Heritage A-2-A

[BuckyD]

Back in the mid-1980s, while he was still w/General Dynamics, the late & great aviator-Neil Anderson kindly sent me a very fine complimentary selection of color air-to-air photos featuring one of GD's factory-fresh F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters flying in formation w/a variety of classic WW2 fighters. I believe this was a GD company air photo mission & it's obviously-conducted in the same spirit as the Heritage Program formations we've been enjoying so much in recent years at various airshows & air racing events.

I thought it might be fun to share some of these images w/aafo site goers. Don't know who the photographer was at the time, but all are from the General Dynamics company photo archives & I've included the GD photo file ref. number in the credit line watermark.

Here's a great one f/starters, w/the F-16 joining-up with Howard Pardue's FM-2P Wildcat (raced at Reno '82 as Race #5) & Jimmy McMillan's AD-4N Skyraider (raced @ Reno '85 as Race #404). Enjoy.

DBD

[Ramjets]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

WOW! Look at that angle-of-attack the Viper's got to maintain. . .

[Big_Jim]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Heh, heh...I've got one that Neil sent me of the F-16 too...but there was a much more distinctive 'British' flavor to it.

[Ramjets]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Sweeeet . . . and, I especially like the rear canopy opened...helps draw the cross-flow ventilation, don'tcha know! Too bad the Viper driver doesn't have the same luxury appointments that the Fury has!

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

cool pics... the first one with the AD and Wildcat... i notice that the Falcon in the pic is the F16 with J79 power plant that was initially offered to foreign air forces..... so its a really unique picture

[Fence Sence]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Those are both awesome pics. Thanks for posting them!

[BuckyD]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

A couple more, featuring Dreadnought this time.

Would like to know who was flying NX20SF f/this shoot (guess I could review racing shots of Dreadnought & compare pilot helmets f/starters-in my 'spare time', of course <g> Brad-???). Looks like maybe Neil Anderson in back seat of The Buick w/black helmet...

DBD

[Warbird Keith]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Hi Bucky, Awesome photos and thanks for sharing! looks like Neil is flying or someone was using Neil's helmet

[BuckyD]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Thanks, Keith - that's the kind of info I was hoping to find out fm kind folks like yourself. Appreciate the input very much, sir. If that's on the mark, then we need to find out who was riding jump seat in Dreadnought, and other details like photo plane & pilot, and photographer, etc. Guess we should ask Brian & Dennis Sanders for solid data, I'd say.

DBD

[Big_Jim]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

A couple more, featuring Dreadnought this time.

Would like to know who was flying NX20SF f/this shoot (guess I could review racing shots of Dreadnought & compare pilot helmets f/starters-in my 'spare time', of course <g> Brad-???). Looks like maybe Neil Anderson in back seat of The Buick w/black helmet...

DBD

This has to be early 1984...in the pic with the F-16 you can still see the unpainted part of the tail extension. Very nice.

[Warbird Keith]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

very cool!

[BuckyD]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Another shot- F-16 w/Planes of Fame's P-51D Budweiser Light II (Raced by brothers Jim & John Maloney @ Reno '82 & '83 as Race #0).

Hey now, folks- "This Bud's For You!"

DBD

[BuckyD]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Here's the final two photographs, that I saved f/last (being the unabashed Grumman Ironworks fan that I am): F-16 & Howard Pardue's rare XF8F-1 Race #14 (N14HP)-Miss Kimberly Brooke, and F-16 & Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

Hope you enjoyed seeing these & thanks to those who posted comments & shared additional images.

Deep & sincere thanks especially goes out to the late & great military/test/air race pilot- Neil Anderson, for his kind thoughtfulness in sharing these rare & remarkable historic A-2-A photos w/me during our correspondences.

"Blue Skies & Tailwinds Forever" - Neil Anderson!!!

DBD

[steve D]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Here's the final two photographs, that I saved f/last (being the unabashed Grumman Ironworks fan that I am): F-16 & Howard Pardue's rare XF8F-1 Race #14 (N14HP)-Miss Kimberly Brooke, and F-16 & Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

Hope you enjoyed seeing these & thanks to those who posted comments & shared additional images.

Deep & sincere thanks especially goes out to the late & great military/test/air race pilot- Neil Anderson, for his kind thoughtfulness in sharing these rare & remarkable historic A-2-A photos w/me during our correspondences.

"Blue Skies & Tailwinds Forever" - Neil Anderson!!!

DBD

I've seen nearly all of Howards Heritage style photo ops but the above one is new to me, that is way cool! :

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Heritage A-2-A

Very cool pics all round... again i notice that the F-16 used in the F8F & F14 pics is the F-16B/79