Living Aviation History Comes Alive at Missouri Aviation Historical Society Meeting Open Mic Nite

By Carmelo Turdo

Aviation history came alive as members of the Missouri Aviation Historical Society offered their best first-hand aviation stories during the open mic nite format of the monthly meeting Thursday evening.  The objective of the open mic nite was to help the members get to know one another and appreciate the contributions each have made to Missouri aviation.  To that aim, the meeting was a great success!

Some of the participants included:

Bob Delaney told MAHS members about his flight experiences during his travels for business and pleasure.  He took his first airplane flight as a Boy Scout pursuing the Aviation Merit Badge at the age of 12: "It was a really fun experience, and it definitely cured me of any anxieties I ever had about flying."

Donald Alwine, World War II veteran and gunnery instructor on B-17 bombers, regaled the group with wartime tales.  While flying aboard a B-17 during a bombing mission over Germany, he described how the Red Tail P-51 Mustangs came to defend the bomber against three German fighters.  There were three enemy fighters for the six Mustangs.  The response from the Red Tails - "Next time you call us for help, make sure there are enough hits (enemy fighters) to go around!" 

Larry Earhart, distant cousin to Amelia Earhart, kept the audience enthralled with his recollections from a long career with the former Trans World Airlines and charter flying.  He took his first flight at 4 years old, and went on to fly jumbo jets, including ferrying soldiers and military supplies to Vietnam and flying Pope John Paul II aboard TWA's Shepherd One papal charter.  Crew Resource Management training was a budding field.  "We were having other management groups coming to our CRM training...The American Medical Association sent a group of surgeons to figure out our communications process."

Martin Harris grew up near Creve Coeur Lake and knew many local aviators and war veterans.  He is involved with the continuing development of the Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA Museum.  "Our President, Mr. Paul Dillon's father, was on a B-17 shot down in 1943.  He was a prisoner of war in Germany until 1945." Now Harris works to make the museum a reality, a new place in St. Louis to remember our captured and missing service members and work for the return of those who have not yet come home.

These are just a few of the anecdotes gleaned from our February meeting.  Check back for the announcement for the March meeting, which will feature aviation art used on aircraft, usually known as "nose art."

History Comes Alive as EAA's B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" Makes Stop in St. Louis



By The Aero Experience Team

The Experimental Aircraft Association's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Aluminum Overcast made its St. Louis area stop today at St. Louis Downtown Airport as part of a summer tour prior to returning for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh later in July. The World War II era heavy bomber parked in front of the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, located in historic 1929 Curtiss-Wright Hangar 2.  The visit, sponsored by EAA Chapter 64, will continue until July 4 when it performs in the Fair St. Louis Airshow and then flies to Spirit of St. Louis Airport where it will remain until Sunday. The Aero Experience contributors Carmelo Turdo and Leo Cachat were on hand to greet the B-17 as it arrived around 12:30pm and as the crew prepared to make two flights along the Mississippi riverfront with local media representatives and several B-17 crew veterans aboard.

 

The Aero Experience Founder Carmelo Turdo flew on the first B-17 flight from St. Louis Downtown Airport, which took off around 1:45pm. Securely harnessed in the canvass seat across from the right rear exit, Turdo experienced a fairly sanitized version of what flying in a B-17 was like about 70 years ago. "Flying in the tail section of a large tail-wheeled aircraft is a unique experience, in that you can feel the effects of the rudder inputs during the takeoff run and feel the tail wheel settle on the runway on landing," he said after the flight.  "After takeoff, we had a few minutes to walk around the various crew stations and let our minds wander and imagine ourselves in these aircraft during combat conditions. I am amazed at how men half my age managed to go to battle in these aircraft - they have my highest respect and admiration."  

The B-17 will be available for public flights Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning at St. Louis Downtown Airport beginning at 9:00am each day.  You can also get your photo taken and printed by David Judd of Judd's Custom Photos while you wait. We will show you our flight aboard the B-17 today from the ground and from the air, and we strongly encourage you to take a flight aboard the B-17 while it is in the St. Louis area.

Special thanks to the Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA Chapter 64, the Greater St. Louis Air & Space Museum, and Ideal Aviation for making this aero experience possible.

The Arrival:

 

 

The Flight: 

 



Midwest Aviation Salutes Our Veterans - Annual Memorial Day Ceremony in Hecker, IL Features Local Aircraft

By Carmelo Turdo

Members of the Midwest Aviation community again participated in the annual Memorial Day remembrance ceremony held at St. Augustine Cemetery in the town of Hecker, IL today.  The program was scheduled to begin at 10am, with presentations from local community leaders and patriotic music performed by local artists.  The aerial salute featured five aircraft from three local airports with a total of nine crew members on board.  The aircraft, a T-34 Mentor, Pitts S-1C, Cessna 150, Cessna 172 and A-1B Husky, gathered at Sparta, IL Community Airport for the flight briefing and took off about 11:15am for the short flight to Hecker. The Aero Experience was aboard the Cessna 172, flown by Mr. Bob McDaniel and Mr. Steven Bauer, in the number three position behind the faster T-34 and off the right wing of the Pitts S-1C.  All five aircraft flew over the ceremony site in a loose trail formation in an aerial salute to the local veterans who sacrificed their lives in military service.  Here are some views of the aircraft and crews participating in the event.