Half Moon Bay Dream Machines

[tirebird]

Okay,.this is a little off topic,..but since most if not all of us here are gearheads, I thought you would like to see some great machinery. Today, Sunday, was the annual Half Moon Bay Dream Machines, on the Northern California Coast. Besides 2000 cars, and 10-20 thousand spectators, there are many WW II and Vietnam War era warbirds. I've attached some to this post. One note, because of the weather(low ceilings because of fog), many of the fly in participants including one of the last remaining ME 109 Messerchmitts, and a B-25 bomber, could not make the show.

The weather also cancelled the B-17 flights, at $475 each. I was ready to take my place in the belly gun and contemplate the bravery of the 20 year olds who took many tours over Germany in these great warplanes.

[tirebird]

Here's a view of the side gunner's 50cal

[tirebird]

another b-17 pic

[tirebird]

one more b-17 pic

[tirebird]

Imperial Japanese Zero

[tirebird]

p-51's

[tirebird]

p-51 closeup

[tirebird]

another p-51 with a lot of kills

[tirebird]

and a navy warbird

[tirebird]

another shot of the zero

[Eddie M.]

Thanks for the pics cool http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif
Whats the reason for the wing tips folding up on the zero?

[nuch_ss396]

Carrier based Zero.

[nuch_ss396]

Man! Sure could use one of these in traffic on the NJ Turnpike http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

http://webzoom.freewebs.com/nuch_ss396/misc/50-cal_waist_gunner.jpg

[SuperNovaSS]

My next door neighbor brought his monster truck up to that show. Apparantly quite a show.

[budnate]

cool stuff..old war birds are so cool to look over and listen to them run...man on man http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[SS427]

John,
Sounds like a very cool show. Too bad for the bad weather as it would have been great had you been able to go up in the B-17. What did you think of the wiring in Sentimental Journey? My brother rewired that entire airplane several years ago and I have video of one of it's first flights taken from the nose gunners position and a the P-51D "Ho Hun" flying chase.

Here is one that I hope to attend this year. Turn up your sound REAL loud! Gathering of Mustangs (http://www.gml2007.com/)

I had dinner with my neighbors last night upon their return from a Florida vacation. In the conversation he tells me that he turned down a free ride (through his company) in the Stallion 51 dual control P-51 in Kissimmee because his wife didn't want him in a scary plane...... Wonder how they got to Florida.........? I think that ride runs about $1500! What an idiot! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

Thanks for sharing the photos.
Rick

[tirebird]

Rick:

He was crazy. You can't put a price on an experience like that. At almost any price, you have to take a ride in a 51!

I didn't study the wiring that much except to see it seemed very period correct. I was impressed with the ancient radio equipment. I thought the nickname "sparks" for the WW 11 radio operators was correct. Thanks for the link...that's awesome.

John