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Barrett · 10 December 2001, 07:14 PM

The airplanes were always there. Growing up on the wheat ranch, my brothers & I were constantly exposed to ag planes, light aircraft, and SAC bombers out of Fairchild at Spokane. One of the most vivid memories of my life is standing in the front yard, maybe age 6, and feeling a vibrant, pulsing THRUMMING in the air. Minutes later a huge aluminum overcast appeared, blotting out the sun (or so it seemed.)
That was a B-36.
THAT was impressive! The B-52 was a piker by comparison.
I will ALWAYS watch Jimmy Stewart's "Strategic Air Command" for the gorgeous aerial photography of Peacemakers flying into the sunset (or maybe sunrise), streaming golden contrails. Sure it's saccharine, sure it's PR, sure it's interservice politics (the title song is "When the AF Takes Command"). It don't matter.
WW I interest? It was always there, too. Impossible to say when or why, but it was well established by the time I began flying. Rat-racing with the other Scarf & Goggles Club pilots certainly enhanced a kid's taste for biplane aviating!

10 December 2001, 07:14 PM	#30 (permalink)
Barrett Forum Ace of Aces Join Date: Aug 1998 Location: The American West Posts: 4,809	The airplanes were always there. Growing up on the wheat ranch, my brothers & I were constantly exposed to ag planes, light aircraft, and SAC bombers out of Fairchild at Spokane. One of the most vivid memories of my life is standing in the front yard, maybe age 6, and feeling a vibrant, pulsing THRUMMING in the air. Minutes later a huge aluminum overcast appeared, blotting out the sun (or so it seemed.) That was a B-36. THAT was impressive! The B-52 was a piker by comparison. I will ALWAYS watch Jimmy Stewart's "Strategic Air Command" for the gorgeous aerial photography of Peacemakers flying into the sunset (or maybe sunrise), streaming golden contrails. Sure it's saccharine, sure it's PR, sure it's interservice politics (the title song is "When the AF Takes Command"). It don't matter. WW I interest? It was always there, too. Impossible to say when or why, but it was well established by the time I began flying. Rat-racing with the other Scarf & Goggles Club pilots certainly enhanced a kid's taste for biplane aviating! __________________ You will not rise to the occasion: You will default to your level of training.