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A
Note From the Editor
Harold
Cannon,
hcannon@eaa.org |
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Briefing
Is Growing!
More Member and Squadron News Wanted |
| When
I volunteered to get Briefing started about a year and a
half ago, I thought that it might mean hiring a young
computer whiz and spending a bit of time online to get a
mass e-mail list working. Little did I know that EAA
Warbirds of America already had access to a very capable IT
department. No, |
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| what
was needed was someone to cajole and beg articles from
friends and acquaintances, read suggested pieces, write
introductions, and select subjects. In short what was needed
was someone with publishing experience. I didn't have any,
and sometimes that showed. Well, with time comes experience,
but I'm not about to give up my day job. With a lot of help
from Bill Fischer, our Warbirds of America executive
director, and Fareed Guyot, manager of EAA electronic
publications, Briefing is alive, well, and growing. Read
more |
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| Safety
News and Issues |
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| FAA
Safety Team Tip |
A
safety tip from the FAASTeam
With spring just around the corner, it's time to knock the
dust and cobwebs off our favorite aircraft and get ready for
the flying season. Just as important to our flying safety as
prepping our birds for flight after winter storage is the |
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prepping of our minds for safe flight operations. It's time
to clear our heads and brush up on the proper techniques and
skills required to operate the aircraft safely and
proficiently. Read
more |
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| New
FAA Safety Briefing Focuses on Standdown Themes |
| The
FAA's four Safety Standdown themes - positive flight
attitude, going beyond preflight, en route cruise, and
maneuvering flight - are the focus of the FAA Safety
Briefing March/April edition, now available for download
from the
FAA website. Data shows that lack of |
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| attention
and training in these areas has led to a large number of GA
accidents. Also highlighted are the outreach efforts of the
FAA Safety Team and its 2nd Annual Safety Standdown, the
main event of which is scheduled for April 2 at the Sun 'n
Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida.
The agency
also launched its Safety
Standdown website this week, including a message from
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, links to content in the
four theme areas, and a map of Standdown events across the
country. |
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| Maintenance
and Restoration News
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| First
9/11 Aircraft Responder to Debut at PCA Museum |
| The
Pacific Coast Air Museum has the honor of being the home of
the first aircraft to respond to the World Trade Center
attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001. On loan from
the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the 9/11 |
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| "First
Responder" F-15A Eagle aircraft is currently being
reassembled and restored to the condition and markings it
wore that day. Read
more |
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| Updates
on Government Issues and Squadron News |
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| 5
Doolittle Raiders to Attend 69th Reunion in Nebraska |
| The
69th Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Anniversary Reunion is coming
up soon. This year the reunion will be held April 14 to 17
at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska,
near Lincoln and Omaha. Organizers say five surviving
raiders |
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| plan
on attending. The Doolittle Raid launched on April 18, 1942,
and was the first Allied bombing attack on Japanese home
islands following the attacks on Pearl Harbor. It was a
"Mission that changed the war…" Read
more |
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Featured Stories |
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| Fifi
Coming to Oshkosh |
| First
visit since 1995 for world's only airworthy B-29 |
| Flying
again after a four-year renovation, the world's only
airworthy Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Fifi, is planned
for a much-anticipated appearance at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2011, confirmed the Commemorative Air |
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| Force
(CAF) last week. Part of CAF's B-29/B-24 Squadron based in
Addison, Texas, Fifi will arrive at Wittman Regional
Airport Tuesday, July 26, and stay for the duration,
including flying in Friday's air show, July 29, as part of
the daylong veterans salute. This will be Fifi's
first appearance since 1995. Read
more | Watch the
video |
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| Big
Boy 31: Court-Martial vs. Silver Star |
| Some
things just work out, and sometimes it seems that fate takes
a hand. It's a story now of legend, and it's all true. Two
Vietnam Air Force pilots first met over North Vietnam in a
very dire situation and survived, but they never knew each
other's names. Over four score later back stateside they
were reunited for the first time. Jeff Jardine of The
Modesto Bee tells the story of court-martial versus
Silver Star. Read
more |
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| How
It's Made: Model of a Kingfisher |
| Watch
the progress as a master model maker creates an incredible
miniature version of the U.S. Navy Kingfisher in 1:15 scale.
