This happens to be my father in flight school during WW II on a solo flight at Curtis Field, TX. Dad went on to pilot the B-17 Flying Fortress. The aircraft pictured is the Vultee BT-13, known as the Vultee Vibrator.

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B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator.

My father in law was a B-17 captain in WWII and flew his missions and then became an instructor. He never talked much about what it was like, but now I understand.

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Never fly the "A" model

That is a neat picture.

A former gf's Dad flew B-17's in the 8th AF and when he got his 25 missions, returned home then flew B-29's in the Pacific and Korea.
He went on to fly B-36's, B-47's and ended his career as a Bird Col flying B-52's out of the Philippines during Vietnam.

He wouldn't talk of the 8th AF B-17 experience, but once showed me a photo album of flak and fighter damaged B-17's that returned shot up from a mission.

It was very gory, with a lot of blood and obvious fatal wounds to the flyers from what was shown from exterior pictures.

More men died in the 8th AF than the USMC during WWII.

What a telling remembrance.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Your father must have been a brave man to fly a plane with a big "X" painted on the fuselage.

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What, me worry?

Wonderful pic to have!

I have to claim OTD on that one. Pardon me while I make that needed correction. He flew The Flying Fortress, B-17.

Along with that photo I have his "year books" from from Primary at Coleman Fld. (PT-19) and Basic flight training at Curtis Fld. Dad retired in 1968 as an 0-6, the same year I joined the Army. As life would have it, my son is set to retire from the USAF in January as an LtC. A third generation combat pilot. I don't think there are many families that can make that claim. And yes, I am very proud of my father and my son. The whole Air force thing skipped a generation but not the military flying thing. The bottom photo in this set is Tom in his Hog, aerial refueling over Afghanistan. The picture was taken by the boom operator in the tanker.

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I don't know why his gear is down. I'll have to ask him about that.

As I have said, You and Mrs RW4 raised a good kid and I am sure you are very proud of him. Does your son plan on staying in aviation when he retires?

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Never fly the "A" model

Several years ago his wife got tired of multiple tours in the sandbox so he got out and went to work for FedEx flying the 767. The AF called him back so he is on military leave from FedEx. Federal law required them to reinstate when his tour is over so in January it's back to the 767. When he was with FedEx he was also flying in AF Reserves. Going back and forth from the A-10 to the 76 was fun.

I believe that the airfield is still there. Of course it would be a Municipal airport now I'm sure.

My father in law trained in the "vibrator" and later became a flight instructor in the B-25. He never went overseas. There were nearly as many pilots in the training business stateside as there were overseas. This robust training and industrial complex gave us advantages over the Japan's military.

It is. I flew in there on a "training flight" in the 90's while stationed at NAS Dallas. The old airfield is used mostly by crop dusters but some of the old class room buildings were still there.

Tim, many of the flight instructors were a mix of contract civilians and military, much like Ft. Rucker was/is.

My dad trained on a tiny airplane called a Luscombe. He ended up as a Navigator on a B-24 but my understanding is that all AAF Officers would receive basic flight training before they went on to specialized training for their crew positions. He also trained on a Beechcraft AT-7B which was a twin engine plane but that was for navigation training and not actual flight training as a pilot.

Thanks for sharing

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213th FBINA

B-52s didn't fly out of the Philippines. In fact, they weren't allowed to fly over the Philippines with ordinance, so when leaving Guam, they had to pass north of Luzon. Returning to Guam (empty) was okay. Guam and Thailand were the B-52 bases.

That's quite a contrast flying the A-10 to the 76...almost like driving a Shelby Cobra and 1959 Ford station wagon. I have known many Freight Dawgs' in my career, and by the way for those that don't know, the term Freight Dawg is a reference of respect. The Part 121 cargo pilot is not an easy career.

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Never fly the "A" model

Arc Light crews trained at Castle with the 4017th CCTS before heading to Guam or U-Tapao.
There was a P51 Sim in my building.
Our Aero Club's P51s were not flyable while I was there.
Sad but true.
Pipers got me into the air and some fun rides in a 52.

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Have Fun/Stay Safe

I'm a licenced pilot, but "Private Pilot"-----a whole different world from these guys. I can drive an airplane---these guys are for real---as in "Been There---Done That!"---no comparison!

