The Way We Were Wednesday - Flying the Fairchild 24W
I have written about this before, my father and a friend of his, rebuilt a Fairchild 24 in the early 1960's. One of my earliest memories was of the wings being recovered in our garage, scooting under them and getting lacquer paint in my hair. He carried this photo of it in his wallet, the rest of his life. When he died, I framed it, it is in the glass fronted bookcases in my bedroom.
A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across the video below. This led to several other videos of Fairchild 24's. It was a design built from the 1930's into the post war era. The instrument panel in this one, was the instrument panel in the one my father had. The engine was a different manufacturer on dad's. But beyond that this is the plane. The memory triggers are amazing.
Wings on the top, or wings on the bottom, if it from the 60's - 90s, and wings are on the top, probably a Cessna, wings on the bottom, probably a piper, or monney, or beech,
I'd love to "be flown" in a plane like that. Don't know that I'd want to fly it myself. The only people I've known with their own planes have been wealthy and pretentious and seemed to get more pleasure about telling one about their expensive private planes than they did actually loving the plane and the idea of flight. I always wanted to go up but I never wanted to feed their egos. One of my cousins somehow manages to slip into every introduction something about the fact the "Yes, well, I have a my own plane." Yada yada yada. Your father would have been fun... and refreshing!
Oh god, I wonder if this is the kind of plane my friend is taking me up in? Sure looks like a old plane like that.
ReplyDeleteWings on the top, or wings on the bottom, if it from the 60's - 90s, and wings are on the top, probably a Cessna, wings on the bottom, probably a piper, or monney, or beech,
DeleteI'd love to "be flown" in a plane like that. Don't know that I'd want to fly it myself. The only people I've known with their own planes have been wealthy and pretentious and seemed to get more pleasure about telling one about their expensive private planes than they did actually loving the plane and the idea of flight. I always wanted to go up but I never wanted to feed their egos. One of my cousins somehow manages to slip into every introduction something about the fact the "Yes, well, I have a my own plane." Yada yada yada. Your father would have been fun... and refreshing!
ReplyDeleteIt was fun, I think they had all of $3,000 into the Fairchild when it was finished and flying.
DeleteIt sounds thrilling and terrifying at the same time to go up in that little thing.
ReplyDeleteThey are fun, if the pilot is good.
DeleteVery cool!
ReplyDeleteSome great times
DeleteGreat memories here. I loved it when he pointed out the 1947 iPhone 5 in the video!
ReplyDeleteAvionics have changed so much in the past 20 years,
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