Welcome Calvin, I am wondering if you might happen to be a WorldRounder. They were o group that made many round the world flight. Back in the early eighties myself and Dan Webb both had Porta-Port hangars next to the Planes of fame ,museum at Chino KCNO.

Dan had a 75 model A36 with large tip tanks modified from military drops. IIRC they ere about fifty or sixty gallons each. In 1982 he made his first trip with the WorldRounders.

In 1983-84 we were both original buyer's into the first Eagles Nest Hangar complex at Chino just north of the tower and across the entry street from Planes of Fame.

Dan went on o fly the WorldRounder event for a total of four times. I believe the last was in 1996. Not sure if he is still around as I left Chino in 2003.

Welcome again, where are you based?

Great photos, thanks!

+1
Captain Pits, I salute you and thank you for sharing all these incredible memories with us. You have found on this BT board a community of dedicated aviators who have probably more respect and comprehension than you will find almost anywhere else for what you have accomplished.

Well dome!

I was able to travel the South Pacific for business in the 70's and also saw what you described: military material left behind like it was just yesterday. Rabaul, Kieta in PNG and Honiara in the Solomon's stand out in my mind....

Thanks, Greg. I'm working on "the rest of that story" now.

Jim, Thanks for the welcome. When you say -thread split- it's like me talking to my granddaughter about Induced Drag. The person who posted the pictures was Simon Thomas from Australia. I've got to get back to down-under and meet Simon.

No, unfortunately, I don't fly much anymore. I'm a bird with a broken wing, I guess. How I miss it. If I'm ever in your part of the country, I would love to take you up on that offer. Would be like going to heaven.

You asked my location. I live out in the Bluegrass country near Lexington, KY, back home after having spent a career in CA, CO, FL, and Latin America, and a few other places, too. Next month I'm taking a Research vacation to NY, NH, and Maine, representing the Will Rogers Museum & Research Center (another story). If anyone lives near Skowhegan, ME, I'll be doing library research there also. Thanks.

Joe, Thanks for the Welcome. What a coincidence. Richard, from wingnet, contacted me a few months ago, and asked me to share some RTW stories, since his site is dedicated to RTW flights.

That was a long but pleasant assignment. Since I had never heard of that site, how did you discover it? Richard has done a great job. Thanks for posting it.

Thanks, Andrew. I'll do my best. Looks like I've joined a great group of BeechGuys.

Thanks Moien. The response of this -bunch- has restored new life in me already. Glad to discover this Forum, and I'll share whatever seems to be of interest. Thanks for your kind note.

Thanks Chris, Nashville. Getting close to home here in Lexington. Love your quote. I've flown with co-pilots who sometimes said, -I know the answer, I just don't know the question-. I'm working on the stories. Thanks for the welcome.

It would be my great pleasure, so feel free to let me know where/when you might have free time on your upcoming trip to New England and I'll see if I can accommodate. (Or maybe Kevin or someone else local can accommodate.)

I saw the picture of your A36 outside Stead Aviation and recognized the building. I was based at MHT when I bought my first airplane. That was before they chased most of the general aviation off the field and expanded the runways. That field is a lot different than it was in the mid-90s (and Wiggins bought Stead, so the lineage is still there, but it's all glass and marble glitzy now).

Hey Max, Knoxville is close. My step-daughter lives there, and is driving up to Lexington today for some good food. I suspect the chances of meeting you are good.

You hit it on the head when you mention Red Tape. I found that political red tape more than negated the technology advances we made in the last 50 years, and that was for 1981. Can't imagine what it is like today with the Muslim uprisings.

I could tell you about a machine gun in Egypt, an armored tank with guns leveled at us in Greece, and house arrest in Indonesia. But that's another story.

Thanks for your warm welcome. Glad I discovered you.

It would be my great pleasure, so feel free to let me know where/when you might have free time on your upcoming trip to New England and I'll see if I can accommodate. (Or maybe Kevin or someone else local can accommodate.)

I saw the picture of your A36 outside Stead Aviation and recognized the building. I was based at MHT when I bought my first airplane. That was before they chased most of the general aviation off the field and expanded the runways. That field is a lot different than it was in the mid-90s (and Wiggins bought Stead, so the lineage is still there, but it's all glass and marble glitzy now).

Capt Pitts, if you're based in Lexington, then we are geographically close. We will be having a Beechtalk get together October 26 in Knoxville (Courtesy of Max Grogan). Good food, good times, and all Beech nuts! It would be my honor to pick you up (if you don't mind traveling in a 1954 Vintage) to attend!

WOW! Great pictures and I'll be watching this thread closely for all the updates. I love hearing stories of "our" airplanes in the early days.

Thanks Don for interesting information.
No, I am not familiar with WorldRounders. Sounds like a good group.
I used to fly into Chino often when I lived in LA and flew out of SMO.
I've been in the Museum often. Great stuff.
Four times around the world? He must have a constitution of steel, and lots of $$$.

Thanks for your warm welcome. I'm going to enjoy this Forum.

BTW, you asked where I am based. Without a plane now, I call Georgetown KY my home base, only because that is where I did my first solo in a J3-Cub.
But I'm plane-poor now. I've been blessed to be able to do a lot of different things, but I've accepted the financial reality of retirement.

I now give much of my time to writing.
I'm deep into a project of putting into print a lifetime of experiences, especially as they relate to Wiley Post. That is now my passion, to correct much of the record about him.