ode to the Jug.



Jesse, I said "jug". Get to work.

Obviously you and I watched the same movie yesterday!! My beard looked like that last month with my 53 days between flights. This month I was dumb enough to bid a max credit line. I will get paid a whole 3 hours more than a slack-a$$ 70 hours reserve couch potato. Stupid me. Now I get to work weekends and not drink beer with my neighbors while they watch football. I've learned my lesson. Beer is more important than 3 hours of extra pay. Time to search for new underboob.

From what I'm coming up with, I think you are right. Bid old stuff now, then new stuff the month you convert. I've done it before, during a non-vacation bidding time. I just thought they would project forward and have you bid your new category vacation. I must have been thinking of stiff from a previous life.

So, apparently when you convert, you just re-bid vacation.

If I find out I'm wrong (which I often am), I'll let you know. :)

I agree 100%. Those guys did a lot to change the country. We owe them a lot.

I ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE.

Unless your junior to me, then AMEN!

I agree Newk.

And I will say this with that trailer, looks like they got the airplanes right, so maybe there is hope the movie is correct.

Beats the heck out of 24. They showed a 747 at the gate in DCA, a 777 taxing out, then like a remote control 757 taking off and I'm pretty sure it's gear wasn't retractable. Same with Lost.

BTW, they look so young even now:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...iefing1945.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...007March29.jpg

As usual, you are hilarious.

All we need is this guy now...

http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/.../ladiesman.jpg