So, I am a warbirds fan, I love the old military planes (or any old airplane for that matter) and I have traveled far and wide to see them. When we lived in Michigan my father and I traveled to Kalamazoo for their big airshow several times in the early 80s. The sight of the big four engine bombers in the air brought tears to my father's eyes.
We live in a designated training airspace and many times I hear the sound of a vintage aircraft approaching and I'll go outside to see what it is. T-6 Texans are frequently in the air, doing formation flying. The slow sound of a radial engine usually means a DC-3. I used to see a couple different B-25s on the weekend but they haven't shown for awhile. The powerful snarl of a liquid cooled Merlin engine means a P-51 is scooting by.
This morning I was outside watering our redwood tree, creating an artificial mist for it so it will feel at home. It really doesn't belong here in the heat and dry climate of this area but it is still growing and may yet make it. It's been here for 17 years now and is still mostly alive. Anyway I heard the sound of a multi-engine prop plane approaching. The sound was like nothing I've heard before; very powerful sounding, purposeful, fast - not the slow, laboring sound of a B-17 or B-24. I waited and watched up in the sky and then there it was, a B-29 and not just a B-29 but the only flying B-29 left in the world! I've seen it before at airshows but having it fly over my neighborhood was amazing. Yes, I did get goosebumps!
I was rooted to the spot and watched it go by followed by two chase planes. Then, after it was gone I ran inside to get the camera in case it circled back. It didn't. What a sight to see!
We live in a designated training airspace and many times I hear the sound of a vintage aircraft approaching and I'll go outside to see what it is. T-6 Texans are frequently in the air, doing formation flying. The slow sound of a radial engine usually means a DC-3. I used to see a couple different B-25s on the weekend but they haven't shown for awhile. The powerful snarl of a liquid cooled Merlin engine means a P-51 is scooting by.
This morning I was outside watering our redwood tree, creating an artificial mist for it so it will feel at home. It really doesn't belong here in the heat and dry climate of this area but it is still growing and may yet make it. It's been here for 17 years now and is still mostly alive. Anyway I heard the sound of a multi-engine prop plane approaching. The sound was like nothing I've heard before; very powerful sounding, purposeful, fast - not the slow, laboring sound of a B-17 or B-24. I waited and watched up in the sky and then there it was, a B-29 and not just a B-29 but the only flying B-29 left in the world! I've seen it before at airshows but having it fly over my neighborhood was amazing. Yes, I did get goosebumps!
I was rooted to the spot and watched it go by followed by two chase planes. Then, after it was gone I ran inside to get the camera in case it circled back. It didn't. What a sight to see!
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Very cool, wish I had seen it! I'm glad you are nursing the redwood, it seems to be struggling a bit.
ReplyDeleteThe sound of a Merlin is what does it for me, occasionally we will see a solitary Spitfire pass overhead and if we are very lucky the Lancaster.
ReplyDeleteEmotive sounds that always make me drop everything and run outside to see what is coming over.
Great Blog
David