War Bird Dynamic Soaring. (2 min 58 sec)

Enjoy!!

My mom's first war bird flight was in a P-39 from fighter training in a Texan. She when on to ferry a few P-63's as well. She said they were both reasonably easy to fly. I should get my epee -63 in the air. It has a nice shape.

Was your mom a WASP?

Pete

Yes my mom was a WASP class of 43-5, Marianne Irene Nutt (Beard). That's the short story, I don't want to take over this post. I do have some interesting photo's from the Bell company that my mom acquired one show's a 2 seat P-29 and the other show's a Pinball P-63.

For those who never heard of the WASP it stood for Women Airforce Service Pilots. It was a WWII organization of women pilots who did things like ferrying bombers, flying Generals around, towing targets and whatever else was needed.

Something like 25,000 women applied and only 1,830 women made the cut for training. Of them 1,074 actually became WASP. Consider the 1,074 that made it an elite cadre.

Anyone who made it was highly motivated, extremely capable and persevering. The obstacles were numerous and the job was considered civil service rather than military.

There is a web site about the WASP maintained by Texas Women's University. The full story and records of the WASP is told there.

When I was learning to fly I became friends with a WASP, but didn't discover what an honor that was until years after our paths diverged.and I read the history of the group.

Sorry prodjx, I didn't want to take over the thread either but so few people know about the WASP that it's hard not to take the opportunity.

That said, back to the subject at hand. Really nice video! As SpeedsterDen has often shown, DS is not just about flying four hundred MPH trying for five hundred.

Pete

Thanks for telling me that bit of history. I had no clue as to what you were all talking about for awhile. and thanks for watching!

nice.. what bird you flying here? I have a brand new steve patton p 63 aircobra I took out for some DSing the other day.

I wish I knew what make of plane it is. I bought this plane a year or so ago and never got around to flying it until the other day. I just call it the War Bird .. I know one thing it sure flys nice and was a lot of fun making the film.

Love the black and white strafing runs

Great video George and looks like you have a fun plane there! Nice flying too! Brooksby thought it was a P39

Skyswiper: great work!
Prodjx and Peteschug: great posts!

aDSj

Could it be a Slope Scale P-39?
Has anyone Ds`d any of the Slope Scale war birds successfuly?
Ian.

Originally Posted by ian hammerton

Could it be a Slope Scale P-39?
Has anyone Ds`d any of the Slope Scale war birds successfuly?
Ian.

We'r not worthy!
Cocker DSed his aeromacchi often. and it seemd to do it quite well. Think his was just over 60" like maybe 66" or smothing like that.

I think your P39 would look cool doing some PSDS.

Bring it up ona medium wind day and give it ago.

Hey Pete, thank's for posting that info about the WASP. I used to bring my mom up to my local slope site here in Tucson and she allway's enjoyed it. But she did have a hard time comprehending DLG. She once said she had a P-47 in a dive at 475mph, that story still blow's me away to this day. After her first flight in a SGS 2-32 I asked her how she liked it and she said she liked it alot but was constantly looking for the throtle. BTW that was at LISA. Back to the P-39, remember a modified one won the first major air race after WWII.

Originally Posted by prodjx

Hey Pete, thank's for posting that info about the WASP. I used to bring my mom up to my local slope site here in Tucson and she allway's enjoyed it. But she did have a hard time comprehending DLG. She once said she had a P-47 in a dive at 475mph, that story still blow's me away to this day. After her first flight in a SGS 2-32 I asked her how she liked it and she said she liked it alot but was constantly looking for the throtle. BTW that was at LISA. Back to the P-39, remember a modified one won the first major air race after WWII.

Thanks prodjx,

I'm going away for a few days but when I get back I will try to put something in my blog about the WASP.

BTW, if I never mentioned it I flew the 2-32. It felt very solid to me. I only got in a few flights. My check ride included a spin and I think I held the record for fast recovery! It had the best L/D (34 to 1) of anything I've flown.

Yeah, going 475 mph in a dive would probably require a change of underwear! I looped a Citabria once and my instructor told me to enter at 140 but at 130 there was so much noise I pulled up from there. Made it around okay but we went in (dusk at an unlit grass field) before I could try again. Now I would push forward rather steeply and wait rather than inch up on it. I miss my days of flying but at least I got to do it.

Pete

Ok so here are some Bell photo's of their product's fromWWII