EDITORS NOTE: The link posted in the original comment lead to material that could be offensive to some people and could be construed as incitement to violence. For that reason I have chosen to delete the link and ask that we take caution in posting such material in future.
Hope you enjoy this as much as i did, it is a great tribute to the U S A.
P-51 Mustang
This 1967 true story of an experience by a young 12 year old lad in
Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is about the vivid memory of a
privately rebuilt P-51 from WWII and its famous owner /
pilot.
In the morning sun, I could not believe my eyes. There, in our
little airport, sat a majestic P-51. They said it had flown in
during the night from some U.S. Airport, on its way to an air
show. The pilot had been tired, so he just happened to choose
Kingston for his stop over. It was to take to the air very
soon. I marveled at the size of the plane, dwarfing the Pipers
and Canucks tied down by her. It was much larger than in the
movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of security
from days gone by.
The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into
the pilot’s lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was
gray and tossed. It looked like it might have been combed,
say, around the turn of the century. His flight jacket was
checked, creased and worn – it smelled old and genuine. Old
Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected a
quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He
filed a quick flight plan to Montreal ( “Expo-67 Air
Show” ) then walked across the tarmac.
After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check, the
tall, lanky man returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone
would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while
he “flashed the old bird up, just to be safe.” Though only 12
at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher
after brief instruction on its use — “If you see a fire,
point, then pull this lever!”, he said. ( I later became
a firefighter, but that’s another story. )
The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from
fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold,
then another, and yet another barked — I stepped back with
the others. In moments the Packard – built Merlin engine came
to life with a thunderous roar. Blue flames knifed from her
manifolds with an arrogant snarl. I looked at the others’
faces; there was no concern. I lowered the bell of my
extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the
lounge. We did.
Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his pre-flight
run-up. He’d taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All
went quiet for several seconds. We ran to the second story
deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she
started down the runway. We could not. There we stood, eyes
fixed to a spot half way down 19.
Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before. Like
a furious hell spawn set loose — something mighty this way
was coming. “Listen to that thing!” said the
controller.
In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight. It’s tail
was already off the runway and it was moving faster than
anything I’d ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way
down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The
prop tips were supersonic. We clasped our ears as the Mustang
climbed hellishly fast into the circuit to be eaten up by the
dog-day haze. We stood for a few moments, in stunned silence,
trying to digest what we’d just seen.
The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. “Kingston tower
calling Mustang?” He looked back to us as he waited for an
acknowledgment.
The radio crackled, “Go ahead, Kingston.”
“Roger, Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is
clear for a low level pass.”
I stood in shock because the controller had just, more or less,
asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air
show!
The controller looked at us. “Well, What?” He asked. “I can’t let
that guy go without asking. I couldn’t forgive
myself!”
The radio crackled once again, “Kingston, do I have permission for
a low level pass, east to west, across the
field?”
“Roger, Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west
pass.”
“Roger, Kingston, I’m coming out of 3,000 feet, stand by.” We rushed
back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern
haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a
muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51
burst through the haze. Her airframe straining against
positive G’s and gravity. Her wing tips spilling contrails of
condensed air, prop-tips again supersonic. The burnished bird
blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and
tearing the air. At about 500 mph and 150 yards from where we
stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting.
Imagine. A salute!
I felt like laughing; I felt like crying; she glistened; she
screamed; the building shook; my heart pounded. Then the old
pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of
sight into the broken clouds and indelible into my
memory.
I’ve never wanted to be an American more than on that day! It was a
time when many nations in the world looked to America as their
big brother. A steady and even-handed beacon of security who
navigated difficult political water with grace and style; not
unlike the old American pilot who’d just flown into my memory.
He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and
honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That
America will return one day! I know it will. Until that time,
I’ll just send off this story.
Call it a loving reciprocal salute to a Country, and especially to that old American pilot: the late – JIMMY STEWART ( 1908-1997 ), Actor, real
WWII Hero ( Commander of a US Army Air Force Bomber Wing
stationed in England ), and a USAF Reserves Brigadier General,
who wove a wonderfully fantastic memory for a young Canadian
boy that’s lasted a lifetime.
I had an uncle who was in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” so it’s one of my favorite Stewart movies. He was one of the dancers who fell into the pool when the floor opened up.
EDITORS NOTE: The link posted in the original comment lead to material that could be offensive to some people and could be construed as incitement to violence. For that reason I have chosen to delete the link and ask that we take caution in posting such material in future.
My fav Political Comedy
Patriot Jim Stachowiak
Hope you enjoy this as much as i did, it is a great tribute to the U S A.
