Pappy's Plane
 

I heard it. The unmistakable sound of the 12 cylinder in-line engine of a World War II fighter caught my attention from inside the store where I was making a pick-up.
But first.....I was going across the highway to the Sonoma, California airport and see my airplane, then I could go back to work and deliver what I had just obtained.

It's a funky little strip with some funky ancient aircraft parked around, some of what made aviation back when.
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08877.JPG


There were no gates so I ended up weaving my way between hangers until I rounded the corner of the last hanger and.........

It was like driving into the past.
https://lh6.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08219.JPG
PAPPY's PLANE! The P-40 my dad flew against the Japanese in the Aleutian Islands
https://lh6.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08213.JPG
https://lh5.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08214.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08218.JPG
https://lh4.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08217.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08207.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...2/DSC08205.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08204.JPG
https://lh4.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...2/DSC08203.JPG
https://lh4.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08199.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08198.JPG
The business end
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08206.JPG
The 'kill button' in a fighter pilot's office.
https://lh4.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...2/DSC08209.JPG
https://lh4.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08208.JPG

Where did I end up?
Santa Cruz......
https://lh3.ggpht.com/_4xQFBZJE2fI/TL...0/DSC08238.JPG

Re: Pappy's Plane
 

I love P-40s awesome little planes! Cool little adventure that you had there.

Re: Pappy's Plane
 

Beautiful airplane!
When I saw the title of this thread I though of Pappy Boyington's plane, the Corsair, which is also one of my favorites due in part to a TV show from my childhood called 'Ba Ba Blacksheep'.

Re: Pappy's Plane
 

Pappy did indeed fly P-40's in Indo-China before the US entry into the war with Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers.

Jim