Ha! The Bolts of Thunder I started reading last night has the autobiographical
hero taking his aerobatic training in a AT-6 Texan, as shown above. As he
rolled inverted (I know, redundant) the spare change in his pockets goes clanking
all over the canopy. When he went back to straight and level it then slid through
the floorboards. His instructor then said, "Unstrap your harness. I have the
airplane." He then rolled it and started juking and the coins fell back onto
the canopy upon which the protagonist was now kneeling. He greedily collected
as much as he could and then zipped his pocket shut and the instructor rolled back to level.
HaHaHa! Spare change back then was worth doing crazy shite for, eh?
edit:
The Canuckians called their AT-6's the "Harvard". I guess 'Texan' wasn't posh enough.
In case you've been lying awake at night wondering what the underside of a 'Texan' looks like:
There is a saying in flying, "Keep the shiny side up!" That doesn't apply to these beauties!
You're gonna see the shiny side all the time!
The National Air Races are the first week in September here in Reno. If you love aviation I highly reccomend you give it a day or two. You can access the pits where you see a P51 racing, and all the usual military planes from past and present.
It a really fun day of racing and planes if you enjoy that type of thing.
I love this pic, the early March Field with the future Moreno Valley being nothing but farm fields. Dig the twin-engine bi-planes. March was established 1918, most of it was built out around 1929-30 there's a very rich history there.
Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer: by Brian O'Neill
Really great book about the 8th air force air war over Europe, mostly B-17, but some B-24 stuff as well.
There is a really good free documentary on Netflix too called "Memphis Belle".
I thought it was the movie that was a made in the 90s at first, but it's actually a two part documentary about the real Memphis Belle and the Air War with original war footage.
Edit:
I gotta stop by and see all the planes at march AFB. Always drive by on my way to Big Bear and Josh,but haven't had a chance to stop there.
They have a huge air show too.
You can buy MIG's relatively cheap, it's just the fuel consumption that sets you back a bit!
Yeah, plus the FAA makes you take the ejection seat out to promote personal responsibility!
According to the FAA there are 43 privately owned MIG 15s in the U.S.
I couldn't believe those goons weren't even waving!
Christmas is coming early to some happy camper!
(it is a Mig-21 shot on I-5 near Weed,CA)
I wish I'd taken the time to get the story on this Lockheed Lodestar.
Normally used for hauling brass this one was set up to do some business! (apparently in the Aleutians, no less)
I suspect Fuddy Duddy and Pacific Princess are the only true-to-the-period repros.
The others are pretty obviously air-brushed which I don't think was done BITD.
A correction to an earlier statement here: the FAA does NOT require deactivation of an ejection seat, but it's a pricey annual inspection. Look for ads stating "Hot" seat in surplus military jets. I wouldn't want to fly a MiG 21 without one. The pilot couldn't get out at all.
All that stands between most pilots and ownership of a MiG is the fuel cost at ~6.00 / gallon for 700 gallons in a MiG 21. There are several hundred Czech built L-39 Albatross fighter/trainers flying here in the U.S., and they are very popular. Flight training in one costs $1,500/hour, and 10 hours are required for qualification/logbook endorsement. An FAA checkride finishes the deal with a fighter jet.
Let us know!