by captjeff | Jan 3, 2020 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
Growing up in poverty, life in Germany following WWII was hard, but for one young man, dreams of starting a new life as a pilot in America seemed beyond imagination. However, through strength of character and determination, Dieter Dengler would achieve his goal only to have his short career brought to an abrupt end when he was downed flying a secret mission over Laos at the start of the Vietnam war. The story of his subsequent capture, torture and his ultimate fate is a remarkable story.
Dieter after his escape.
Dieter and Colonel Eugene Deatrick, the man who spotted him in the jungle of Laos.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Navy and draykov.
by captjeff | Dec 23, 2019 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
From one of the lesser known Bee Gee’s records comes a bizarre title for a seasonal song that brings to mind the story of Captain William Wincapaw, a native of Friendship in Maine. In his early days of flying float planes around Rockland Harbour he often used the many lighthouses of New England to help him navigate in poor weather. His fondness for the families who tended these lighthouses and Coast Guard stations, often in the most remote of situations, led him to begin a Christmas tradition that continues to this very day.
Captain William Wincapaw.
Delivering Christmas presents.
Images under copyright to the Friends of Flying Santa. To donate please go to the Friends of Flying Santa website.
by captjeff | Dec 17, 2019 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
After WWII many American pilots were employed by the growing Chinese airline industry flying from poorly equipped airfields in China. The weather was often difficult and the terrain dangerous but on Christmas day 1946, struggling to get back to their base at Lunghwa airfield tragedy would strike… not once but three times. This is the awful story of that night in Shanghai.
A CNAC Curtis C46.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to CNAC archives and National Museum of the USAF.
by captjeff | Dec 10, 2019 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
The very next installment of my flying logbook stories has me attempting my first arrester wire engagement, paying tribute to the Bell Rock Lighthouse and meeting the USAF’s 527th Aggressor Squadron for combat training.
Armed Phantoms of No 43 (F) Squadron, RAF Leuchars.
Three F-5E Tiger II aircraft from the 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron, RAF Alconbury.
Bell Rock lighthouse under construction.
Bell rock lighthouse as I remember it!
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Me, the USAF, Derek Robertson and Robert Stephenson.
by captjeff | Dec 1, 2019 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
In the 1970’s, Germany was in the grip of a terrorist nightmare, led by a far left militant group known as the Red Army Faction or the Baader-Meinhof Gang. Their most audacious act was, with the aid of Palestinian terrorists, to hijack a Lufthansa Boeing 737 named Landshut. For the passengers and crew this was the start of a 5 day nightmare during which they were subjected to awful treatment and murder. This is the story of flight 181.
Hanns-Martin Schleyer in captivity following his abduction.
Landshut during the hijacking.
The route Landshut was forced to take.
The hostages and GSG9 team arrive safely back in Germany.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Ken Fielding, Devilm25 and the Bundesarchiv.
by captjeff | Nov 24, 2019 | Plane Tales
Podcast (pt): Download
Wilheim Böing, emigrated to the United States in 1866 and, after becoming a wealthy lumber merchant, sent his son William to an elite school in Switzerland and then Yale University. Now named Boeing, William followed his father into the timber business and in his spare time became one of America’s first pilots. Soon he was putting his wealth and engineering background to the development of his first aircraft, the Boeing and Westervelt B&W1. This was the start of the enormously successful company that was to conquer the world of aviation and develop such iconic aircraft as the B17 Flying Fortress and the Boeing 747.
A replica of the B&W seaplane.
A 1928 map of the USPO airmail routes.
The Boeing Model-40 airmail aircraft.
A prototype B-17, the Boeing Y1B-17.
Boeing’s first commercial jet airliner, the 707.
The Boeing 747, being displayed to the public for the first time.
Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the San Diego Air & Space Museum Archive, KudzuVine, United States Post Office Department, Seattle Municipal Archives, USAF, Jon Proctor and Scandinavian Airlines Service.
