Pictures Of The Keystone Heights, FL Airshow

N29KX 1995 Sukhoi SU-29 with pilot doing preflight checks.


N26VN 1990 Sukhoi SU-26M


WWII US Army motorcycle on display at the airshow


Daughter with her youngest son at the air show hiding in the shade of a C-130 wing.


WWII OY-1 Sentinel (Stinson L5) in USMC colors of VMO6, 306 L-5s were supplied to the United States Marine Corps and 152 to the United States Navy.


1942 Consolidated Vultee BT-13A, tail number N59961. The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was a American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps. An subsequent variant of the BT-13 in USAAC/USAAF service was known as the BT-15 Valiant, while an identical version for the US Navy was known as the SNV and was used to train naval aviators for the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard.




1975 Siai-Marchetti Model SF260, Tail Number N13FD


1949 Navion L-17B. The L-17 was used by the military services from the late 1940s through the early 1960s for liaison, reconnaissance and light cargo missions. It was originally designed by North American Aviation, Inc. and was first flown in April 1946. In the summer of 1947, Ryan Aeronautical Company acquired the design and manufacturing rights from North American and built improved Navions designated as L-17Bs.



1960 North American T-6G, Tail Number N8203H. Later in life, many T6 aircraft were overhauled and modified to the T-6G configuration, which included among other things, updated avionics and a new canopy for greater visibility.


Another shot of a German WWII motorcycle showing devices for clearing traffic congestion mounted on the forks.


Another possible T6 Texan variant, but I can not identify it any better with the numbers visible on the aircraft.


Florida Air National Guard, 125th Fighter Wing, C-130E on display.


Stearman Aircraft Company PT-17 of which 10, 346 models were built by the end of 1945. The aircraft had a wing span of 32ft. 2in., a length of 24ft. 3in. and a height of 9ft. 2in. The aircraft empty weight was 1936 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 2,717 pounds with a ceiling of 11,000 feet. I can not get any further information with the numbers visible on this aircraft.




This aircraft is a North American Aviation TP-51C Mustang Tail Number N251MX owned by the Collings Foundation. The Collings Foundation says this is the only dual control P-51C Mustang in their WWII aircraft collection.



This aircraft is listed as a 1956 manufacture North American AT-6D, Tail Number N75342. The T-6 Texan was originally a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed by North American Aviation, used to train fighter pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II. The aircraft is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and who flew it. The US Army Air Corps called it the "AT-6", the US Navy, the "SNJ", and in the British Commonwealth Air Forces it was known as the "Harvard". Developmental modifications to the original aircraft over time resulted in the AT-6D aircraft.



February Airshow at Keystone Heights, FL. It was small, but well worth the trip. When we got to the gate, the fellow selling tickets said Veterans get in free. I told him in our group everyone over 6 years of age was a veteran. My brother and I are both retired from the military and both of my daughters are US Army veterans. Then he said it was WWII Veterans who get in free, none of us met that goal so we anteed up $6 each and proceeded on in pursuit of adventure.


This is a shot of a Pratt & Whitney rotary reciprocating engine. This engine was a single-row, 9-cylinder air-cooled radial design. This type of engine dates from the 1920s onward. I love to hear these engines roar on the ground or in the air, they have a distinct sound.



Some of the WWII displays involved equipment from the "dark side". This appears to be a small WWII German armored car or reconnaissance vehicle. My guess is it is the Leichter Panzerspähwagen (roughly "Light Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle") which were a series of light 4x4 armoured cars produced by Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1944. As previously stated, my expertise such as it is, relates to submarines.


An SNJ Trainer, the Navy version of the Army Air Corp AT-6 Trainer and the British Harvard Trainer. The Navy used SNJ-1, SNJ-2, SNJ-3, SNJ-4, and SNJ-5 aircraft over the years. Total production of T6 Texan, SNJ and Harvard aircraft was 15,495 aircraft.



A German WWII motorcycle with accouterments that was at the airshow.



The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years.


