Bad day

[Airpirate]

Re: Bad day

Blue Skies and Tail Winds Sir

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Bad day

My brother just texted me with this horrible news. Another great pilot and restorer gone far too young. The F2G is one of my favourite all-time airplanes. We have Bob to thank for putting two of them back in the air after so long on the ground.

Condolences to the Odegaard family and Blue Skies and Tailwinds, Bob !!!

Terrible news indeed. This tragedy was noted to us a few days ago. Discussion and details can be found in the following thread: http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=10321

[wyhdah]

Re: Bad day

I got the chance to see that plane fly and loved every minute of it. Just me, but I would rather see it fly into a smoking hole than rot in the backwoods as a relic because someone doesn't want to risk it destroyed. I would rather have Bob still around but to me there is no choice, planes are made to fly, especially race planes.

[Unlimited Fan]

Re: Bad day

Terrible news indeed. This tragedy was noted to us a few days ago. Discussion and details can be found in the following thread: http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=10321

Yes, I see it was posted a few days ago and I'm not sure how it got past me until this morning.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Bad day

... Just me, but I would rather see it fly into a smoking hole than rot in the backwoods as a relic because someone doesn't want to risk it destroyed. I would rather have Bob still around but to me there is no choice, planes are made to fly, especially race planes.

I can't go along with that. The priorities are skewed. And besides, smoking holes are harder to restore.

At least if it were corroding behind some shack the Corsair would still have a chance of being made flyable someday in the future... AND more importantly, a good man would still be here walking, talking and smiling among us. I'd rather have Mr. Odegaard around than a vintage man-made flying machine ANY day.


No matter how romantic and/or fanatic we may get about classic warbirds and pylon racing, no matter how rare or valuable the aircraft may be, they have practically no value compared to that of someone's life. Anyone's life.

[lowpasskid]

Re: Bad day

" smoking holes " are easy to repair. dirt, asphalt etc.
what caused them and the lives lost can never be repaired...
no vehicle, be it car, train,boat or airplane is worth a life.

[wyhdah]

Re: Bad day

I can't go along with that. The priorities are skewed. And besides, smoking holes are harder to restore.

... AND more importantly, a good man would still be here walking, talking and smiling among us. I'd rather have Mr. Odegaard around than a vintage man-made flying machine ANY day.


No matter how romantic and/or fanatic we may get about classic warbirds and pylon racing, no matter how rare or valuable the aircraft may be, they have practically no value compared to that of someone's life. Anyone's life.

I never put the priority of the plane in front of the man. I am making a broad statement about those who don't want to fly historic planes.

You say "At least if it were corroding behind some shack the Corsair would still have a chance of being made flyable someday in the future" the chance of the plane suffering the same fate would exist at that point in the future as it did last week.

Never did I mean or meant to imply that someone go down with the plane in that process, plenty of planes have been distroyed without that, but I'm sure Bob weighed the risk between flying and parking that plane. I respect his choice.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Bad day

" smoking holes " are easy to repair. dirt, asphalt etc.
what caused them and the lives lost can never be repaired...
no vehicle, be it car, train,boat or airplane is worth a life.

It's not the hole I was referring to. it was what MADE the hole that I stated was more difficult to bring back to pre-crash condition.

...Never did I mean or meant to imply that someone go down with the plane in that process,...

Well, when you added:

...I would rather have Bob still around but to me there is no choice,...

..that was the impression I received. If I misunderstood you, then my bad.

[wyhdah]

Re: Bad day

..that was the impression I received. If I misunderstood you, then my bad.[/QUOTE]

Your good with me, I never mind clarifying.

I meant it was bad that Bob wound up with the aircraft but I don't think that changes whether you fly them or not, I'm pretty sure it didn't for Bob.

Those guys in Chino know when they fly their rare ones they are taking a chance but they fly them still, there is always the chance of wadding one up I don't think a one of us underestimate that before we load up or strap our families in one.

[degroodtt]

Re: Bad day

I grew up near the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in NY. There is a world of difference in a musuem and a Flying Musuem. We all wish with all our hearts that circumstances would have been better. That whatever went wrong with the plane it had been high enough that Bob had a better chance to get out of her. God Speed and bless his family

Tom D

[Ebehne]

Re: Bad day

The loss of Mr Odegaard and race 74 is a terrible loss to everyone. I'm deeply saddened that I never had the chance to meet Bob, or see race 74 in person. My most sincere condolences go out to his family and friends.

On the same token, I can't help to see the irony in the accident however, Walter Soplata never wanted any of his collection to fly again in fear of one being lost forever, and the first of his planes to be restored to flight status (that I know of.) has been lost forever. The other thought I had is that just a year ago there were three Cleveland air racers flying, and now, less than a year later, there is only one. A sad day indeed.

I hope with all all my heart that we have a clean and safe week this week with everyone going home in one piece come Monday.

I totally agree with this sentiment. After an incident like this I can begin to understand and sympathize with Walter Soplata and why he chose to keep so many unique airplanes rotting in his backyard. I enjoyed meeting Bob and seeing him fly many times in both race 57 and race 74. He will be deeply missed, as anyone we lose in the airplane community is.

At the same time I have to say that I almost feel guilty that I received so much joy from seeing Race 74 fly for the short time since its restoration. Now my children will never be able to see that one of a kind airplane in person, as I did. I'm beginning to understand Walter's belief that maybe at some point a very rare bird may need to stay grounded so that future generations can experience these great aircraft.

I'm so thankful to Bob for bringing these airplanes back to life, but with him being lost and an irreplaceable part of aviation history going with him I'm definitely conflicted between preserving out history and truly experiencing these awesome airplanes as they were ment to be, by flying them.

Eric

[Paul Hastings]

Re: Bad day

It's a complicated argument.....easy to see both sides. Kermit Weeks B-26 is a good example, the only flying Marauder in existence.

[wyhdah]

Re: Bad day

It's a complicated argument.....easy to see both sides. Kermit Weeks B-26 is a good example, the only flying Marauder in existence.

"Flying" being the keyword here. Not because it can because it does....

[wyhdah]

Re: Bad day

Eric, I bet a 100 times as many saw and enjoyed that plane in the last two years as the prior 50....

[Ebehne]

Re: Bad day

Eric, I bet a 100 times as many saw and enjoyed that plane in the last two years as the prior 50....

For sure, and how it was ment to be seen, racing! My point is how many more could have seen it in the future?

A year or so ago I saw an airplane at the Udvar-Hazy center in DC that I never dreamed I would ever get to see. It was powerful and impressive to see it in person, and I'm sure it would be even more so if I had seen it in the air. That was last remaining DO-335. I remember thinking that I was so happy that it had survived all these years for me to see and enjoy. Maybe it will one day be destroyed in a fire or such, (let's hope not) but the fact that people can experience seeing it now and for the foreseeable future is awesome.
Sorry this has gotten so off topic, the whole situation is just super depressing all the way around, person and plane.