TICO Warbird Airshow

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:40:00 +0000

This show was held March 8-10. I was able to attend media day on Thursday. It was great being able to meet some of the pilots and get up close to the aircraft without a lot of people around. I met Dick Cole, one of only 5 remaining Doolittle Raiders. On Friday I was able to shoot from the control tower. Unfortunately it was a very cloudy day with an occasional rain shower. There were pros and cons to shooting from this location. I was able to get a unique perspective of the show from there. On Saturday I shot from the runway with the crowd. We had better weather this day with more blue sky than clouds for the most part. I was also able to get a ride in a WACO. The pilot took us 200' over the Kennedy Space Center runway where the shuttle landed. That was pretty cool. I want to thank the Valiant Air Command for all of their hard work and hospitality during the event. I am really looking forward to next year. Photos will be up soon.

David

FL Jets 2012

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:35:00 +0000

Another great event at Paradise Field that was held March 1-3. There were more pilots and models at this event then last year. We were treated to 3 practice sessions by the Black Diamond Jet Team as well. Photos from this event will be up soon. Also keep an eye out for Model Airplane News magazine coverage which will include some of my photos.

David

Raid Hot Mama P-47 story

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:25:00 +0000

I was contacted by one of our newest members, cody3764 (Dan), about the photo of Scott Prossen's P-47 "Raid Hot Mama" which is in the newest Fly RC magazine article of Monster Planes 2011. Scott's model is a recreation of a full scale P-47 flown by Mr. John W. Drummond in WWII. Dan personally knows Mr. Drummond as they both live in South Carolina. It is fantastic that Scott's model has sparked up this great story and reunited Mr. Drummond with a scale model that represents his history, involvement, and heroic efforts in WWII. Below is the comment Dan left under the photo of Scott's P-47 in the photo album "Monster Planes 2011". The photos of Mr. Drummond below were forwarded to me by Dan. Thank you Dan for contacting Scott and I!

I was thumbing through my March 2012 Fly RC Magazine and I about jumped out of my chair when I turned to page 20 in that issue. There in front of me was the "Raid Hot Mama". This plane has been in my life for about thirty one years now as it is my former bosses plane he was assigned while he was the pilot of this plane in WWII with the 405th, 510th Fighter Sqd that was orginally based out of Christchurch, England.

His name is John W. Drummond, known as "Ace" in his squadron from the then popular "Ace Drummond" series of films of the day. A retired South Carolina Legislator and a Ninety-Six, South Carolina native where he still lives to this day at the ripe old age of ninety two after a very distinguished forty seven year career as one of the top South Carolina Legislators in the South Carolina State Senate. He is well known affectionately as a true statesman and not just a politician by anyone who knows South Carolina politics. Ninety Six , South Carolina is located in Greenwood County, the adjoining county to where the annual Joe Nall's RC Events are held in Woodruff, South Carolina.

I had the opportunity while accompaning him on one of his annual 405th Fighter Group Reunions to meet Sgt. Lynn Trank who originated the artwork and painted the original Raid Hot Mama for the then twenty five year old Lt. Drummond in 1944. The original Raid Hot Mama was lost to enemy ground fire while being piloted by a fellow 510th squadron mate. Sen. Drummond told me that they would share planes at times if another pilots plane was being worked on from significant battle damage. Noting the work of this fighter group and squadron getting up close and personal with the Germans it is amazing most of these pilots were not lost to enemy fire. I spoke with one squadron mate of Sen. Drummonds at one of the reunions and he lost eight P-47s to either ground fire or the explosions throwing up shrapnel from the ground targets they were sent to destroy. The Ninth AF that this fighter group was a part of supported the ground troops to which they were affectionately known as the "bucket of bolts". Even today, the Ninth AF still provides that up close and personal role for the ground troops. Sen. Drummond stated that he saw many times many cylinders of the engine having been blown out and the engine still ran and still brought the pilot home. This plane could withstand a heavy punishment.

Speaking of the artwork of the "Raid Hot Mama", it is something of a comical statement that Sen. Drummond was not allowed by his late wife, Holly Drummond, who I would describe as a very southern gentile lady, to display any pictures of him with his WWII " Raid Hot Mama" P-47 in his Senate Office or of the plane itself and certainly not in their home due to the less than conservative display of shall we say the business end of the Raid Hot Mama's lady characature.

