Four seater Piper landing on Marine Huey Rotor… or not.
Photographed at Atlantic Aviation, Charleston, SC while touring the B-29 FIFI.
All Lined Up
Category Archives: Transportation
B-29 Superfortress FIFI
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress saw active military duty from 1944 through the late 1950s. “FIFI” was acquired by the Commemorative Air Force in the early 1970s and after extensive restoration travels across the US for air events and to share a piece of history.
FIFI flew into Charleston, SC this week where she is on display for tours and rides are available for the brave. I’ll be staying on the ground!
The most well known B-29s were the ones outfitted to drop atomic bombs at the end of World War II, including the Enola Gay.
The size of this airplane’s parts is impressive. I was standing fully upright below one of the propellers for this shot:
After several days of rain we were also treated to some blue sky today, adding to the B-29’s presentation. You can see the feet of folks waiting their turn to climb up into the cockpit area in the shot below.
“The CAF was founded to acquire, restore and preserve in flying condition a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.”
Will It Fit?
I always take a breath when I see cargo ships pass under the bridges around Charleston. The prospect of not fitting is an optical illusion at certain distances from the bridge.
MSC Karlskrona loaded and leaving port, has passed under the Ravenel Bridge on a gorgeous spring day. The SPA Wando Welch Terminal is visible in the left background.
Charleston, SC 05/05/2017.
Birds on the USS Yorktown (CV-10)
The USS Yorktown (CV-10) is covered with attractive nooks and crannies if you are a bird. This includes the twelve historic aircraft on display on the flight deck.
Grackles were particularly abundant this week, using all openings for their homes.
An Osprey nest is perched in the tower. I hope it is a little sturdier than it appears here, at the top of the ladder.
A small flock of House Finches was perching off the edges of the flight deck on safety netting. I wasn’t able to see where they might be nesting as they zipped back and forth, somewhere below the edge of the deck.
The USS Yorktown (CV-10) is the centerpiece of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Mount Pleasant, SC. Towed to this spot in 1975 the Yorktown itself is a museum and additionally houses a number of exhibits associated with its history dating back to World War II.
Sunrise Ride
The sun rose over the beach with an orange glow, highlighting this bicyclist on his morning ride.
For a few minutes the sky was very dramatic and well worth getting up for.
Click photos for larger view.
Wrong Way Ride
Any direction was too hot to ride yesterday when the heat index was over 100 Degrees in Charleston, SC. There wasn’t a breath of air in this narrow street.
Click to enlarge.
USS Yorktown (CV-10) – Engine Room Dials
Decommissioned in 1970, the USS Yorktown started service in World War II and is now the centerpiece of the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Way down in the ship an amazing array of dials that monitored and controlled a complex and massive engine system.
Click on any photo for slideshow or larger view.
The Yorktown from the Mount Pleasant Pier. Learn more about the Yorktown.
Standing On A Corner
It was Jerome, not Winslow, Arizona, and it wasn’t a girl, but it sure was a sight!
Volkswagen Buses, lots of them. I was totally unprepared and missed the beginning of the caravan, but I shot what passed by.
Click on any photo for larger view or slideshow.
Adventure
We had driven all around Sedona, Arizona, seeing the red rocks from all the tourist spots at various heights from the top of the airport mesa down to the water at Red Rock State Park. Anywhere you looked there is some size “rock” jutting up into the sky.
The ultimate adventure was to see it from above, where the pace was slow and the air quiet, at the whim of a hot air balloon. I was a little nervous but the skill the crew from Red Rock Balloons demonstrated as they unpacked, rolled out, and inflated our balloon eased my fears. The pilot was clear in his instructions to us, including how to climb into the basket -I’m not that nimble- and what was going to happen when we came down.
The heat from the dancing flames took the chill off the early September morning.
There were three balloons in our group . We were the first to lift off and saw the other two complete their final preparation.
You really couldn’t feel movement as we drifted out into the valley. The sun rose and the light changed rapidly.
In just minutes the entire valley was lit.
We startled a few small groups of mule deer.
In about an hour we were back on the ground. The pilot discharged the end of the fuel to cool the tubing, the balloon came down, and the crew packed everything back in the trailer.
Yes, I would do it again!
Classic Chrome
The sparkle and shine on a car can prove to be a photography problem, especially on a sunny day. Reflections of the clouds, other passers by, and the photographer appear in every shiny detail.
The 2015 Middletown Cruise on Main was a great opportunity to learn how to navigate some of the challenges. Some photos with too much glare just can’t be corrected.
Leaning inside a car (NO TOUCHING ALLOWED) was one option, which is how I got this image that shouted out “The Jetsons” to me. Their theme song is now stuck in my head along with a vision of George zooming home from Spacely Space Sprockets above the ground in his aerocar.
Leaning in the open window also got me this fabulous console and the bonus fuzzy dice.
Sometimes the reflection makes an opportunity.
According to the Middletown Press thousands of spectators turned out to see the cars this gorgeous May evening. Going early turned out to be a great idea; the crowd thickened as darkness approached. I waited quite awhile to get this hood ornament.
This was a fun event that we’ll put on the calendar for next year.
