Remember the Forgotten Jets

Taking a little tangent from the usual updating, I would like to make mention of something I've come across recently in my independent research of certain aircraft. In a nutshell, this is why I love the social media. I came across the following website about a two months ago:

http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/ForgottenJets.html

I find this as a really great database of former military aircraft! The creator of this website isn't really interested in aviation yet he does this completely as a hobby during his free time. It's kind of a funny story how I came across this website. I was doing some research of my own. I was researching the Japanese Fuji T-1 and in particular, this airframe which I took a photo of:

Fuji T-1 preproduction c/n 95-5803 stored at Toyohashi/Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture.

All I knew at the time was that it was indeed a Fuji T-1 fuselage but I had nowhere else to go from; no additional photos of this particular airframe to compare with on any aviation photo database I searched on. It was no surprise that I had little information to go off of because Japan only built 66 of these Fuji T-1 airframes and they all went into service with the Japanese Air Self Defense Force. And I knew for a fact the country of Japan took confidentiality very seriously so any information of those sorts were hard to come by regardless. Then I found the website mentioned above. And lo and behold, there was a comparable photo of that very airframe I saw! Some of the information about the location of this airframe was out of date so I decided to E-mail the manager of the website and volunteered some updated information he could use for his website. And in no time, I got a response. I gave him permission to use the photo above and is now featured on his Fuji T-1 database.

In addition, I provided him the link to this very blog as well as my photo gallery. At the time, he was doing research on the North American F-86 Sabre and its variant the "Sabre Dog". I had recently posted a photo of a Sabre Dog I took in Idaho Falls in a recent blog post:

F-86L s/n 53-1022 on display in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

To make a long story short, he asked for permission to use the above photo for his F-86D database. Again, I was happy to give him permission and now this photo you see above is also featured on his website. I was grateful to make some kind of contribution with these two photos. As a result of this little experience in the realm of social networking, my interest for aircraft-types that might not be as well-known went up. As an aviation enthusiast, I have great interest in the historical aspect of it from the different types of aircraft and the various roles they played to the pilots who flew them. And I like the fact that there are are enthusiasts and hobbyists out there such as myself who are compiling and documenting databases in order preserve the historical aspect of it.

So let's remember the forgotten jets.

Gallery Update: Airport Appreciation Day

The Legacy Flight Museum of Rexburg, Idaho hosted a fly-in/open house event called Airport Appreciation Day at the Rexburg-Madison County Airport. The public was granted exclusive access to the ramp where the museum's flying collection of aircraft were on static display. Some planes like the SNJ-3 Texan, and P-51D Mustang even took to the skies. And of course, I've taken the usual opportunity to snap quite a few pictures, both from the event and regular planespotting at the airport:

Rexburg Airport Appreciation Day 2013

Rexburg (RXE) 1

In addition to the photos I've taken, I also filmed some action including two P-51D Mustangs, an SNJ-3 Texan, two Cessna Bird Dogs, and a Yakovlev Yak-55M. I like making videos now because they don't have to be lengthy; some videos are less than 30 seconds long! Here's the link to my video gallery:

Videos

Preview:

Grumman S2F-1 Tracker
 This aircraft is the latest addition to the Legacy Flight Museum.

North American P-51D Mustang named the "Mormon Mustang."
It's so great to see this bird restored and flying after it crashed back in December 2006!

Bob Hoover's former P-51D Mustang nicknamed "Ole Yeller" flying formation with the Mormon Mustang. Quite a sight to see two P-51s flying together!

Gallery Update: Flights from St. Anthony

Yesterday, my uncle took me flying to practice some short-field landings and touch-and-goes. We flew out from Stanford Field in St. Anthony, Idaho. Later that same evening, we took a quick flight out to Pinedale, Wyoming in a Mooney Bravo to deliver parts for a truck. Of course, I took some photos:

St. Anthony (U12) 2

Also, I've also decided to add some aerial photography shots:

Aerial St. Anthony 1

Here's a preview:

Lined up for landing on Runway 4.

Mooney M20 N79393 sitting in a hangar.

Gallery Update: More Skyshark, More of Idaho

I went down to Idaho Falls today in order to run some errands. On the way back, I stopped by the Idaho Falls Regional Airport to get a little spotting in. Of course, I would catch the Skyshark again as well as a few other things:

Idaho Falls (IDA) 2

Preview:

F-86L (upgraded F-86D) Sabre Dog on display at IDA. This aircraft was restored by Pacific Fighters (located at  IDA).

The Skyshark got moved the last I saw it. This time it was over by the Utah Helicopter flight school.

Gallery Update: Off-Airport Salt Lake Style

Well, it's been a long time since I last updated on here... I'm on break from school right now and I've taken the opportunity to visit my aunt, who lives in West Jordan, Utah for the weekend. Her home is right underneath the south approach/departure pattern for Salt Lake City International Airport so I had a chance to do some off-airport aircraft spotting. Mostly Delta mainline and regional jets but hey, an update is an update!

Off-Airport 2

You probably get the idea of what an off-airport photo may look like but here's a sample:

Delta Airlines Boeing 737 departing SLC.

I'll admit, the results don't look that great since I had to use my small digital camera. Sure wish I had the big camera I was using before...

Gallery Update: Too Cold At PDX!

It's no joke; it was windy and I was shivering, which took a toll on my photography. But I got what I could on this rare, sunny, yet hazy winter morning at PDX. Not to mention my FIRST photo gallery for the year 2013!!!

Portland (PDX) 7

And here's your preview:

This is really the only one new to my collection... Alaska/Horizon Air De Havilland Canada DHC-8-401Q Dash 8 Q400 (N407QX) in University of Oregon Ducks livery. Coincidentally, the Fiesta Bowl game happened the day I spotted N407QX between U of O and Kansas State; Ducks won 35-17 by the way.