Ralph Tremaine

Flying two very different aircraft back to back takes some mental gymnastics. I sometimes mixed a King Air and a Citation 560 and a helicopter and a jet. I told Tom to get in the cockpit, take a deep breath and know where you are. He handled it quite well. I know it will be difficult to give up the A-10C, but he will get over it.

One of the advantages of being a freight dawg is boxes don't get drunk and make a fool of themselves.

Speaking of helicopters, a looooooooong time ago when I was learning how to drive regular airplanes; I decided I wanted to learn how to drive helicopters. I asked my instructor if he was qualified to provide instruction in helicopters?

He responded by asking me if I could pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time? Sensing an immediate opportunity, I promptly demonstrated I could---with either hand-----frontwards or backwards---no problem! Then he asked if I could do it while standing on a basketball? I allowed as how that would take some time and effort to accomplish. He told me to get back to him when I'd accomplished it. I never got back to him on that.

True story------details-----details!!

Ralph Tremaine

In the mid 80's I worked for Lockheed Air Terminal which managed the municipal side of Rickenbacker AKA Lockbourne AFB. When I was there the Air National Guard maintained a refueling wing and the Flying Tigers had their freight hub prior to merging with Fed Ex. I was taking flying lessons at a flight school there during the day and doing a noise abatement study in the evening.

Those freight guys worked long hard hours. It was impressive to see all those airplanes land by 1am be offloaded sorting completed and gone by 7:30 am. It was one busy ramp. Those guys flew everything from newly hatched chicks to racing thoroughbreds.

It was not a glamorous existence.

Absolutely agree, with 300, or so, Souls on Board or otherwise known as SLF Self loading Freight, and you're running late due to inclement weather and here come the questions..."Why are we late...why is it so bumpy...it's too cold...it's too hot.
As to getting over it? Yes ,I agree, but that doesn't mean I don't miss the Douglas Diesel and I'll bet dollars to doughnuts the same applies for you and the UH-1.
Maybe it's more of a case of missing our youth and when we were young? And now, we sit around the monthly card table and tell the same stories trying to out do each other.

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Never fly the "A" model

We had a freight ramp at BI with Flying Tigers Fed Ex UPS and othersmaller freight and mail carriers. The mail carriers flew some real junk. We got called over to the cargo ramp one evening. The company didn't want to load some Military ordnance...thought the gummit was making 'em carry Air to air missiles which they were...but no explosives...Westinghouse was getting military stuff out of their hanger. We just had to check the FARS on cargo. Legal on freight aircraft...not on passenger A/C. We saw race horses(Preakness times) and some Sheik or Kings show horses. Even a Kings Harem once or twice(not on cargo carriers!!)

My employe wanted me to fly helicopters. I got training but luckily got to stay out of never liked 'em. I got a trip or two while working as a paramedic. Still didn't like 'em. Granddaughters husband is in partnership with another fellow doing commercial work with a Jet Ranger.

Great photo and respect to your father. My Dad trained in the Navy version of the BT-13, the SNV, and was a PBY Catalina pilot in WW2. They are all heroes to me.

Black Cats?

Some helicopters are more fun to fly that others. 5QZ is a Sikorsky S-76B with dual digital auto-pilot, single pilot IFR, UNS-1K FMS, color radar w/lightning detection and turbulence detection, TCAS 2 and a lot of other "gee wiz" stuff. I got to run that one for seven years. Thought I died and gone to heaven. My boss had good taste in aircraft.

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Liking that brass lined cup holder to the right

Anti sub warfare with VPB-63 "Mad Cats". Bay of Biscay and Straits of Gibralter. One of the two squadrons that pioneered Magnetic Anomaly Detection equipment to locate and bomb submerged U Boats.

Oh yea, you have to have a cup holder, the fancier the better.

The B model had PT-6 engines. Later versions had better range (fuel economy) but the Pratt & Whitney's had the power.

Those are lamb's wool seat covers.

I believe that aircraft had fixed landing gear. You got retractable gear in the T-6.

Catalina history is deep and vast, yet virtually unknown.

Having worked with Sikorsky guys, I'd rather walk.

Correct. BT-13 did indeed have fixed gear. It also had radios, flaps, and a two position controllable pitch prop. It was a significant step up from the PT-19 or Stearman en route to transitioning into more advanced training aircraft.