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Warbird Friend

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Wilson,
Ray Kinney is an old warbird friend of mine that will be flying this P-40 to the open house at Gilmer tomorrow. I tried to get him to Hawkins but he would have had to return to Dallas and the costs were too much. You might enjoy the Sat show in Gilmer as I plan to be there around noon to about 2pm. I also want to inspect my ex Santa Fe business car on Steve's siding as I have not seen it in 60 days.
Bob Schneider

I love the sound of those radial engines, but my heart still skips a beat when the sweet song of the 12 cylinder Merlin engine sings out....and the song of the P-40 with it's 12 cylinder Allison is what Ray Kinney is bringing to Gilmer on Saturday.

Just in time for the 2010 Airshow season, Kinney completed a massive three year overhaul and restoration on the extremely rare warbird. Ray Kinney of Dallas is bringing the freshly restored CAF P-40 for Gala visitors to see up close. The P-40 is in WW II livery just as flown by Tex Hill in China in the Flying Tigers.
Joining the P-40 is an equally rare and historical C-47. Scott Glover from Mt Pleasant is bringing his freshly restored in authentic D-Day livery WW II C-47, just back from its 75th Anniversary Tour of the C-47's. This C-47 is full of WW II history. Glover spent 10 years bringing the C-47 back to her original livery, including D-Day stripes and mission markings.
Not to be outdone in the historical military airplane department, Terry Sullivan from Shreveport will display his UC-78 Bamboo Bomber, just painstakingly rebuilt from ground up and restored in 2nd Bomb Group Livery.
These are only three...but a very impressive three.....historic aircraft out of more than a dozen warbirds that will be on display and flying to honor our veterans Saturday.
The museum's new T-37 Jet Tweety Bird is on display in the museum; Friends of the Super Sabre will man a tabletop display with information about the F-100 Super Sabre's that are soon to join Gilmer's growing museum displays.
What an exciting way for Gilmer to honor our veterans as the State of Texas begins its celebration of the Centennial of Aviation in Texas.
The year 2010 marks the centennial of flight in Texas. Since Frenchman Louis Paulhan's first flight in Texas on February 18, 1910, Texas has been on the leading edge of aviation. The first U.S. military flight was in March 1910 from Fort Sam Houston, beginning Texas's long tradition of military aviation. The first Texan to fly in Texas was L.L. Walker Jr. in Houston, who built and flew his own plane in 1910, exemplifying the spirit that has driven the aviation industry in Texas ever since.
And Gilmer's own Air Force Test Pilot and Blackbird Test Director ‘Silver Fox'....Air Force Col Robert L. Stephens....set the world's absolute speed and altitude records in the super secret SR-71 Blackbird on May 1, 1965......world records that the Blackbird holds unchallenged to this very day.
America is a world leader and the greatest country in the world. Staying the course through miltary might, steadfastly following the basic tenets upon which our country was formed, will preserve America's role as a world leader for today and for our children and grandchildren.
It's called Patriotism. Waving our flag. Showing Old Glory. Patriotism......it's a natural thing to celebrate when the warbirds are barnstorming.