BUCKET LIST REVISIT!! 03-16-2012 PART TWO

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Pals!!  Sorry to leave you with a cliff-hanger... but I had already gone on too long.  :)

So... YES!!  We waited about an hour and a half while the powers-that-be figured it all out and watched them finally pull our beautiful ride out of the mud.  The crew checked everything out thoroughly, determined there was no damage, and we were finally back on the aircraft!!  The engines started up for the second time that day!!

We taxied and turned onto the runway.  The pilots ran up each engine to its max until all four were roaring.  The entire plane was vibrating and you could feel it wanting to be let loose into the sky!!  It was amazing!!  Finally, we took off and banked left for our ride!

Once we were up, the Loadmaster motioned that we could unbuckle and wander about the aircraft.  He didn't have to tell me twice!!!  I was outta' that belt and scrambling toward the cockpit like a chicken on a June bug!!  (Yes, that's the side of my head at the lower right of the photo below.)  We did reach a pretty good altitude although I couldn't really tell you what it was.  I was so busy exploring the aircraft, I'm afraid I didn't spend much time looking OUT of the windows!

When I finally realized I should allow some others into the cockpit, I made my way back, over the bomb bay doors, through the radio "room" where we had been buckled in for take-off, and across the gunnery area where the side gunners' machine guns and belts were laid out and reached the rear of the plane.  My new excellent friend, the Loadmaster, kindly allowed the spousal-unit to take our picture together.  He was a sweetheart and just "loads" of fun.

Apparently there is a lake somewhere near Jasper, Texas although neither I nor the spousal-unit even knew we were flying over one!  We saw it in the pictures when we viewed them later!  He was pointing and clicking out windows without real regard for exactly what he was shooting.  That always seems to work well for him.

One of the good things about our delay in getting off the ground was that two of our other "riders" were not able to remain until it was time to take off.  While I am sorry they missed the ride, we were honored to be able to bring along a WWII Navy veteran, Ken Fling, when we finally got going.  I got his address and forwarded the picture below and another one to him.  Remember to always thank any veteran for their service, please?  We owe them such an incredible amount.

While we were in the air for about 40 minutes, it all ended WAY too soon for me!  I would have stayed up there until we ran out of fuel!  But... as all good things, it came to an end.  We were given certificates in a lovely red folder as proof we had actually made the trip.  One of the crew was kind enough to take a quick picture for us under the nose of the beautiful bird we had been so incredibly fortunate to have flown in.  This is definitely one to remember.  The flight and the kindness of the spousal-unit in making it happen will remain with me as long as I live!!

That's all I have about this.  It was just amazing.

Until next post...

BUCKET LIST REVISIT!! 03-16-2012

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!  Oh my!  Have I got a tale to tell today!

It seems my Bucket List has a lot of aircraft-related items on it.  You'll recall my Stearman flight as the first Bucket List item I shared with you.

For a number of years, I have admired the beauty of many WWII aircraft.  My very favorite has always been the B-17 Bomber.  It is huge.  It is beautiful.  It was the tool that provided the United States with the ability to overcome huge odds and win a war fought across an ocean... two oceans, actually.  It is incredible.  There are not many still flying although there are those who work hard, spending their own time and money, to keep some in the air.  One of the ways they receive donations is to offer the chance to fly on one.  Where do I sign up?

Well, I didn't.  But the spousal-unit, who knows of my love of the B-17, signed me up.  (You do understand why I am still hanging onto him, right?)

When Friday afternoon, March 16, 2012, rolled around, I could barely contain myself.  My flight was scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Jasper, Texas.  Jasper was holding an airshow that weekend and they were taking some folks up Friday evening.  Jasper is about an hour away and easily accessed... so off we went!

We arrived and checked in with the Commemorative Air Force folks who had set up in the airport waiting area.  (It's only a private airport but very nicely furnished!)  While checking in, I asked the lovely lady helping me if there might be "room for one more?"  She happily replied there was so I quickly slid over my card and told her to ring me up for a ride for the spousal-unit!!!  He couldn't really object at that point so he was now on the ride list with me.  We were going up in this thing together!

We walked out onto the tarmac area where our B-17 waited near the taxiway.

She was just beautiful!!  Waiting while everything was readied was agonizing.  We finally were called to the front of the aircraft where we were briefed on what to expect and given instruction on strapping in with the 1946 lap belts!  At last we were allowed to board the plane which was accomplished by pulling ourselves up through a small hole on the side and scrambling on in.  I assure you I had NO TROUBLE boarding!!  I would have climbed to the top turret if that was what was necessary!

Once on board, we found seats.  We parked the spousal-unit at the radioman's position where he took a photo of the radio receiver that was mounted there.  (The aircraft had all "historically correct" components!)

