How bout a few Vintage aircraft photos?

[427TJ]

Colonel George Laven's colorful F-100A at George AFB in 1957. Laven was the commander of the 479th Tac Fighter Wing and a WWII ace and commander's jets were often colorfully marked as seen here. The unit converted to the F-104 in 1959 and Laven's 104 was delivered in similar commander's colors and whitewall-painted tires! Contrails high above the base mean fighter-interceptors or perhaps test planes from nearby Edwards AFB at work. Only military planes were 'up in the cons' in those days since jets were not quite in airline service yet.

A George-based 327th FIS F-102 is at left and a B-47 bomber at right.

[427TJ]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427TJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Colonel George Laven's colorful F-100A at George AFB in 1957. Laven was the commander of the 479th Tac Fighter Wing and a WWII ace and commander's jets were often colorfully marked as seen here. The unit converted to the F-104 in 1959 and Laven's 104 was delivered in similar commander's colors and whitewall-painted tires! Contrails high above the base mean fighter-interceptors or perhaps test planes from nearby Edwards AFB at work. Only military planes were 'up in the cons' in those days since jets were not quite in airline service yet.

A George-based 327th FIS F-102 is at left and a B-47 bomber at right. </div></div>

[427TJ]

Not an airplane photo but an airport. This is Orchard Place Army Airfield soon after the end of WWII. Upgraded and renamed O'Hare Airport after famed U.S. Navy WWII ace &quot;Butch&quot; O'Hare, it bears little resemblance to its humble beginnings. If you look carefully at O'Hare on Google Earth you can still make out the triangular runway pattern on the north side of the main terminal. View here looks southwest.

[m22mike]

FYI there is a long running Aircraft Pic's thread already in the lounge. It is @ 63 pages.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbt...584#Post184584

But either way there are allot of us old aviation types here that love that stuff.. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

Mike

[427TJ]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427TJ</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not an airplane photo but an airport. This is Orchard Place Army Airfield soon after the end of WWII. Upgraded and renamed O'Hare Airport after famed U.S. Navy WWII ace &quot;Butch&quot; O'Hare, it bears little resemblance to its humble beginnings. If you look carefully at O'Hare on Google Earth you can still make out the triangular runway pattern on the north side of the main terminal. View here looks southwest. </div></div>

[David Billingsley]

More please!

[427TJ]

Umm, errr.... I forgot about that thread. But this one's &quot;vintage.&quot;

[firstgenaddict]

I love the Sabre... there is one in the park here in Greenville, I remember it from when I was a child, I always wanted to get in it and FLY! I was so fascinated. Never got a pilot's license, however my pilot for a few charters used to let me take the stick in a prop plane... the freedom is addictive... I don't think you could get me out of a JET!

[SS427]

Awesome photos! Keep them coming!!!

[427TJ]

Okay, you asked for it!

As WWII progressed and new variants of combat airplanes made it into service, a few of the older fighter variants were sometimes kept around for use as proficiency trainers, hacks for running errands, and some were converted into two-seaters for giving morale-boosting rides to ground crew and visiting dignitaries. This is a North American P-51B/C Mustang with the early high-backed fuselage, kept on-hand at its base in England when the new D-models with the 'bubble' canopies arrived, one of which can be seen at right. The mechanics have spruced it up in their spare time and proudly pose for the cameraman. The WW on the tail stands for &quot;War Weary.&quot; Not necessarily worn-out in this specific case but none the less replaced by the new D-models. It also has the upgraded British &quot;Malcom hood&quot; blown plexiglass canopy for improved visibility. 1944.




Beautiful photo of two 29th Bomb Group Boeing B-29 Superfortresses either headed to, or returning from, a mission over Japan in early 1945.



Early 1960s shot of the USAF Thunderbirds jet demonstration team assembled on the ramp at their home base, Nellis AFB near Las Vegas. They flew the North American F-100C Super Sabre at the time. A single Lockheed T-33 trainer is at center between two Fairchild C-123 Provider transports.



Delta Convair 880 airliner being &quot;held down&quot; by its pilot during takeoff. Probably no passengers on this flight--you don't horse-around like this with passengers. Black smoke is from water injection for added thrust on takeoff, hence the nickname, &quot;water wagons.&quot; c1963.