Upon his retirement, he gave me the framed penciled picture of the Raid Hot Mama that was origanally drawn by Sgt. Lyn Trank who created and painted the original "Raid Hot Mama" in WWII that he kept on the floor behind his Senate Office door according to Mrs. Drummond's instructions. Lt. Drummond was to end the war as a POW in Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany after his P-47 received one two many rounds from a 20mm quad anti-aircraft gun during a straffing run on enemy emplacements on July 26, 1944 that brought his new P-47 he said he was still trimming out as he bailed out at only 800 feet being injured of course bailing out that low on landing in the very midst of the troops he was using the P-47's eight .50 cals on and bombing them with the two 500lbs bombs. Not a very enviable spot to be in and one in which Sen. Drummond told me a German officer saved his life as the troops he was just straffing wanted to end him in the field near St. Lo, France as his Fighter Group was supporting Gen. Patton's left flank on his move through France.

I could go on and on of course about this great man who I consider my other father. I am truly honored to know this great man and hero and statesman and it was truly amazing for me to see his plane featured in this magazine and now I just need to contact Scott Prossen about his fine model of Lt. Drummond's P-47 to kind of complete his representation of this plane and of the man behind the "Raid Hot Mama".

If I am not mistaken, I do not see the pilot's name on Scott's model of this plane and I certainly would hope he would apply Lt. J. W. Drummond's name as the pilot of this plane as well as the supporting ground crew's names of this WWII P-47 assigned to the 405th Fighter Group, 510th Fighter Squadron known as "Jenkins Gerry's Junkers" named after it's Group's commander, Col. Ralph Jenkins.

If Scott attends one of Joe Nall's RC events in Woodruff, South Carolina, I could try to bring Sen. Drummond to meet with Scott so that he can meet the actual WWII pilot of the Raid Hot Mama. That would be an event to remember.

Thanks,

Dan Gregory

Twelve O Clock High 2011

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:25:00 +0000

This is an all RC warbird event held at Paradise Field in Lakeland FL. This was the first year for this event held at the same field as Florida Jets, Top Gun, and Monster Planes. The turn out was good and the weather was great for the most part as well. Hopefully this will be a yearly event as I think it will keep growing.

Monster Planes USA 2011

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:45:00 +0000

This event was held on Oct. 13th-15th in Lakeland FL. There were some very nice models there and radial engines were very prevalent this year. More radials than I have seen at any other event. Thursday morning was overcast with some light rain, but it cleared out by mid morning and the rest of the weekend was beautiful. I recently finished the article for Fly RC magazine and it should be in the March 2012 issue. Photos have been uploaded to the photo gallery.

The next event is Twelve O' Clock High, December 8th-10th.

David

A ride in TICO Belle

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:35:00 +0000

This past Saturday I was given the opportunity to go for a ride in the C-47 "TICO Belle". She is a WWII veteran that flew over Normandy and also flew in the Berlin airlift. I sat in the radio man seat and was able to listen to all the pre-flight checks and tower chatter. We were in the air for 30-40 minutes. It was a great experience and if you're in the Titusville FL area I recommend that you visit the Valiant Air Command Wardbird Museum and sign up for a ride. Here is a short video I made of the flight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brGyPLUijZk

New camera lens

Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:54:00 +0000

I got a new lens last week and I am really looking forward to using it. It is a 50-500mm lens. The lens I was using was only 300mm, so this one should make quite a bit of differnce. Here is a photo I took of it with my other camera.

Top Gun 2011

Tue, 24 May 2011 17:20:00 +0000

I went to this event which was held on April 27th to May 1st. We had fantastic weather with the exception of some strong crosswinds the first few days. This is a contest of the top rc aircraft builders and pilots in the world. The scale of these models and the talent that went in to them is amazing. If you can make it to this event, you won't be disappointed. Check out the photo gallery.

David

Sun n Fun 2011

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:47:00 +0000

I went to this event on Saturday 4/2. The weather was perfect. Two days before, they had a tornado go through and damage around 40 aircraft. Fortunately the show went on. I was really looking forward to seeing the F-22 demo and heritage flight with Crazy Horse. Unfortunately the F-22 had an issue and only did about a 3 minute demo and had to land. Other than that the show was great as usual. Check out the photo gallery.

David

TICO Warbird Airshow 2011

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:47:00 +0000

I went to this show on Saturday 3/12. This show was one of the best shows they have had in a long time. Three P-40's flying at one time with a Corsair and (3) B-25's. They also had a B-2 make 3 passes. Another highlight of the show was the new Heavy Metal Jet Team. I was very impressed with their routine in the (4) L-39's with Dale Snodgrass flying a black L-39. The weather was perfect and I got some great photos. Check out the photo gallery.

David