To Burnet and Back

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On 17 December 2003 three Central Texas pilots,
Brad Royer, David Nelson , and Steve Greenhow
celebrate the Centennial of Powered Flight.

Flying from Georgetown, Texas (GTU) we visit the museum at Kate Craddock Field (BMQ) in Burnet, Texas
operated by the Highland Lakes Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).

Dawn Plus 1.5 Patrol
Brad Royer removes the cover on Six Four Juliet, a Piper Warrior II, 1.5 hours after dawn
at Pilot's Choice Aviation in Georgetown.




Pre-flight begins with unlocking the cabin, just in case you were wondering.




Pre-flight's done, let's roll!



Departing to the west, Georgetown Municipal (GTU) slips behind us.



Brad lays in a course for Burnet.



The lead aircraft (that speck in the middle of the picture) in our flight of two
is flown by David Nelson in Four Five Golf, a Piper Tomahawk.



A very happy camper in the right seat of Six Four Juliet.



On the ground in Burnet, Brad grabs his camera.



Tying down on the ramp in front of the CAF hangar.



The happy camper grows happier by the moment.



"Bluebonnet Belle," the newest member of the Highland Lakes Squadron of the CAF,
is a Douglas C-47, the military version of the famous DC-3 airliner which first appeared in 1935.
In fact, the first flight of a DC-3 was on 17 December 1935.
A double anniversary--100 years for powered flight, 68 for the DC-3!

The C-47 was cited by General Dwight D. Eisenhower
as one of the four machines that won World War II,
along with the bulldozer, 6x6 truck, and the landing craft.
Since he's The Man Who Beat Hitler, Ike should know.



The Bluebonnet Belle was built in 1945, served with the British Royal Air Force,
Royal Canadian Air Force, and most recently as a cargo plane hauling auto parts
from Mexico to Detroit, before joining the Highland Lakes Squadron.

The Belle's nose art is a project under construction, as is her total restoration,
but the left side looked plenty good on 17 Dec 2003.
(and yes, Belle is discretely covered, in case you can't tell from here!)



Original specifications call for C-47/DC-3 control surfaces covered in fabric,
as are Belle's rudder and ailerons, although the rest of her skin is very much aluminum.
That's our own David Nelson in silhouette just behind Number Two engine on the right.



Our Tomahawk and Warrior viewed from the left seat of the Belle's flight deck.
We were the Squadron's only fly-in visitors on this cold December morning in the middle of the week.




Number One engine, also seen from the left seat of the Belle's flight deck.



Brad takes a spell in the left seat and wonders--how can you see the instruments when you fly this baby?
Compared to Warriors, Tomahawks, and Cessnas, the C-47 panel seems several feet away!



We could easily have spent the entire day with the Highland Lakes Squadron,
but the happy camper had a meeting back at the office. A meeting? Yes. They pay for all this.
David does his mag check in Four Five Golf as we prepare to depart Burnet.



Brad does likewise and gets set for take off in a pretty stiff crosswind.



Experience our crosswind departure from Burnet in this 3.7 Mb .avi file.
To see the video clip click here.



Brad enters a left turn out of the Burnet pattern...



...as U.S. Highway 281 snakes south toward San Antonio below us.



David leads the way back to Georgetown in Four Five Golf.
GPS (Global Positioning System) reported David's speed
over the ground at this point at 110 knots (127 mph/204 kph).



Back in Georgetown we refueled quickly to return Six Four Juliet to Pilot's Choice Aviation.
She was booked with another pilot at 11:00 and it was already 10:58!



At Pilot's Choice, the happy camper realized a lifelong, if minor, dream:
an opportunity to sit in the left seat of a World War II bomber, the North American B-25.
Although in this case it is technically a PBJ, U.S. Marine Corps "Devil Dog,"
it is essentially the same basic airplane, just different branch of the service.
OO-RAH!



Debrief in the parking lot at 11:10. Thanks Brad and David for a trip we'll never forget...

...and thank you Orville (at the controls) and Wilbur (alongside) for your persistence. You guys rock.

Photo courtesy Joyner Library, East Carolina University.

Orville

In the Dec. 5, 2003 edition of General Aviation News, Ronald R. Thomas has an excellent short essay on these misunderstood giants of aviation. Click here to see the Thomas article. To see the "hidden images" of the Wright Brothers in the absolutely terrific Wright Brothers Centennial exhibit at East Carolina University's Web site, click here. At the Web site click Photos, then click Hidden Images. It's the next best thing to a time machine!

Wilbur