Just imagine you get a phone call,
"hey, I got an empty seat for the Shafter show next Saturday ... are you in"?
Well let's see ... um ... I might have to check my ... YES I'M IN!
That's how it started. This page is mostly about the trip and my experiences
in the back of a popular P-51 with one of the finest P-51 pilots in the world.
I am going to try and describe in picture and word what it is like to be part
of that.
Just a quick bit of info about me.
I've been to a several shows as part of warbird flights, the most recent being the
Gathering of Mustangs last September. I've flown into fly-in airshows in many
different aircraft and consider myself very lucky to be able to be a part of that.
I've been a pilot and a passenger, with family and friends. I have many people to
thank for my fun at these shows.
Of course, I've driven to many shows over the years and hassled with parking,
crowds and poor airshow organization just like most of you have. I've spent hours
in the back of a 68 Ford Wagon waiting to get out of Stead in the 70's. The wait
in the line of departures can also be a bit frustrating. I remember the line to
leave a show being so long that we just pushed the aircraft until we were about
5 or so back and then started up to save some fuel.
Then recently (last several years) I now get media access to shows. To some shows
(like the Reno Air Races, Oshkosh, the GML) the privelege is huge. We get to park very close to the
gates, get free food, free passes and in some cases media areas for close shooting.
At other shows, it is simply a free pass and a kick in the butt. With all these
past experiences running through my head I drive out the airport on Friday with
expectations like a 5-year old on Christmas Eve.
But this year Santa looks like Dan Martin. Under the tree is a shiny silver P-51
with a red nose. Nearby is another P-51, this one's a blue-noser and I also
spot a Sea Fury. Now that's cool. A ride in a warbird is awesome. A ride to a
show in a warbird is better. A ride to a show in a warbird with more warbirds
around is Christmas.
I packed light to fit my backpack in the gun bay and kept a small camera bag
between my feet in the back of the P-51. We dusted off "Ridge Runner III"
attached the tug and pulled her out. It's a
beautiful day in Hollister, Ca with temps in the 70's.
We are ready to go and have time to spare so we grab Mike Barrow (Sparrow V-12s) and Mike McKinley
(whos is flying "Strawboss 2") and head over to the Ding-A-Ling Cafe for a nice
lunch. The stories get better, the lunch is good and now we are set to be
wheels up at 13:30.
I jump in, strap on the lap and shoulder harness, grab my camera and make sure
that the settings I want to start with are dialed in. Elsworth Getchell is
taxiing his Sea Fury with the big " NAVY 105" on the side. As he taxies, the wings
fold down and lock.
Dan starts up Ridge Runner and that smell of merlin exhaust fills the cockpit. We
look over to Mike in Stawboss as he turns the V-12 into action. Everyone is
running, now we taxi and preflight. Three thumbs up and we are ready to go.
Getchell is lead and blasts dust all over runway 31 from the runway resurfacing
work and I hear a comment about that on the intercom. Mr. Martin does not have
any trouble expressing himself :)! We are next.
Dan pushes the Merlin V-12 power on and I get squeezed back in the seat - cool.
Are we airborne? Hope so because the gear is coming up. Martin is very smooth
on the controls. From the brake release to the gear in the wells, the take-off
from Dan is one fluid motion.
We bank left to intercept Getchell for the join-up.
Gethell flies a left 270 degree turn (for the join) and then onto San Luis to find
the "Comfortably Numb" P-51. We try to reach Tarditi but now answer, so we circle
to the right around the reservoir. Radio contact is made as Getch tries to
determine his location. By the time we get around the circuit, Terry is past
us a bit so we cruise on route to catch him.
How cool is this? I mean, wow ... words are tough to come by when you are flying
right wing to a beautiful Sea Fury and off his left wing is another P-51. Am I
really here? Wow, this is ... (I'm still searching for the right words).
We are still searching for Terry too. Dan spots him just ahead, a simple speck
in the sky. As soon as we catch him Getch will shove him in the slot.
Some light chop on the way up but the air is smooth at cruise. The view is
spectacular even though the sky is a bit hazy. I am torn between trying to capture
images between the glare or just looking around at the sight of warbirds in
close proximety at 5,500 feet.
The P-51 has awesome visibility, but the canopy was not
designed for photographers. The glare comes from everywhere and is in every shot
I take. You can see it in many shots and there is little you can do. Some might
criticize my photos because of the glare but I want you to see what it was like,
exactly what it looked like from the back of Ridge Runner. I also included the
canopy frame, cockpit and wings all for the "wish you were here" affect. The
canopy also distorts as you look lower by the frame.
It is difficult to shoot to the side out of the P-51 with a large camera. Looking back is
even harder so when Dan is not watching I slip my shoulder harness down so I can turn a
bit easier. As we near the airport, the harness goes back tight. We cruised at
5,500 feet, parallel to I-5. Not much to see down (cows and farmland),
but off the left you can spot
the peaks of the snow capped Sierra Nevada Mountains and off to the right is
the Diablo Mountains. Half way down we cruise by Lemoore NAS where Getchell goes
to get his US Navy Legacy Flight certification. One year the Sea Fury was down so
Getch got certified for the Legacy Flight in a P-51.
The temps aloft are nice, and this P-51 has a good passenger air vent to keep you
cool. On a hot day you can really cook inside the P-51 until you climb for cooler
air. Getting closer to Shafter now and Getchell takes us down to pattern altitude.
The air turns warmer and choppy but not bad. Getchell
sets us up for two passes. The first is a diamond pass and the second is echelon
right for the left break to land on 30. The passes are down runway 35 which is
close to the show line.
We break and Dan greases her down. Taxi, shut down then we gather our stuff, put
the P-51 down for the night and go over to Al Goss' Warlock trailer for something
cool to drink and some good conversation. We hang out for a while, then the CAF
Zero comes overhead with a Hellcat escort. Other aircraft are showing up, the
weather is perfect. Later after more cool drinks from the Warlock camp, we walk
over to where the Witch is parked, because inside the Witch's hangar is a bbq. I
spot a few people I know and meet several new folks. The Provenance Fighter's
Sea Fury is in the attached hangar looking very nice. More people show up.
After a very pleasant evening, we go get our junk out of Warlock's trailer where
we stashed it. Allen is kind enough to give us a ride to the hotel after showing
us his outstanding ranch. I settle in, bang on the wall and tell Dan to keep it
down ;) and get ready for another exciting day. Check the cameras, look at some
of the shots from today. There should be a few good keepers in there ...