Notices
Hangar Talk For non-aviation-related discussion and aviation threads that don't belong elsewhere

Old P-51 Pilot

Old 04-03-2008, 06:45 AM
  #1  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Paddles's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Moving Around
Posts: 184
Default Old P-51 Pilot

Passed on to me from a fellow Aviator............

This is a little story about a vivid memory of a P-51 and its pilot by a young fellow who was 12 years old in Canada in 1967.


It was noon on a Sunday as I recall, the day a Mustang P-51 was to take to the air. They said it had flown in during the night from some U.S. airport, the pilot had been tired. I marveled at the size of the plane dwarfing the Pipers and Canucks tied down by her. It was much larger than in the movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of security from days gone by.

The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into the flight lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was gray and tossed, looked like it might have been combed, say, around the turn of the century. His flight jacket was checked, creased and worn - it smelled old and genuine. Old Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected a quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He filed a quick flight plan to Montreal (Expo-67, Air Show) then walked across the tarmac.

After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check the pilot returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while he "flashed the old bird up, just to be safe." Though only 12 at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher after brief instruction on its use -- "If you see a fire, point, then pull this lever!" I later became a firefighter, but that's another story. The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold, then another, and yet another barked -- I stepped back with the others. In moments the Packard-built Merlin engine came to life with a thunderous roar, blue flames knifed from her manifolds. I looked at the others' faces, there was no concern. I lowered the bell of my extinguisher.

One of the guys signaled to walk back to the lounge. We did. Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his pre flight run-up. He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All went quiet for several seconds; we raced from the lounge to the second story deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she started down the runway. We could not. There we stood, eyes fixed to a spot half way down 19. Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before, like a furious hell spawn set loose---something mighty this way was coming. "Listen to that thing!" said the controller. In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight. Its tail was already off and it was moving faster than anything I'd ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The prop tips we're supersonic; we clasped our ears as the Mustang climbed hellish fast into the circuit to be eaten up by the dog-day haze. We stood for a few moments in stunned silence trying to digest what we'd just seen.

The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. " Kingston tower calling Mustang?" He looked back to us as he waited for an acknowledgment. The radio crackled, "Go ahead Kingston." "Roger Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is clear for a low level pass." I stood in shock because the controller had, more or less, just asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air show! The controller looked at us. "What?" He asked. "I can't let that guy go without asking. I couldn't forgive myself!" The radio crackled once again, "Kingston, do I have permission for a low level pass, east to west, across the field?" "Roger Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west pass." "Roger, Kingston, I'm coming out of 3000 feet, stand by."

We rushed back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51 burst through the haze. Her airframe straining against positive G's and gravity, wing tips spilling contrails of condensed air, prop-tips again supersonic as the burnished bird blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and tearing the air. At about 400+ mph and 150 yards from where we stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting. Imagine. A salute! I felt like laughing, I felt like crying, she glistened, she screamed, the building shook, my heart pounded. Then the old pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of sight into the broken clouds and indelibly into my memory.

I've never wanted to be an American more than on that day. It was a time when many nations in the world looked to America as their big brother, a steady and even-handed beacon of security who navigated difficult political water with grace and style; not unlike the pilot who'd just flown into my memory. He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That America will return one day, I know it will. Until that time, I'll just send off this story; call it a reciprocal salute, to the old American pilot who wove a memory for a young Canadian that's lasted a lifetime.
Paddles is offline  
Old 04-03-2008, 11:24 AM
  #2  
Flying Farmer
 
Ewfflyer's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Default

Great story, and of course one of the world's favorite airplanes.
Ewfflyer is offline  
Old 04-07-2008, 01:24 PM
  #3  
New Hire
 
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Saab Gear Thrower
Posts: 6
Default

Great story, its good to hear that a canadian actually at one point wanted to be an american, i wish it could be the same today.....
TCPilot is offline  
Old 04-08-2008, 04:51 AM
  #4  
Line Holder
 
User Name's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 46
Default

Last summer i went to the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends airshow in Columbus. It was beyond words. Just amazing.



User Name is offline  
Old 04-10-2008, 06:26 PM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
 
supersix-4's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2005
Position: Reserve on tha Beach
Posts: 546
Default Took these today





supersix-4 is offline  
Old 04-10-2008, 06:27 PM
  #6  
Gets Weekends Off
 
supersix-4's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2005
Position: Reserve on tha Beach
Posts: 546
Default





supersix-4 is offline  
Old 04-11-2008, 03:01 AM
  #7  
intentionally left blank
 
Bug Smasher's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Bus Co-Driver
Posts: 284
Default

looks like someone's hanging out at leeward!!
Bug Smasher is offline  
Old 04-11-2008, 04:04 AM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Paddles's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: Moving Around
Posts: 184
Default

Great Pics, thanks for sharing!
Paddles is offline  
Old 04-11-2008, 04:36 AM
  #9  
Flying Farmer
 
Ewfflyer's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
Default

Very nice pic's from both of you!!!!
Ewfflyer is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Beertini
Cargo
361
07-07-2007 12:56 AM
RockBottom
Major
42
06-14-2006 10:41 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices