I got goosebumps when I read this, but then again I'm such a sentimental softie when it comes to this stuff.  It will be televised on PBS at some point over the next few months..


http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/22/4581880/descendants-of-americas-aviation.html

Be interesting to see a 19 year old Marilyn Monroe.

Last week the only flying B29 'FiFi' flew over my house at about 500 feet on it's approach to the local airport for an overnight stay on it's way back to Texas. AWESOME!
http://www.cafb29b24.org/

Boeing 707 Barrel Roll - Pilot Tex Johnston Performs Roll In Dash-80 Prototype Aircraft In 1955

I was just thinking the other day what a beautiful aircraft the 707 was and still is.

I was just thinking the other day what a beautiful aircraft the 707 was and still is.

Yeah, today's big engines just don't have the right proportions to replicate the elegance of the 707.

I had the pleasure of flying in the Collings Foundation's B-24 Liberator, Witchcraft. It was such an  awesome airplane. Those big round engines are a work of art.

http://i-ota.net/B-24Witchcraft/

yoman, I also had the pleasure of flying in the B-24 a couple of years back while they were in Dallas.  They also had a P-51 Mustang on the line, and I jokingly asked how much to ride in that.  (I didn’t realize at the time it was a fully modified razorback model with a second cockpit behind the pilot)

They told me the price, and I jumped at the chance for a ride.  After we cleared Love field airspace, he asked if I would like to fly her. I had the controls for about 10 minutes and the pilot asked if I got sick on roller coasters.  I told him no, and he reminded me I was in million dollar aircraft, and he would not be happy if I re-decorated it.  He took the controls, and for the next 15 minutes we did a series of rolls and loops. 

He let me fly it back to the field, and he made a perfect landing.  Best day of my life.

Did I mention that the pilot was a smokin' hot Swede.

Here's a pic of my WWII jeep (1945 Ford GPW) in front of a B-17G.

I'm a distant relative of Howard Hughes... real distant... as in no money... LOL!!! 

Anyway, he helped design and finance the Boeing Stratoliner and the Lockheed Constellation, which he purchased for TWA.

If you ever get a chance to spend a couple of days in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, do it... so much to see!

Yeah, today's big engines just don't have the right proportions to replicate the elegance of the 707.

Perhaps.  But high bypass turbofans are a hell of a lot more efficient.

I like the lines of the early B-52's (D) vs the new ones (H).  The new ones have all these bumps and lumps.  The older ones have very clean lines.  I like the older ones better.  They aren't as efficient but to me are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye.