Re: Sad news: Blue Skies Al Goss - Steve Ballard
Hey Michael Great story good to see you on aafo. Shawn Aro
Originally posted by Oddity
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Godspeed Al Goss and Steve Ballard.
I have an Al Goss story to tell and this seems like the place, I suppose. One that I'm sure will sound familiar to all the ragamuffins that became part of the Warlock family.
Beware, it's a little long
In September of 1987, I was six years old and attending my third Reno Air Races. My maternal grandfather, a WWII and Korea aviator had infected this young lad with the aviation bug and, as we were local Renoites, we attended the Air Races yearly (and still do). Well, I was six years old going on twenty and felt that I knew EVERYTHING about airplanes, particularly warbirds. I was consuming a steady diet of WWII aviation movies (Tora, Tora, Tora, Midway, etc.) and TV shows (Baa Baa Black Sheep).
My parents and I were touring the pits when a beautiful blue AT6/SNJ caught my eye. I marched over to the smiling mustacheoed gentlemen standing by the plane and asked if he knew how to tell the difference between a real Zero and an AT6 "dressed up" as a Zero. He seemed surprised for just an instant and then his grin grew wider. He introduced himself as Al Goss, the pilot of this machine, and (humoring a kid, no doubt) said that he had no idea and asked me to come into his pit and show him how. Without even glancing at my folks or grandfather I dashed right in. It was the thrill of a lifetime to walk into a real Air Racer's pit stall!
He introduced me to Randy and the two of them gave me a personal tour of Warlock while I, in my best professorial tone, lectured them about how you could tell if that Zero from "Baa Baa Blacksheep" was a dressed up AT6 (big exhaust pipe on the left, bulge in the wing slightly outboard of the fuselage, wing shape, etc.
). Walking all around, and under, this beautiful plane was another huge thrill! Two in one day! Could it get any better?
It could! Al asked if I would like to sit in Warlock. Would I! He and Randy showed me how to climb up the wing and into the cockpit. I could barely contain myself. Randy and Al explained how the controls and instruments worked and I sat eagerly absorbing their knowledge. But there was one thing that nagged at my six-year old brain. I had seen enough Black Sheep Squadron to know that every warbird had machine guns. Warlock clearly did not! I asked Al where the machine guns were and, without missing a beat, he said that they took them out to save weight!
That day, Randy gave me a Warlock hat that I have worn to every Air Races since then and I still wear today. It is covered under several layers of pins (I get at least one pin every year), but I still wear it on "special occasions."
That Al and Randy would treat some random little kid approaching them out of the blue with such kindness and welcoming spirit speaks volumes about their character. I will always and forever consider them friends.
I am almost 30 now. I have attended every Air Race since that day, 23 years ago (has it really been that long?), and each year I and my parents have gone down to the pits and spent hours in the Warlock pit. Each time it was a special little thrill to be able to go into a real Air Racers pit and mingle. We made many long-time friendships down there; Al, Randy, Rodger, Rick, Fred, Steve and many other colorful characters. We attended may a Pit Party and was there for "Second Place Sucks" and all the trials and tribulations of "As the Propeller Turns." Each year Al and Randy made time to shoot the breeze with me. And each year it was special to be able to hang out with that wonderful family. To me the Warlock pit WAS the Air Races.
I am still utterly gobsmacked that Al is gone. The world and the Air Racing community are a little dimmer, a little lesser, for not having Al and Steve it it.
Randy, in particular, and those left behind, in general, are in my thoughts and prayers every day.
It's going to be a weird Air Races in 2010, that's for sure. I don't know what we'll do this year. It will certainly seem less than it was. I hope to run into those of the Warlock family who are still around. Whatever happens, I'll be wearing my pin covered, 1987, Race 75 "Warlock" hat and having a kick watching 'em fly low, turn left, and go fast. It's what Al would have wanted.
Godspeed Al Goss and Steve Ballard. Clear skies, my friends.
- Michael Ganschow-Green
I have an Al Goss story to tell and this seems like the place, I suppose. One that I'm sure will sound familiar to all the ragamuffins that became part of the Warlock family.
Beware, it's a little long
In September of 1987, I was six years old and attending my third Reno Air Races. My maternal grandfather, a WWII and Korea aviator had infected this young lad with the aviation bug and, as we were local Renoites, we attended the Air Races yearly (and still do). Well, I was six years old going on twenty and felt that I knew EVERYTHING about airplanes, particularly warbirds. I was consuming a steady diet of WWII aviation movies (Tora, Tora, Tora, Midway, etc.) and TV shows (Baa Baa Black Sheep).
My parents and I were touring the pits when a beautiful blue AT6/SNJ caught my eye. I marched over to the smiling mustacheoed gentlemen standing by the plane and asked if he knew how to tell the difference between a real Zero and an AT6 "dressed up" as a Zero. He seemed surprised for just an instant and then his grin grew wider. He introduced himself as Al Goss, the pilot of this machine, and (humoring a kid, no doubt) said that he had no idea and asked me to come into his pit and show him how. Without even glancing at my folks or grandfather I dashed right in. It was the thrill of a lifetime to walk into a real Air Racer's pit stall!
He introduced me to Randy and the two of them gave me a personal tour of Warlock while I, in my best professorial tone, lectured them about how you could tell if that Zero from "Baa Baa Blacksheep" was a dressed up AT6 (big exhaust pipe on the left, bulge in the wing slightly outboard of the fuselage, wing shape, etc.
). Walking all around, and under, this beautiful plane was another huge thrill! Two in one day! Could it get any better?It could! Al asked if I would like to sit in Warlock. Would I! He and Randy showed me how to climb up the wing and into the cockpit. I could barely contain myself. Randy and Al explained how the controls and instruments worked and I sat eagerly absorbing their knowledge. But there was one thing that nagged at my six-year old brain. I had seen enough Black Sheep Squadron to know that every warbird had machine guns. Warlock clearly did not! I asked Al where the machine guns were and, without missing a beat, he said that they took them out to save weight!
That day, Randy gave me a Warlock hat that I have worn to every Air Races since then and I still wear today. It is covered under several layers of pins (I get at least one pin every year), but I still wear it on "special occasions."
That Al and Randy would treat some random little kid approaching them out of the blue with such kindness and welcoming spirit speaks volumes about their character. I will always and forever consider them friends.
I am almost 30 now. I have attended every Air Race since that day, 23 years ago (has it really been that long?), and each year I and my parents have gone down to the pits and spent hours in the Warlock pit. Each time it was a special little thrill to be able to go into a real Air Racers pit and mingle. We made many long-time friendships down there; Al, Randy, Rodger, Rick, Fred, Steve and many other colorful characters. We attended may a Pit Party and was there for "Second Place Sucks" and all the trials and tribulations of "As the Propeller Turns."
Each year Al and Randy made time to shoot the breeze with me. And each year it was special to be able to hang out with that wonderful family. To me the Warlock pit WAS the Air Races.I am still utterly gobsmacked that Al is gone. The world and the Air Racing community are a little dimmer, a little lesser, for not having Al and Steve it it.
Randy, in particular, and those left behind, in general, are in my thoughts and prayers every day.
It's going to be a weird Air Races in 2010, that's for sure. I don't know what we'll do this year. It will certainly seem less than it was. I hope to run into those of the Warlock family who are still around. Whatever happens, I'll be wearing my pin covered, 1987, Race 75 "Warlock" hat and having a kick watching 'em fly low, turn left, and go fast. It's what Al would have wanted.
Godspeed Al Goss and Steve Ballard. Clear skies, my friends.
- Michael Ganschow-Green
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