What Is Your Favorite GA / Commercial Pre 1950 Aircraft?

[jedihobbit]

Hey guys and gals a thread started over in the Folding Forum talking about various aircraft with the primary hit on WWII. However thought it would be neat to move the fun over here to get it in front of more people.

This will be for “general” talk about your experiences or just plan fun of telling us why you like a specific plane(s). However don’t want any “debates" & “flaming” but it would be nice it you make specific claims you provide the data. In my case a lot of the ones I’ll mention will be a subjective “I like this plane” be it for strictly looks or whatever.

However to make it easier for y’all to talk or read about aircraft you like thought to divide it up so there will be 4 threads……..

Military Pre 1950
GA / Commercial Pre 1950
Military Post 1950
GA / Commercial Post 1950

[elliott]

Back in 93-94 I had a traveling job, and spent nearly a month inside MD-80s. I wish the airline I fly with now hadn't swapped them all out for 737s.

[jedihobbit]

For me the "classic" beauty of pre-1950 and the jets is the Lockheed Constellation, standard and the Super Connie.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT3cu9QjThg&feature=fvw

while this should be over in military (C-121?) still a nice little film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVVQW...eature=related

BTW elliott your entry needs to go over in GA / Commercial Post 1950

Appreciate the response though!

[BWM]

C47. Always liked bumpy rides the most

[jedihobbit]

As far as general aviation always loved the Cessna 190/195 series that were built from '47 to '54 I believe.



And who could love the Beech Staggerwing?!?!



However my very first ride in a G/A aircraft was an Aeronca Champ

[jedihobbit]

Originally Posted by BWM

C47. Always liked bumpy rides the most

Remember my first ride on a DC-3.........flew out of New Orleans to Fort Polk, LA on a Trans Texas Airways (TTA) also referred to a "Tree Top Airways".
Sat down in the seat to buckle up and the cockpit door was open as the pilots were doing their pre-flight. Then I head "Don't worry about that it is broken anyway" and then they shut the door!

Oh and I thought it was kinda neat the wings looked like they were flapping..........

[BWM]

Originally Posted by jedihobbit

Remember my first ride on a DC-3.........flew out of New Orleans to Fort Polk, LA on a Trans Texas Airways (TTA) also referred to a "Tree Top Airways".
Sat down in the seat to buckle up and the cockpit door was open as the pilots were doing their pre-flight. Then I head "Don't worry about that it is broken anyway" and then they shut the door!

Oh and I thought it was kinda neat the wings looked like they were flapping..........

Oh man I really dugg the in-flight troubleshooting flights I used to get all the time. Almost every damn day in southeast asia, CH53, AC119K, or an EC47, sometimes even an F4-C when ECM and INS weren't talking pretty to each other LOL. Crews would write a humungus long bitch list. Maint control calls in and says they want a crew of avionics IFT's on board. Love it on an EC47, all those doors open all the time, lots of gunplaay cuz avionics is firecontrol on those things. Was a blast. Even that one time the oil cooler on #1 engine busted its guts out and we landed on just #2. That isn't the only one, but was the most fun

[jedihobbit]

As NCOIC of avionics and firecontrol systems for the last half of his time in the Corps, dad would make comments about trouble shooting..........several times mentioning something about pilots that shouldn't even be allowed on the flight line much less in the cockpit!

[BWM]

Originally Posted by jedihobbit

As NCOIC of avionics and firecontrol systems for the last half of his time in the Corps, dad would make comments about trouble shooting..........several times mentioning something about pilots that shouldn't even be allowed on the flight line much less in the cockpit!

Don't have to convince me of that!!!!!! Dumb asses wouldn't follow the full preflight CL they have the gall to come back and bitch about sumpin that ain't broke. GRRRR

[jedihobbit]

BWM, since this is military realted want to take this over to Military Post 1950 ?

[BWM]

Originally Posted by jedihobbit

BWM, since this is military realted want to take this over to Military Post 1950 ?

Oh oh....... My BAD!! Sorry 'bout that.

[John C]

Oh, no doubt the DC-3. When I graduated from A&P School in 1983 (Airframe and Powerplant mechanic's license), I of course expected to be working on 727's for Delta or somesuch. Times were really bad, so I wound up working for a regional airline, PBA, or Provincetown-Boston-Airlines. And wouldnt you know it, we had 12 DC-3's. I learned to love the hell out of that bird, and to this day when I hear one it brings tears to my eyes.

[elliott]

Originally Posted by jedihobbit;4396028

BTW elliott your entry needs to go over in [url= http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?p=4396009#post4396009

GA / Commercial Post 1950[/url]

Appreciate the response though!

Oops, just spotted that myself. I have had a couple DC-3 rides. Good airframe for landing on a beach in the middle of nowhere.

[jedihobbit]

Thanks elliott, but keep 'em coming as I like to see lots of input in all four areas!

While not GA and sometimes sponsored by the military.........how many here are familiar or liked the Schneider Cup series of aircraft?

[jedihobbit]

Hey y'all another topic that would work great here is any "Golden Age" racing such as the Thompson and Bendix series and any other speed based aircraft!

Such as this built but never flown Bugatti 100(dang WWII!)

http://museum.eaa.org/collection/air...er%20Facts.asp



AND you thought he only built cars!!