Great Uncle Rickard helping grandson number 2 win a prize. The mallet probably weighs more than my grandson.


One of my grandchildren, aka Sky Bean, one year of age and checking out the sights at the airshow.


This B-25 is the one and only N3476G or 44-28932 owned and operated by the Collings Foundation. This is the type aircraft flown by General Doolittle and his men in the first strikes against mainland Japan. She is painted the colors of a specific aircraft, the Tondelayo, a famous B-25 of WWII. More information is available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm



A US Army Sherpa lifts off with members of an Army jump team who parachuted in from over the field.


The Collings Foundation Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress at Keystone Heights, FL. This is one of only 14 B-17s still flying in the United States. More info available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm)


The Collings Foundation’s B-24J is the only restored flying B-24J in the world. Here, the airplane is painted to honor the 8th Air Force and all who served in England and in the ETO. The aircraft has been painted like the WWII “WITCHCRAFT”, a B-24 assigned to the 467BG, 790BS that compiled an amazing record of 130 combat missions. More info is also available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm



US Army C-23 Sherpa on display prior to lifting off with a load of jumpers.


Grandson Ise checking out a C-130 on display.




US Army personnel preparing to drop in to the Keystone Heights Airshow. Safety first, always.

Things Are Hoppin At Nan's And Cheez's

We have our daughter and children from NC and also some daily visits from another daughter and her children who live locally. So, I have some happy time pictures to show.

The newbie is eight months old and will stand at any time or opportunity, with or without adult help. Within seconds of this picture, her older brother walked up and opened the door from the outside. Not so much fun looking out the door then. Except for a rap on the gourd, all was well and she soon was back to her normal high spirits. Scared the crap out of the Safety Officer though. He saw it coming but was to far away to catch her.

Sky Bean, at 11 months is good at standing and even takes a few steps when he forgets himself. Not actually walking yet but very close. You can see by his normal look that life upsets him.

The face you get when you ask an Irishman to look like a pirate. He also says Arrrrgggghh Maitey very well. I think he is in training for "National Talk Like A Pirate Day".

Cousins hanging out around the backyard tug boat.

Gus working in the dirt. All of our grandchildren like to come over and play in the dirt. Summer is great because you can hose them down when they are dirty. The last few days the temperatures at night have been below freezing so there is not so much hosing going on.

I believe this actually looks like a Safety Officer in Training. I was not there for the picture so I don't know the story behind it. Ise is however sometimes referred to by his mother as a junior safety officer.

When all else fails, or whenever she feels like it, Nana is known to pick a baby up by their heels and blow in their ear. You can see it really scares them.

The smile is hidden behind the Bink. This picture was taken shortly after her brother opened the door on her. If she had a song it would, "I gotta be me"!

The Mossberg Model 46B Project Begins

The Mossberg Model 46B was made from 1938 to 1940. I am going to repair the stock and put this fine little beauty back into service. At this point, the rifle has just been unpacked after receipt. Rest assured, I bought it in this condition. So far, all I have done is remove the trigger guard which held the two stock pieces together.

Yep, during my initial inspection, I broke the little ear off checking for cracks in the stock. I need to identify any cracks in the stock resulting from the stress that broke the wrist. On the bright side, you can see the little safe-fire buttons are still with the stock.

This is the right side of the break in the wrist. There are gaps around the edges that will have to be filled in. I don't have any of those pieces, so we will carry on without them.

Another look at the wrist. This the underside showing the groove into which the trigger guard fits. To a varying degree, gaps exist all the way around the wrist. My start will be to bond the two larger portions, butt stock and forearm together.

This is an Acraglas Kit, which I will use along with an oak dowel inserted through the wrist to effect the repair.


There are some small cracks in the tang of the stock. My first hope is they will be stabilized when I bond the butt stock to the forearm. But I will keep an eye on the cracks to see if pins may be required.

This is the butt of the stock with the butt plate removed. Obviously some kind of inappropriate screw has been used in the past to secure the butt plate.

As I write this, the Acraglas Kit is riding "The Brown Truck of Happiness" enroute from Brownells, Inc. to my house.