SkyWest Airlines Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia (N561SW) sitting cold-turkey on the ramp prior to boarding passengers for another commuter flight.

Gallery Review: New Year's Montage 2012

To my dear readers/fellow bloggers/aviation enthusiasts,

I would like to take this moment to wish everyone a Happy New Years. It has been an interesting one in terms of the things going on in regular life as well as the great photos of aircraft that I have taken this year... Here's a montage if you will, composed of some of my all-time favorite aviation photos that I have taken this past year:

Two of the last of several photos I got to take in Japan before I came home earlier this year:

Cessna Citation 680 Sovereign (JA680C) owned by Aero Asahi taxiing to the active. Nagoya-Komaki Airport, Nagoya/Kasugai, Aichi, Japan.

All Nippon Airways-ANA (Air Japan) Boeing 767-381ER (JA609A) parked at Tokyo Narita International Airport. Chiba, Japan.

Here are some of my favorite "local" shots:

Delta Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 (N933DN) arriving at PDX. Portland, Oregon.

Horizon Air with Montana State University special livery De Havilland Dash 8 DHC-8 Q401 (N403QX) taxiing to gate at PDX. Portland, Oregon.

Air Canada Jazz Canadair CL-600-2B19 CRJ-200ER Regional Jet (C-GGJA) prior to taxiing at PDX. Portland, Oregon.

SeaPort Airlines Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (N950PA) taxiing at PDX. Portland, Oregon.

Delta Airlines Boeing 757-351 (N583NW) smoking the mains for landing at PDX. Portland, Oregon.

Typical scene of aircraft when it comes to SLE. Nice day though at McNary Field. Salem, Oregon.

Formation take-off of two Nanchang CJ-6As (Chinese derivative of the Yakovlev Yak-52) at SLE; NX63727 is the red one on the left and NX43HM is the black one on the right. During Hot August Flights 2012 held at McNary Field. Salem, Oregon.

Face-off! With a Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress (NL93012), nicknamed Nine O Nine during Wings of Freedom at McNary Field. Salem, Oregon.

ANOTHER face-off! With a Consolidated B-24J Liberator (NX224J), nicknamed Witchcraft during Wings of Freedom at McNary Field. Salem, Oregon.

North American T-6G Texan Racer 44 'Sixshooter' (N4269E), during Hot August Flights 2012 at McNary Field. Salem, Oregon.

 A McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle (78-0492) from the Oregon Air National Guard's 123rd Fighter Squadron "Redhawks" doing a fly-by for the opening ceremonies, in afterburners and emitting a contrail from the wingtips due to the right conditions Oregon has in terms of moisture. This is a shot I'm proud of!

Thunderbird #6 F-16CJ Fighting Falcon during the 2012 Oregon International Air Show at Portland-Hillsboro Airport. Hillsboro, Oregon.

Boeing C-17A Globemaster III (based at Tacoma, Washington) performing a fly-by at the 2012 Oregon International Air Show at Portland-Hillsboro Airport. Hillsboro, Oregon.

North American P-51D Mustang (N451EA) taxiing after demonstration at the 2012 Oregon International Air Show at Portland-Hillsboro Airport. Hillsboro, Oregon.

I posted a different photo of this Dash-8 Q400 before from the Oregon International Air Show but she showed up on my most recent spotting trip to PDX and I honestly feel this photo brings out the "Oregon Element" that I've grown to love/hate. Gotta admit, even though I'm not a fan of the colour orange, at least it looks good with black!

Rocky Mountain favorites:

Mooney M20M (N9716M). This is my uncle's airplane! Taken at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC). Salt Lake City, Utah.

Douglas A2D-1 Skyshark. This airframe is the only one left of it's kind. Restored by Pacific Fighters located at Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA); Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Rockwell B-1B Lancer on static display at Hill Aerospace Museum. Ogden, Utah.

Favorites from this year's Reno trip:

Hey! It's my uncle's plane again! Heh heh... He was looking for a spot to park! Taken at Carson Airport. Carson City, Nevada.

I didn't realize at the time, but 'Sixshooter' was racing in the T-6 class for the air races! Taken at Reno-Stead Airport. Reno, Nevada.

Now, these following two shots I was REALLY pleased with:

Both cutting-edge for their respective timelines, a North American  P-51D Mustang nicknamed 'Wee Willy II' and an F-22  Raptor flying in formation for the USAF Legacy Flight demonstration.

I was so happy to get both aircraft in the frame just as they came from behind prior to finishing up the USAF Legacy Flight demonstration.

Serving as a support/crew transport aircraft for the Patriots Jet Team, an Israel Aircraft Industries IAI-1124 Westwind (N900PJ) sits on the ramp at Reno-Stead Airport during the 49th Annual National Championship Air Races. Reno, Nevada.

But this has to be my all-time favorite photo that I've taken from this past year. It really holds a special meaning, so what's depicted in the following photo was indeed a privilege to witness:

Four noble World War II-era warbirds: An F6F Hellcat, an F8F Bearcat, an F4U Corsair, and a P-51D Mustang flying together in formation prior to breaking for the 'Missing Man' formation, paying tribute to the eleven victims who were killed in the tragic disaster which took place on September 16, 2011 during the 48th Annual National Championship Air Races.

I dedicate this photo to those eleven victims.

Happy New Years everyone! I had some great photos from this year. Here's to greater experiences, greater achievements (and more awesome photos to come hopefully!) for the year 2013!

Your fellow blogger, and aviation enthusiast,
Michael with a "K"