Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/08/30

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Subject: [Leica] Stearman (Boeing) Aircraft (WWII trainer) on Pender
From: jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:23:34 -0500
References: <mailman.1374.1251612515.31809.lug@leica-users.org> <2E5828E2-8A7D-446C-80DE-3F0A3735A027@netvigator.com>

Hi Howard,

Your photos bring back memories.  My first hands-on experience with an 
airplane was in one of those, back in the late 1940s.  I got to handle the 
controls and it started me on the way to getting my pilot's license.

They were, and many still are, tough old aircraft.  Many were converted and 
used as crop-dusters in the South part of the USA, with a chemical hopper 
replacing the front cockpit.  An old duster-pilot friend of mine had the 
hopper cover blow off during a dusting run, spraying his face with 
chemicals.  He crash-landed it by a nearby creek and crawled out to wash out 
his eyes in the creek.  He flew more modern dusters also, but the Steerman 
was his favorite.

Here is one that I saw in 2006, in USAF colors.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Boeing_Stearman_Trainer_small.jpg.html

Thanks for the memories.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "H&E Cummer" <cummer at netvigator.com>
To: <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 2:02 AM
Subject: [Leica] Stearman (Boeing) Aircraft (WWII trainer) on Pender


> Hi Luggers,
> Pender is such a funny little island - you never know what will turn  up 
> when you go into town for the Saturday farmers' market.
> Today it was a fly - in to Hastings field which is just a glorified  cow 
> pasture down the road from the market - to mark Mr. Hasting's 90+ 
> birthday! About 30 planes showed up floating in from around BC - 
> including what looked like a Stearman (Boeing 75) - a WWII trainer!
>
> To learn more about this bird please check out the following:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75
>
> and then have a look at the pictures here:
>
> here's the plane taxing by:
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Summer+2009+Canada/Steermanwheelpastw.jpg.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/mr6sxo
>
> and on take - off - it went up like a STOL - even though it was  designed 
> long before STOLs
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Summer+2009+Canada/Steermantakeoffw.jpg.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/ku38fv
>
> and another view as it pulls away
>
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Howard+Cummer/Summer+2009+Canada/Steermantakeoff2w.jpg.html
>
> http://tinyurl.com/nuc69r
>
> What an interesting island Pender is - you just never know what will  turn 
> up next!
> Cheers
> Howard
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> 




In reply to: Message from cummer at netvigator.com (H&E Cummer) ([Leica] Stearman (Boeing) Aircraft (WWII trainer) on Pender)