More Pre-Christmas Pictures From NC

Nana gets her sugar at every opportunity.

Baby Dee has been introduced to new toy. This item came from her Florida Aunt Marcy.

I don't know if the kids at Aunt Marcy's house outgrew it or Aunt Marcy got tired of tripping over it.

As you can see by my pictures, Baby Dee was really into this. The tabletop mounts on legs but at this time it is flat on the floor. Baby Dee was not yet standing by herself when these pictures were taken. However, she was just getting ready to graduate from the slow and low crawl to a faster up on her knees crawl

Pictures of the family in North Carolina.

Some more of my pictures next to the Christmas Tree.

Ise kept checking with Baby Dee to make sure everything was OK.

I shot a lot of these however, usually if one kid was on track, the other was drifting elsewhere.

Often the look on Baby Dees face reminds me of her mother when she was a child. Other times Baby Dee's expression reminds me of my mother.

These pictures are of no particular order, I just liked them.

When you are the blogger, you get to pick the picture used.

We all had a good time and nobody cried, at least not a lot.

Two New Projects For 2009

A Mossberg Model 46B, circa 1938-1946, with a broken stock in need of some surgery followed by some TLC.

A Mosssberg Model 46M(b), circa 1947-1952, also in need of some TLC.

I really enjoy the challenge of refurbishing these old rifles. Right now, I am awaiting their delivery via the Brown Truck Of Happiness (BTOH). More pictures and information will follow as this project continues.

Some Before Christmas Pictures Taken in NC

Baby Dees first Christmas. That's not her present but she sure liked the ribbon.

Here we put Baby Dee next to her big brother and to see what happens.

Hmmmm. The baby notices her older brother appears to have something interesting in his hand.

Here, her focus becomes more intense.

Here Baby Dee moves into phase two, her let me see it now phase.


And finally, the total investigation phase.

The Christmas Play

In early December, Ise played "Joseph" in the church school play. He got upset the final day of practice because "Mary" was giving him to much direction; so he informed everybody that he quit.

"Mary" agreed to stop with the constant direction of "Joseph" and the band played on. Little does "Joseph" know what awaits him in the coming years.

The show started at about 6:00 pm and by the time it ended at or about 7:00 pm there were little actors and actresses asleep in their positions on the stage. You can see here, that "Joseph" is looking for his own manger.

Boys Bowling

Over Christmas we visited our daughter, her husband and their two children. Here are some pictures of Luke with his his son, Ise bowling. I came along to work the camera.

This is Ise with the bowling ball he used.

This is a typical delivery. The ball is relatively large when compared to the bowler but that didn't seem to phase him.

And we have pins that are knocked down. This is not their first time bowling and Ise had a really good time.

Ruger SR9 Recall

Sturm Ruger & Co. will retrofit all Ruger SR9 pistols starting with serial number prefix 330 (330-XXXX) with new parts at no charge to the customer.

In order to ensure correct fitting the new parts must be installed by Ruger at their factory in Prescott, AZ.

If your Ruger is subject to recall, call (800) 784-3701, fax (928) 541-8873, e-mail SR9Recall@ruger.com or visit www.ruger.com.

You must provide: name, address, telephone number and your pistols serial number.

Ruger will send you, instructions, a shipping label, and a shipping container so your SR9 can be returned to the factory at no cost to you.

For your inconvenience, Ruger will return your pistol after update with a spare magazine free of charge.

If your SR9 is eleigible for update Ruger says "Do not load or fire your SR-9 until the retrofit is complete."

Pictures From North Carolina

This is Joseph greeting the audience after his performance in A Mighty Day presented by his preschool on 11 December 2008.

As the crowd moves on, so does Joseph. The play started at 7:00 pm and by the time the play was over it was obvious that more than Joseph's sister was ready for bed. Some of the kids fell asleep in position during the play. All in all, it was fun and a pleasure to watch.

Baby Dee, wants everyone to know that boys are not the only people who can be pirates.