Rarely does something get me out of the house this quickly (pic heavy)

[draggar]

Last night I was walking Luna and I heard a rumbling like a propeller plane. Living near the landing path for FXE (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport) this is nothing new.

Except the rumbling didn't sound right. It sounded like this bomber that flies over a few times a year but it it wasn't just right.

It got very loud. I look up just in time to see a B-29 bomber and 3 fighters (one later turned out to be a P 51 Maverick D) flying information. Of course, I curse myself for not having my camcorder ready. I go back in and take Pollux out and notice they're circling FXE - I figured they must be landing.

I finish with Pollux and decided to head over to FXE (its a 5 minute drive) to see if I can get some pictures. I drive there and I spent about 20 minutes circling the airport - I expected to have the police pull up behind me (but they didn't). I found an observation area so I swung in there - no WWII planes visible. I see someone else sitting there so I asked him if the bombers and fighters landed here - he didn't see them but told me where they'd be.

I thanked him and hopped in the car and headed over to where they were and I was able to get some nice pictures though the fence. Then an airport worker came up to me (he was inside). "You know you can go inside and tell them you'd like to take some pictures of the warbirds, just show them your ID and they'll let you in here".

It took a couple of minutes but they got the pilot's OK to take pictures of the planes. I head out and got some really good pictures. BSO was there (perhaps watching them?) and they let me go underneath to take some pictures of the bomb compartment on the bomber, too.

Enjoy the pics.

















And, the BSO K9 officer let me take a few pictures of his partner, too.



Full album here:
http://s118.photobucket.com/albums/o...evir/Warbirds/

[surreal20]

That has got to be one of the coolest random encounters i've ever read! Sweet picks too!

[Squeaksmyalias]

Oh...wow * drools*
You have NO idea how jealous I am of you right now. The malinois is gorgeous, of course the corsair isn't so bad, you were lucky to see that, they are fantastic planes and not too many left still flying. Btw are you calling Betty's Dream a B-29? It's a B-25J and the one below it is a P40. Sorry , I hope you don't mind me correcting you, my big brother is a bad influence and it seems him doing that has rubbed off on on me.

Hopefully they (and I) will be in Lakeland the weekend after next * crosses fingers*

[Salted Grump]

Yeah; Sadly, there's only something like 26 B-29 Superfortresses left in the world, And less than a handful are airworthy.

[Crossbow]

Oh, you are SO lucky. I'd love to get up close with a Corsair. It's my favorite warbird.

Last bird I saw in the air was a P-51D doing an airshow flyby wing to wing with an F-15. I wish I'd been at a better vantage point for it, but having them buzz a Cleveland Indians game was really cool.

[Chromatix]

Yes, I was thinking B-25 as well - I figured with that un-aerodynamic top turret and that many forward guns, it wouldn't be a B-26 (well known as a fast strike bomber). The B-29 is much bigger with 4 engines.

I couldn't identify the P-40 - it's a bit of a generic shape for a WW2-era fighter, and it's not so well known - but the Mustang and Corsair are very distinctive.

At one point I had a Lancaster bomber fly over my house - probably the only one still flying. It can move incredibly slowly when unloaded, and four Merlins make an amazing racket at low altitude. It had visited the area for a re-enactment at Morecambe, and there were some fighters flying mock dogfights as well.

[Frantic Freddie]

I'd have to dig up the pics (35mm) but just off the top of my head I think I've seen that same Corsair in Galveston a number of years ago.

One of the CAF B-17s was here a few years ago & they were selling rides,damn I wish I could've afforded it at the time.

[ApolloSZ]

Dragger - I hate you. In a nice way ofcourse :P

That corsair does indeed look beautiful. An a Mustang, well is a Mustang. No bling needed lol.

Oneday I'll get to the boneyard. Dunno if I'll enjoy it or be depressed seeing all those planes deaded.

[draggar]

Quoth Squeaksmyalias

Oh...wow * drools*
You have NO idea how jealous I am of you right now. The malinois is gorgeous, of course the corsair isn't so bad, you were lucky to see that, they are fantastic planes and not too many left still flying. Btw are you calling Betty's Dream a B-29? It's a B-25J and the one below it is a P40. Sorry , I hope you don't mind me correcting you, my big brother is a bad influence and it seems him doing that has rubbed off on on me.

Hopefully they (and I) will be in Lakeland the weekend after next * crosses fingers*

I don't mind being corrected, I don't know these things. Another friend said it was a B29 - maybe he didn't see the pictures too clearly.

[Dave1982]

I find it interesting that the machine gun ports on the F-4U Corsairs are faired over, but the ones on the P-51 are not.

Cool pics though!