AIRSHOW PICS

[Gil]

Greetings, first let me say how much I have enjoyed Mr.Larkins incredible photo's over these many years!A true Legend for sure,I am interested in the many famous Akro pilots of years gone by and their aircraft and was wondering if Mr.Larkins might post some that he may have had the chance to photograph if any?Such as Rod Jocelyn,Jess Bristow,Joe Mackey,Cole Brothers etc.

[Bill Larkins]

Air Show Aircraft

Gil: I will be happy to post some aircraft photos but I do not have any of pilots except for Tex Rankin.

[Gil]

Airshow

Mr.Larkins any Photo's you might post will be greatly appreciated and welcomed for sure!Yes it seems that most all of the picture takers.....myself included always go for the particular Aircraft and it is sometimes difficult to get a hold of a good pic of the performers at least for me it is.Thank you for your great work and your reply....Gil

[Bill Larkins]

Tex Rankin

Here is the only posed photo that I ever got. It's Tex Rankin at Union Air Terminal, Burbank, in 1939.

[Bill Larkins]

Tex Rankin's Great Lakes 2T-1A Modified

At San Francisco Bay Airdrome, Alameda, 1939.

[Bill Larkins]

Fleet 1

Bernadine King's Fleet 1 that was part of the Tex Rankins Hollywood Aces show in 1939. She picked up a red flag with a wingtip hook as part of the show.

[Bill Larkins]

Humphreys MG-2 "Falcon"

Flown by Put Humphreys at part of the Tex Rankins Hollywood Aces show in 1939. The plane was built as the Melberg-Greenemeier MG-2, the full story is in the Feb 1970 issue of Sport Flying. Powered by a 145hp Warner Scarab and built in 1938. Registered to the Humphreys Aircraft Corp., La Crescenta, California in 1940.

[Bill Larkins]

Jesse Bristow's P-6 Hawk

Here's one that may surprise you. Jesse Bristow did an acrobatic airshow at the Cleveland National Air Races in this Curtiss P-6 Hawk. Photo by Donald Kauer.

[Bill Larkins]

Waltz Stearman

Acrobatic wingman act by George V. Waltz in Stearman PT-27 NX-56837. At an air show at Oakland in August 1947.

[Gil]

airshow

WOW!...once again Mr. Larkins you never cease to amaze us all!Now I have so many questions to ask I cannot list them in order as of yet!I also have seen A pic in some of my collection of Putt Humphrey's Ryan STA,I will post it when I find it and scan it.I was not aware that he also flew the little Melberg either, what a pretty little bipe.And The Jess Bristow is EXCELLENT!...I have only ever seen one smaller pic of that Curtiss P-6 and it was not a left profile,very nice!Bernadine King now there is someone I have never heard of before,I imagine the Little Fleet was Red White and Blue?Really nice shots of Tex Rankin too!!!.Have you ever heard of a pilot named Ray Miller? Who flew one of the First ever Highly modified Boeing Stearman's 450HP p&w Clipped wing tips etc. I believe it was Red and white? Once again Mr.Larkins thanks for posting these fantastic photo's and please continue ,always interested up here in New York...

[Bill Larkins]

Sammy Mason's Stearman

Mason's PT-17 (NX-53085) shortly after he had installed the 450hp Wasp. Photo by Logan Coombs in 1947.

[Bill Larkins]

Great Lakes Modified (NX-312Y)

Great Lakes 2T-1A modified by Roy Hunt of the Dallas Aviation School in the late 1930's as an acrobatic stunt plane with a Warner Super Scarab of 145hp. It is in flight here at Davis-Winters, CA, on May 11, 1947 when it was owned and operated by Veterans Airshows, Sacramento, CA. Photo by W. T. Larkins.

[Gil]

Nice work Mr.Larkins Sammy Mason is a Performer who I have heard of but have never seen any pics of his aeroplanes.What a beautiful pic of that Lakes! I can see that it has got to be the most highly modified of all the old Airshow Great Lakes biplanes,It appears to have a cowl and landing gear borrowed from a Monocoupe?......best regards Gil

[Gil]

One for you Mr. larkins

As a youngster I was lucky to hang around Kobelt NY and meet some of the Legends, who were friends of Owner Operator William"Pappy"Kobelt an accomplished Akro Pilot of the era as well. Here is his Modified Ryan PT-22 (N11X) "Ole Snarley" 220HP Continental

[Bill Larkins]

Bob Hoover's T-28

Here is one you hardly ever hear about.