Jim,

Don't get me wrong, I certainly appreciate them and the sacrifices of
those who operated them. The vaccuum tube computer was an important
invention in history too and should be preserved. However, it would be
a mere passing curiosity at today's Consumer Electornics Show for
instance.

It's not that they are not important, but that for me _personally_ they
do not hold my interest. They apparently interest plenty of other
people and that's fine.... I'll go look at the Cirrus and Eclipse
exhibits during that part of the airshow!

--Dan



CB wrote:
Jim,

Most of the warbirds are classed as Experimental. By definition, they
are "our own" as much as the squadrons of glass-cockpit RVs and
Lancairs and the increasingly-rare builder-designed or even plans-built
birds.

Aviation - especially Experimental aviation, VERY especially
high-density Experimental aviation - is a high-risk endeavor.
Situational awareness is never perfect. Accidents DO happen.

A good many T-6 drivers may be hot-doggers. The waddling TBM doesn't
lend itself to that sort of attitude, though. Having seen TBMs and RVs
up close, though, I can understand how it might be hard to see an RV
from a TBM - especially if it was close-aboard.

To the under-30 crowd who "can't relate" to WW2 aircraft, I
respectfully submit the observation that if not for those aircraft -
and the men and women (now in their 80s if they're alive at all) who
built, maintained, and flew them - you would almost certainly not be
reading this post today. Totalitarian states do not permit
experimental aviation.

Those "ancient clattertraps" serve to remind us that freedom such as we
enjoy is not - has never been, will never be - free.

-Corrie

RST Engineering wrote:
So this afternoon, one of the WWII warbird people who has more money than
good sense, and who never learned how to clear the taxiway in front of his
aircraft, killed one of our own. There has to be some sort of payback for
this sort of stupidity.

Warbirds, you are not welcome at Oshkosh.

Jim