Air Force Cirrus

PilotAlan

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PilotAlan
So, we were wondering today.
Now that the Air Force is buying SR20s,
What happens when the first Cirrus owner pulls up into War Birds? :yikes::stirpot:

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So, we were wondering today.
Now that the Air Force is buying SR20s,
What happens when the first Cirrus owner pulls up into War Birds? :yikes::stirpot:

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk


We'll park it [provided it has documented military service].

Will be interesting to see what they name it.
 
T-53A.

Here's a photo.

I meant the nickname like Bobcat, Cochise, Pave Eagle, Mescalero or Blue Canoe, not the inventory designation.

I suspect there will be some colorful un-official labels place on it as those in the military are wont to do. Some of my favorities are:

( from www.warbirdalley.com )

the Cessna UC-78

The Bamboo Bomber; Useless-78, The Wichita Wobbler; Brasshat; Double-Breasted Cub; Boxkite; Rhapsody in Glue; San Joaquin Beaufighter

or the Martin B-26

Widow-Maker; The Flying Coffin; B-Dash-Crash; The Flying Prostitute; The Baltimore Whore (The last two because it had no visible means of support; "Baltimore" because the Martin Company was located there.)
 
"Chinese Firepot"
 
Interestingly, now that it's Chinese, can the USAF legally buy the plane?
 
T-53A.

Here's a photo.

No wheel pants, interesting. As for the OP's question, aviation is infested with the biggest collection of posers and tools of any endeavor in the human condition so I'm going to guess that they'll be welcomed right on in to the flight suit wearing, big watch club with the rest of the wannabe's.
 
I used to run into those kids in Colorado Springs and Pueblo on their practice "missions". I'd pull up to the fuel island and tell the guy I wanted Jet A for my Tiger, and I' make sure they heard me. The looks were priceless. :D
 
No wheel pants, interesting. As for the OP's question, aviation is infested with the biggest collection of posers and tools of any endeavor in the human condition so I'm going to guess that they'll be welcomed right on in to the flight suit wearing, big watch club with the rest of the wannabe's.

I find it interesting.
If they require documented military service, will the same standard apply for the military painted Navions, Pipers, and Skymasters, and will the built-from-scratch Mustangs (all of which have never been owned by any military) get moved out as well?
 
T-53A.

Here's a photo.

Nice paintjob.

Given the recency of the announcement, I suspect that this is simply something someone in the cirrus graphics design department pulled out of a hat and sent it right to the PVC foil cutter.
 
Nice paintjob.

Given the recency of the announcement, I suspect that this is simply something someone in the cirrus graphics design department pulled out of a hat and sent it right to the PVC foil cutter.

I suspect you're right. The national marking has some wrong proportions.

Ron Wanttaja
 
Tee hee... Alan got this started while we were watching arrivals at OSH and I never laughed so hard as when we started joking, "Oshkosh Tower, Cirrus SR-20 over Warbird Island!" while listening to the radio... Damn that was a good laugh!
 
I find it interesting.
If they require documented military service, will the same standard apply for the military painted Navions, Pipers, and Skymasters, and will the built-from-scratch Mustangs (all of which have never been owned by any military) get moved out as well?

As far as wannabes parking in the WB area many owners are veterans and many pay tribute to those that were killed in service or family members who served.


Many in the area did get a chuckle when the jets with the Holstein paint scheme (arctic camo) showed up, though.

Check your history. Navions served in Korea. Pipers flew medivac, artillery spotting, and battlefield surveillance in WWII as did Stinsons. And those Skymasters...O-2s that directed the fast movers as FACs, without armor and limited defensive capability.

I know of only one company that offers a scratch built Mustang airframe and none of those have made it to Airventure to my knowledge. Most you see on the line are re-patriated from foreign service or resurrected from crash sites.

It's about honoring those who serve and preserving history to remind us that freedom isn't free. Sure there are a few chuckleheads in the community, as you'll likely find in any group. But the majority consider themselves caretakers, not owners, and expect the aircraft to outlive them.
 
Check your history. Navions served in Korea. Pipers flew medivac, artillery spotting, and battlefield surveillance in WWII as did Stinsons. And those Skymasters...O-2s that directed the fast movers as FACs, without armor and limited defensive capability.

My phrasing was poor. I was referring to the scratch built Mustangs as never having served with any military.
I am well aware of the Navions, Stinsons, T-41 Cessnas, Blue Canoes, Pipers flying medevac, etc.
My questions is, is every military painted bird in Warbirds validated as having been a military bird? Were all the 337s actually O-2s? They certainly didn't have the windows and doors of an O-2.

I don't have a problem with someone paying homage and painting a type aircraft in military colors. But I expect the Cirri will be treated differently than the civilian Ryan Navion painted as a North American L17A.
 
My phrasing was poor. I was referring to the scratch built Mustangs as never having served with any military.
I am well aware of the Navions, Stinsons, T-41 Cessnas, Blue Canoes, Pipers flying medevac, etc.
My questions is, is every military painted bird in Warbirds validated as having been a military bird? Were all the 337s actually O-2s? They certainly didn't have the windows and doors of an O-2.

I don't have a problem with someone paying homage and painting a type aircraft in military colors. But I expect the Cirri will be treated differently than the civilian Ryan Navion painted as a North American L17A.

You'd have to check with Warbirds of America's headquarters. I do know of an O-2 here locally that served in France as a NATO aircraft. It lacked the extra glass in the doors.

I had to ask a C421 to leave the warbird area at Sun 'n Fun when the pilot could only offer that it was a "general's plane". The posers don't last very long.
 
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Nice paintjob.

Given the recency of the announcement, I suspect that this is simply something someone in the cirrus graphics design department pulled out of a hat and sent it right to the PVC foil cutter.

All of the Cirri use decals, not paint... They're done by Air Graphics in Middleton, WI. You can get 'em for your plane, too... And everything that's not white on N271G was done by Air Graphics, too. Pretty happy with them - Reasonable prices, and you can easily remove them and do something totally different without having to repaint the whole airplane. (Notice the AOPA Cirrus from a couple of years ago changed schemes every couple of months?)

We also just added the club's URL to the tail of the DA40. :)
 
All of the Cirri use decals, not paint... They're done by Air Graphics in Middleton, WI. You can get 'em for your plane, too... And everything that's not white on N271G was done by Air Graphics, too. Pretty happy with them - Reasonable prices, and you can easily remove them and do something totally different without having to repaint the whole airplane. (Notice the AOPA Cirrus from a couple of years ago changed schemes every couple of months?)

Yup, tomorrow, this Cirrus could be in the colors of the peoples liberation army cadet corps :thumbsup: .
 
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