No power tools were used; it's just one of those things that
has to be seen to be believed. Wonder if he would like to
scale this up a bit? Watch
the video |
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| Minnesota
ANG to Celebrate 90 Years |
| This
summer the Minnesota Air National Guard (MNANG) is
celebrating its 90th anniversary with an air expo on
Saturday, July 16, 2011. The Minnesota Air National Guard
Museum and Historical Foundation is partnering with MNANG to
celebrate this |
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| important
milestone by hosting a reunion celebration for all present
and MNANG members. The database of former MNANG members is
lacking a bit, so please spread the word throughout the
Warbird community about this important event. Read
more |
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| Duck
and Cover! |
| Recently
an anti-littering commercial for the "Don't Mess with
Texas" ad campaign featuring the CAF's B-17 won a vote
for best of all time in the 25-year history of the campaign.
Now behind-the-scenes video taken during the |
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| making
of the ad has surfaced. Pay special attention to how many
times the film crew hits the ground when the plane makes a
low pass. Watch
the video |
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| Webinars:
Want to Hold a Young Eagles Rally? Watch this Webinar! |
| A Young Eagles rally can be fun
and rewarding for everyone, but it can be stressful if not properly
planned. EAA wants to make the experience fun while still taking care of
all the details. Join Michelle Kunes, Young Eagles program
administrator, as she gives you strategies to make your next Young
Eagles event memorable, fun, and stress-free.
All
webinars begin at 7 p.m. CDT. To find out more about
upcoming EAA Webinars and to register, visit the webinars
page.
EAA
gratefully acknowledges the support of Aircraft Spruce and
Specialty Co. for their generous sponsorship of our webinar
programs. |
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Issue 3, March 2011 |
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| Your
insights help us provide a better newsletter to you. Please
review and rate this issue of Warbirds Briefing. |
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| VIDEO |
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DC-8
STOL at Marble Mountain
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In 1969 a
Seaboard World Airlines DC-8 was on approach to Runway 17L at
Da Nang Air Base in Vietnam. It was 2 a.m. and the crew
mistook Marble Mountain Air Facility for Da Nang and landed on
its 3,300-foot strip, where helicopters and OV-1s were
normally based. A U.S. service member shot this video of the
preparations and eventual short field departure of one of the
largest airliners of the day.
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Watch
the video |
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'55
Chevy With P-51 Power |
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Sometimes you
know that something just isn't right, but you have to look
anyway. Take for instance this '55 Chevy, powered by a V-12
Merlin. Yep, you heard that right, and it's so wrong. Click
below for the video proof. I just want that engine back
where it belongs. |
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Watch
the video |
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| PHOTO
GALLERY |
Photo
Essay: Edwards Air Show and Open House
By
Bernard Zee, for EAA
Warbirds Briefing |
| Edwards
Air Force Base hadn't had an open house event for three
years, so there had been a lot of interest in the 2009 show.
Edwards is the main Air Force flight test center for the
United States and has a rich aviation history behind it.
There were some fantastic displays and flying to be seen at
the Edwards Air Show and Open House. Oh, and it got hot,
too. Something about being a desert and all that. |
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View
the gallery |
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EAA RADIO |
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Navigators:
The Rodney Dangerfields of the Air Corps |
 During
AirVenture 2010 EAA celebrated the 75th anniversary of the
Boeing B-17 bomber. During a daily Warbirds in Review
session held at Scotts Warbird Alley, Jack Sinise (uncle to
actor Gary Sinise) and Don Casey spoke about their
experiences as navigators on the B-17 during World War II.
Part
1 | Part
2 | Part
3 |
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Monthly-Chino,
CA
EAA Warbirds Squadron 16 meetings are held every month on
the 1st and 3rd Saturday from 9 to 5 at Planes of Fame Air
Museum
Info: Enrico Bottieri, Commander
Phone: 714-964-4864
E-mail | Website
April
23-Marengo, IL
Warbirds Squadron 4 "Hands On" Workshop Event -
B-17E Flying Fortress. Kellner Restoration Group.
E-mail
May 1-Half
Moon Bay, CA
The 21st Annual Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show. 100s of
aircraft, including vintage warbirds; flyovers; rides
available. Also old & new cars, fire engines, buses,
motorcycles. Info: 650-726-2328
Website
May
7-Virginia Beach, VA
Flying Prom: Vintage aircraft flying maneuvers, live music by
Virginia Symphony Orchestra at the Military Aviation Museum.
Info: 757-721-Prop
May
14-Rock Falls, IL
Warbirds Squadron 4 Fly/Drive-In at Tim Dunavin's house -
"Day on the Western Front" starts at 11 a.m.
E-mail
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| Q. How
many events does your squadron hold each year?
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