I was able to have a very cool experience Friday. I went for a flight in a World War II T-6 Texan warplane.
There is a small grass trip airport in Kokomo, Glenndale Airport. For the past 10 years they have held Glenndale Days which is a fundraiser for an organization that helps families with children suffereing from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The two day event features a bunch of Piper Cubs and Cessnas, along with military aircraft such as a T-6, P-51 and Stearman Biplane. Kids and adults can get rides in some of the planes and others are there for show or to put on aerobatic displays.
I've shot the event the past couple years, such as the Soundslide I did in 2007. It's a pretty fun time, see all the different aircraft. And I'm a big airplane fan, particularly the older stuff they have on display there. It's kind of like going to the Smithsonian Air Museum or EAA in Oshkosh, albeit on a smaller scale.
I had an email waiting for me, along with a phone message at the office when I started Friday afternoon. Steve Stants and his wife Laura run a flight school from the airport and I've talked to them several times over the years, taking their photo etc. Steve called to let me know that they were taking the T-6 up for a PR flight for a reporter from the weekly news ragsheet in town and was curious if I would be interested. Well sure.
Pre-flight cockpit portrait, in my flight suit and strapped in.
Image by Erik Markov
I got to go up for a 20 minute flight in the second seat of the T-6, piloted by Laura Stants. Great day to fly with clear blue skies, do some barrel rolls. It was pretty damn cool. I've been up in Pipers, Cessnas, various helicopters, experimental garage built aircraft, hot air balloons, Stearman Biplane, a World War II B-17 bomber and an Air Force KC-135 refueler. But I think the T-6 takes the cake. You won't be doing barrel rolls or any real aerobatics in those other aircraft. It's the closest I'll come to knowing what a fighter pilot of any era feels. And it's nice when someone recognizes your interest in something and thanks you with such a nice gesture.
I'll let the images do the talking now.
Looking out over northeast Kokomo,
Kokomo Airport can be seen at the top left.
Image by Erik Markov
Looking towards the tail of the plane.
Image by Erik Markov
Halfway through a barrel roll,
looking out the top of the canopy
down at the ground.
Image by Erik Markov
After my flight.
Image by Erik Markov
