We enjoyed an awesome Memorial Day weekend in East Tennessee as a cool, rainy spring finally gave way to a hot, sultry summer. I have a new appreciation for Memorial Day since I’ve become so interested (obsessed?) with WWII aviation. The men who flew those beautiful Mustangs in Europe and Corsairs in the Pacific paid dearly for the freedoms we enjoy today. If you’ve never read the book Flyboys, you should add it to your summer reading list. The heroism of the young aviators depicted in the book is beyond belief.
Yesterday our local flying club hosted an informal wienie roast and warbird fly. One of the highlights of the day was a simulated dogfight involving my P-51 Mustang and a Japanese Zero. My good friend Carlos Reveiz, who is a semi-professional sports photographer, attended the event and snapped some action photos. Below is a beautiful shot he took of my P-40 Warhawk coming in for a landing. It doesn’t get any better than this!
Meanwhile, if you’re a fan of the old Chicago song 25 or 6 to 4, you, like me, may have wondered where that title came from. Theories abound, but a friend sent me a link to what seems to be the definitive answer straight from the song’s author. Mystery solved–I think.
BTW, I maidened my new Corsair this weekend and have a grainy video of the landing. Even with the mediocre quality of the video, it’s worth watching for Corsair enthusiasts.