While the pilots began the process of starting each of the four engines individually, the spousal-unit just kept clicking away with the camera.  There are WAY too many photos to share with you but a few are really interesting.  The one below is a view from where we were strapped in, forward through the bomb bay, and into the cockpit.  This is a VERY narrow passageway by which the cockpit is accessed.

I was strapped in directly across from the spousal-unit.  While he had the radio receiver, I was "Queen of the Antennae Boxes!"  I have no idea exactly which antennae each of the boxes controlled but there were certainly plenty of them!

Finally, all four huge radial engines were running smoothly, the sound and vibration indescribable.  If you're of a certain age, you'll recall the smoke and oil smell from some of the old "muscle cars."  This beauty made them look wimpy at best!  It was simply amazing to close one's eyes and simply listen to the roar.  We barely felt the movement but noticed, through the windows, we had begun to move!!!  I was SOOOO thrilled!  We were going to taxi onto the runway and take off in this massive, gorgeous plane!!

Did I mention that the oddest things seem to happen when the spousal-unit and I find ourselves doing something "different?"  Yeah.  I can't 'splain it... but sometimes the strangest things happen to us.

So... after traveling about 20 yards, we felt just the slightest little "bump" motion... then we stopped... then the engines began shutting down.  Huh?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? What is THIS all about?!?!?!?!?  We're supposed to be going UP in this baby!!!  Why have we stopped?!?!?!?!?

Oops.  So, while following the "Marshaller" (who guides aircraft with cockpits at such an angle the pilots cannot actually see directly in front of them), there seems to have been some miscommunication on someone's part... and we are now... yes, really... stuck in the mud in the grass between the taxiway and the runway.  Sigh.  We are asked to get off of the plane and there is a little confusion as we mill about trying to determine what might happen next.  We are told to stick around with the hope that we will somehow become UNstuck within a reasonable period of time without damage to the plane and will try it again.

So, Mary Nell?  Exactly HOW stuck are you?

I would have to call it REALLY stuck.  Remember... this baby does not have a "reverse!"  What do we do now?  The airport tug, a standard wrecker, and finally a flatbed wrecker are all called in to try to determine how we are going to get this baby out of the mud.

So now what?  Did the flight take place?  Or was your special flight never to happen?

Until next post...

FUN AT THE RANGE!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!  I can't believe I have been so derelict in posting.  Please forgive me.  I have a fun tale to impart today and hope it will make up for the drought!

A friend of mine had obtained a small pistol but was not comfortable with using it.  She has friends in the Sheriff's Department here and they had been encouraging her to join them at the Department's shooting range for a little instruction and practice.  (If you are going to have a weapon, you should definitely know how to use it!!)  She had mentioned this to me a while back and I happily agreed to accompany her whenever her schedule permitted.  We finally reached that point.

When I told the spousal-unit about our planned field trip, he immediately started packing my "bag" of weaponry and appropriate bullets along with a couple of ear protection devices and other miscellaneous paraphernalia.  I could barely carry the darned thing but I was certainly "loaded for bear" after his attention!!  :)  (Thank you, dear.)

We added two other young ladies to the trip and arrived at our appointed time at the range.  We found our lovely instructors waiting for us.  After unloading my "bag" and laying all items out on the table in "safe" position (unloaded and opened to show same), it was like "show and tell."  Our instructors walked along the tables, checking out our weapons.  After becoming comfortable that we were not likely to accidentally shoot one of them while walking to the shooting area, we loaded up again and wandered out to the range.  There were silhouette targets already waiting for us.  I was ready to get started!!

Our instructors were absolutely wonderful.  My friends were not quite as practiced as I and our fellas spent as much time as necessary to make them comfortable with what they were about to do.  I waved them off when they inquired whether I needed instruction and waited for us to "go hot" on the range.

I won't bore you with all of the details but we shot the heck out of those silhouette targets!!  I used all three of my weapons to rip various areas on the target into oblivion.  What fun!!!  I noticed the other ladies were apparently enjoying themselves, too.  We ran through a couple of drills that our instructors felt we might like.  We pretty much kept shootin' until they were out of bullets!!

Our new friends spent a little time demonstrating "Rolling Thunder" for us before asking us to attempt it.

My friend who wanted to learn to use her pistol got plenty of one-to-one instruction and indicated she felt better after having spent this time.

Finally, after all of their hard work and patience with us, we decided that we should be known as "Dwayne's and Dale's Angels" from this point forward.  (We're Freddie's Angels, too, but he was taking the picture!)

As a small token of our thanks, we took a Thank You card and 3 dozen home-made Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip cookies to them the next week.  Hope they enjoyed them and will not run screaming from the building when we show up again!!  LOL!!

There is another adventure coming this Friday, the 16th.  I won't tell you what it is... but I will post about it, with pictures, once I have returned!!

Until next post...