Bi-Planes in Town...

[Double T]

There is a Barnstorming Tour going through the midwest, and I spent the morning watching 18 unique and colorful bi-planes touch-down at the local airport, and taxi-up to within a few feet of me. The sound of all those old radials was so sweet!
The first one in was a 1923 Waco 4-seater with wooden dash, in brilliant red and silver with a chromed engine-cowl, upholstered seats, and an instrument-cluster like an automobile. I spotted 3 different Waco bi-planes, a Stearman PT-17 in WW2 training-colors, a Boeing mail-plane... and a bunch of aircraft that I'll have to wait til tomorrow to provide identification. Most pilots were dressed in 'period-garb' with goggles and calf-high boots, flying-suits and what-not. Also some old antigue autos parked around to help set the mood of the 1920-1930s-era.
It's all free, so I think I'll head back this afternoon. (Yeah, I blew-off work today.) What a special treat to watch antique bi-planes stacked three-deep coming around for a landing. They are advertising plane-rides for $45. Risky? 'Sure would be a great-memory if you survived.
hehe.
In any case, the colors are just beautiful, and all are original bi-planes from another-time. There is a locally owned Beech Staggerwing there, and that is also a stunning bi-plane and an increasingly rare-bird.
Time to grab my straw-hat and head back to the flight-line.

Tim

[Double T]

I thought I'd share a link for the group that was in town showing-off old biplanes yesterday:

http://www.americanbarnstormerstour.com/barnstormers.asp

I photographed every one of those that flew-in, but the Stinson tri-motor and the Aeronca Sedan did not make the trip. I must say it was something to be around all those old snarling radial-engines. The coolest breeeze of the day was provided by standing behind one of biplanes when it was running-up. Ahhhhh. It was beastly-hot on the flight-line.
My favorite of the bunch was the 1930 Boeing Stearman 4D--an old mail-plane with an engine twice the size of the rest, and the 1932 Waco QDC. The old four-seater was strutting proud in read with a chromed-cowl.
Also looking good was the 1943 Stearman PT-17 and the Stinson JR-S. The colors were striking... and here is a small listing of some of the aircraft, many were present with multiple examples. The web-site provides a better listing with good photographs.

1928 Travel Air 2000
1929 Travel Air 4000
1929 Fleet
1929 Waco ASD
1930 Waco ASD
1929 Command-Aire
1931 New Standard D-25
1931 BIRD CK
1931 Stinson JR-S
1943 Boeing Stearman PT-17

I realize these names and manufacturers may not mean much to Europeans, I didn't know much about them myself... biplanes were never quite my forte. I thought it might be interesting to share.
Enjoy.

Tim

[Ricky]

Tim,

I surprised myself with how many of them I had heard of... they are (mostly!) very beautiful, and yo are one lucky guy to have seen them!

Thanks for sharing,
Ricky