FRIENDS, Warbirds and LOTS of LUCK

I have some really good friends......really.........I'm a little late in the post, at the time when I started this post, I was on vacation and enjoying my time off and dropped off the "net", a good thing....we all should drop it and live in the moment with no posts, no likes, no contact except for who is setting next to you.

My oldest friend, Gene Breiner 89 years old works for the FAA and he knows I have an addiction to planes, and anything to do with flying.  He inspects experimental aircraft and gives them their certificate and he asked me if I wanted to see a Gruman Avenger on May 27th 2014 that was temporarily based at Hagerstown, she was to leave for her home base in Culpeper VA. I said sure, I'm always up for anything having to do with aviation...now who could I ask to join me.....hmmmm...my bud Pat wasn't sure...my bud Matt...couldn't.......I decided hell I'm going solo no problem I had to see her, I have a love for old flying Warbirds, how can you not?

Early Tuesday morning at the crack of dawn, cause that's how I roll,  I got to the barn (our hangar) and pre-flighted my Citabria known as "Girly Plane"...all set to go and the storms would give me the morning free.....and my bud Pat contacted me asking...you have a seat open?...in my wicked humor..nope, no room!! HAHA...we headed west and talked of how cool is this going to be, to see a Warbird and hear her roar up close and personal.

We landed and could not see her, the tower directed us towards where the Fairchild planes were manufactured and as we turned towards the buildings there she was setting, a stunning 1945 TBM 3E Grumman Avenger...the most awesomeness airplane..I parked Girly Plane near by and was so excited to be able to get close to the Avenger with no ropes to hold us back, no one to tell us to not touch her, and in fact we we were able to climb the ladder, climb in and set in the pilots seat...how is it we can be this lucky...yes we have pictures...

While we were walking around her a T-6 came cresting the corner our second favorite all time plane.......really?? Like two kids, we quickly circled the pilots and asked questions of them and the T-6 pilot said sure climb up and set in her...I kept looking at my bud Pat saying "can you believe this" we both had the biggest smiles.

Here's the deal the T-6 pilot Fran brought John Fuentes to fly the Avenger to her home base in Culpeper VA.  After the check was delivered to Gene, he would sign off and she would head off.  While roaming the Avenger, Gene scrambled and yelled for me to come over to them.......asking me
"look there are two seats open, do you want to ride in the Avenger and Pat can go in the T-6"? , the only thing is you will need a ride home from Virginia? I quickly said noooo, I don't have a ride, storms are approaching and we would probably be stranded....did I really just say nooooo??? WTH is wrong with me?

I called my hubby Barry and told him...he actually laughed and said "hun, you have to do this"!! 

I actually walked away and sighed, then practically started stomping my feet...I walked towards Pat and said "we have to make this happen", I quickly thought through my options and it seemed simple..all I needed was a car, drive back from Culpeper..how hard is that?  Lady Luck was making this difficult...no rental car to be found...resigned to the fact this was not going to happen, I walked over to both pilots and thanked them for waiting for us to try to make this happen.  I then walked over to Gene and Joe and explained where we stood, no where...and Gene, saved us,  tell you what, we will drive down and get you......now you know why I said I have "good friends".

I climbed in the hatch of the Avenger and was told I was in charge of the 30 caliber gun and torpedo drop...yea man, I can do this. After we lifted off I could climb up to sit in the co-pilot seat...and sitting in that seat, I really couldn't stop smiling...You know how you can remember a memory to all of the minute details of that moment? I'm setting here again smiling..... Meanwhile, my bud Pat was smiling ear to ear as he hopped in one of his favorite airplanes, the T-6...at that exact moment we loved our lady luck.

So, I setting in the belly and wondering how many young men have sat in this very seat...looking around the inside of her I was seriously humbled I was doing something very few people have the opportunity to do.

We departed Hagerstown Airport and headed south west down to Culpeper and I kept telling the pilot, John that I couldn't wipe the smile off my face and he shared with me that his passion was having the opportunity to fly these warbird's. Here he was living his passion....how many people get to do that? It was a beautiful flight and she lumbered through the sky and we landed to a small local crowd in Virgina. When I crawled out, I saw the glint of spark in Pat's eyes...I don't think I have ever seen him smile that big.  He insisted in giving her a kiss and then I had to ante up, while only reaching the prop...cause I'm short stuff, an no I didn't care about any bugs.....;-)

Our ride of Gene and Joe showed up and we were chatting, rambling and giddy as kids.  We continued this awesome day and headed up to see Kenny Hyde's place where the Wright Flyer is built....you see sometimes, these old timers have a plan and Kenny's place was 10 miles up the road, but we didn't mind at all.  Pat and I agreed it's the times like this of time slowing and us getting the opportunity to get an inside look see into special places due to Gene's connections, that we never rush through.  We were not permitted to take any pictures, however, the tour, led by Kenny showcasing his #59 original Wright engine was one of the highlights...seeing the planes, wood props, and meeting the employees and interns is forever engrained.

Just about now, we were all hungry...eats, ice cream and off we went heading north back to Hagerstown airport where Girly Plane was waiting for us and we all agreed with the weather and storms moving in we needed to make a decision in Frederick.  The closer we got the sky's darkened and rain was close and the winds were expecting to get wicked and I made the decision to head back to the barn and leave Girly Plane in Hagerstown and when we got back the wind sock was as calm the sky was clear as could be and I looked at Pat and we were both thinking...WTH, how's that weather forecast and wicked wind working out?? I coulda...I shoulda...oh well better to be safe than sorry.

13 hours later I pull into the driveway at home and while I'm glad to be home I am glued to the puter (what I call computer) watching the forecast and see more storms moving in for the next few days and I might have a small window to get her out early tomorrow.......I am lucky to have a good friend that fly's a jet and text him, are you around tomorrow early....he is off and farm boys are always up early.  At the crack of dawn I text him it's now or never.....Matt picks me up within minutes, we highjack another buds plane and head to get Girly Plane home.....as we arrive the sky is getting dark and it's raining.  I ask Matt to stay close and we roll out quick.  We hit some rain showers and as soon as we crested the mountain we were in the clear.  I did my signature fly-by over Pat's house (yea I have a habit of doing that to my closest buds, just to say "hay guys I'm flying", gosh I love to razz them, wing-girl style).

I don't have anything real special or poignant I can say about that special day....it's in the memory bank, we laughed so much the four of us.  I had to tell them the next day that riding around with them two was a treat for both of us...and Gene in his way, said "I didn't know we were the entertainment"?

I love that I have close flying friends who understand my addiction and while they might not admit it, they dig the passion I exude......they will be forever engrained in my heart, mind and man I treasure them..just don't tell them I said any of that mushy stuff...would never live it down....still smiling......#flyingbugforever#