Gooney Bird – Page 2

The Veteran

admin Aviation, Blog, MainSlider April 18, 2013April 11, 2020C-47, Dakota, Gooney Bird, Skytrain

One of the new acquirement’s made by Kermit at Fantasy of Flight is this C-47 Skytrain. This plane has been called many different things over it’s years in service; Gooney Bird, Dakota, Skytrain, C-53 which is the cargo version and of course the DC-3 which was used as an airliner. This particular C-47 is a true veteran having flown during the invasion of Normandy and dropped paratroopers in France. It also dropped troops in during Market Garden. We were lucky to have this beautiful aircraft out on the grass for us to photograph. The clouds behaved perfectly creating that look of 1940 England; grass strips and cloudy skies.

At one point a Stearman that was selling rides flew overhead and punched a couple more holes in the clouds for us.

In the Camera Bag:
Nikon D3, 24-70 AF-S f/2.8, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film

Belated D-Day

admin Holidays June 7, 2012June 14, 2020C47, C47 Skytrain, C53, Dakota, Gooney Bird

I realize this is a bit belated but it’s amazing the things you remember and the things you don’t. Although I am getting better about important historical dates, there are times when ones escape my little brain. In this case, yesterday was the 68th anniversary of D-Day, the US Allied invasion of Normandy. For some it was the long anticipated day after months of training. For all it was a day that changed thousands of lives. A lot of the brave boys that went that day, jumped out of planes like this one. This is a C-53 Skytrain a modified C-47 for more cargo space and easier access. Hard to imagine jumping out of a perfectly good airplane. We honor their bravery.

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/AVCBASC0305.swf, 585, 435[/swf]In the Camera Bag:
Nikon D3, 200-400 VRI, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film

Clouds Make a Difference

admin Aviation, MainSlider February 24, 2012June 13, 2020C47, C47 Skytrain, C53, Dakota, Gooney Bird, Tigermoth

Since this past Sunday we have had nothing but grey skies. Normally that’s not bad a thing because it is usually followed with lots of snow. Some days that was true others not so much. However, snow or not, grey skies get can get old real fast. Although nothing forced me to get out the camera, I did get me thinking.

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/AVCBAFT1184.swf, 585, 435[/swf]

Not the most radical of ideas but the necessity of clouds is instrumental. Take for instance working with any plane in a blue sky, without the clouds it’s just boring as sin. Both of these planes, the top a Tigermoth and the bottom a C-53 Skytrain, have a much more interesting story due to the clouds around them. What that story is depends on how far your imagination goes.

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/AVCBAFT1476.swf, 585, 435[/swf]In the Camera Bag
Nikon D3, 200-400 AF-S VRI, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film

A Transport this Time

admin Aviation November 28, 2011June 13, 2020C47, C47 Skytrain, C53, C53 Skytrooper, Dakota, DC-3, Gooney Bird

It’s been a while since I updated my Gallery with some new aircraft so this week seemed to be a good enough time as any. This one if the Douglas C47 Skytrain. It was developed after the DC-3 Airliner with some improvements for the Allies combat action, including a strengthened floor and a rear door. This aircraft played a huge part of the war effort. Over ten thousand were made for dropping troops, carrying cargo and transferring wounded. Some of its greatest uses came in the naval battle in the Pacific where the need to move as quickly as the Japanese in jungle fronts was essential. The Navy designated the plane R4D where in the European front it was later modified to drop paratroopers then known as the C53 Skytrooper. The men on the ground had another name for it, the Gooney Bird.

C47 Skytrain

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/AVOSHSC1807.swf, 585, 435[/swf]Images Captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 70-200 VRII, AF-S 200-400 VR, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film

Playing with the Statics

admin Aviation, Blog November 22, 2010C47, C53, Dakota, DC-3, Gooney Bird, T34, T34 Mentos

Here are a couple more static’s from CAF headquarters Arizona. I love playing with statics there are so many possibilities. This is a DC-3 and as you can see with the oil drums under the engines it hasn’t been flown for a while.

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/CAFSC0297.swf, 585, 435[/swf]

This one is one of my new favorites. It has a great look to it, almost like a mustache. It is a T34 Mento, basically the plane that replaced the T6 Trainer from training new pilots.

[swf]http://www.jakepeterson.org/swf_imgs/CAFSC0340.swf, 585, 435[/swf]

Images captured with D3, AF-S Nikkor 24-70 f2.8, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film