P-51 Mustang
This 1967 true story of an experience by a young 12 year old lad in
Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It is about the vivid memory of a
privately rebuilt P-51 from WWII and its famous owner /
pilot.
In the morning sun, I could not believe my eyes. There, in our
little airport, sat a majestic P-51. They said it had flown in
during the night from some U.S. Airport, on its way to an air
show. The pilot had been tired, so he just happened to choose
Kingston for his stop over. It was to take to the air very
soon. I marveled at the size of the plane, dwarfing the Pipers
and Canucks tied down by her. It was much larger than in the
movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of security
from days gone by.
The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into
the pilot’s lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was
gray and tossed. It looked like it might have been combed,
say, around the turn of the century. His flight jacket was
checked, creased and worn – it smelled old and genuine. Old
Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected a
quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He
filed a quick flight plan to Montreal ( “Expo-67 Air
Show” ) then walked across the tarmac.
After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check, the
tall, lanky man returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone
would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while
he “flashed the old bird up, just to be safe.” Though only 12
at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher
after brief instruction on its use — “If you see a fire,
point, then pull this lever!”, he said. ( I later became
a firefighter, but that’s another story. )
The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from
fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold,
then another, and yet another barked — I stepped back with
the others. In moments the Packard – built Merlin engine came
to life with a thunderous roar. Blue flames knifed from her
manifolds with an arrogant snarl. I looked at the others’
faces; there was no concern. I lowered the bell of my
extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the
lounge. We did.
Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his pre-flight
run-up. He’d taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All
went quiet for several seconds. We ran to the second story
deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she
started down the runway. We could not. There we stood, eyes
fixed to a spot half way down 19.
Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before. Like
a furious hell spawn set loose — something mighty this way
was coming. “Listen to that thing!” said the
controller.
In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight. It’s tail
was already off the runway and it was moving faster than
anything I’d ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way
down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The
prop tips were supersonic. We clasped our ears as the Mustang
climbed hellishly fast into the circuit to be eaten up by the
dog-day haze. We stood for a few moments, in stunned silence,
trying to digest what we’d just seen.
The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. “Kingston tower
calling Mustang?” He looked back to us as he waited for an
acknowledgment.
The radio crackled, “Go ahead, Kingston.”
“Roger, Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is
clear for a low level pass.”
I stood in shock because the controller had just, more or less,
asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air
show!
The controller looked at us. “Well, What?” He asked. “I can’t let
that guy go without asking. I couldn’t forgive
myself!”
The radio crackled once again, “Kingston, do I have permission for
a low level pass, east to west, across the
field?”
“Roger, Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west
pass.”
“Roger, Kingston, I’m coming out of 3,000 feet, stand by.” We rushed
back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern
haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a
muffled screech, a distant scream. Moments later the P-51
burst through the haze. Her airframe straining against
positive G’s and gravity. Her wing tips spilling contrails of
condensed air, prop-tips again supersonic. The burnished bird
blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and
tearing the air. At about 500 mph and 150 yards from where we
stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting.
Imagine. A salute!
I felt like laughing; I felt like crying; she glistened; she
screamed; the building shook; my heart pounded. Then the old
pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of
sight into the broken clouds and indelible into my
memory.
I’ve never wanted to be an American more than on that day! It was a
time when many nations in the world looked to America as their
big brother. A steady and even-handed beacon of security who
navigated difficult political water with grace and style; not
unlike the old American pilot who’d just flown into my memory.
He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and
honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That
America will return one day! I know it will. Until that time,
I’ll just send off this story.
Call it a loving reciprocal salute to a Country, and especially to that old American pilot: the late – JIMMY STEWART ( 1908-1997 ), Actor, real
WWII Hero ( Commander of a US Army Air Force Bomber Wing
stationed in England ), and a USAF Reserves Brigadier General,
who wove a wonderfully fantastic memory for a young Canadian
boy that’s lasted a lifetime.
PLEASE GOD MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN….
Plenty of these on Youtube—this one is about as good as it gets for that SOUND.
This one is—well, just because.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKU0uQki5Dc
Right. Might want to include the link there, slick.
P-51 sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE9xjrlN_T8
Great American story, Peggy, and yes, PLEASE GOD MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN….
One of my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies, Peggy.
Here’s another Jimmy Stewart story—
http://www.453rd.com/stories/stewart_low_the_buzzin_twins.pdf
I had an uncle who was in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” so it’s one of my favorite Stewart movies. He was one of the dancers who fell into the pool when the floor opened up.