SWIFT- and Beautiful

[Lawreston]

Don, getting into the 1946 A/C, flew P-47 and P-51 during WWII. Here, he was to get a flight in the Swift. This was at Wiscasset KIWI, on August 12.

HR

 

[jesse]

Damn those are cool.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

Damn those are cool.

Yeah, what he said. Graceful lines, and a speedy shiny retractable tail wheel classic. What's not to love?

 

[Anthony]

I would love a Globe Swift. Just beautiful airplanes, and good performers.

 

[AggieMike88]

Another good example.

http://www.controller.com/listingsd...PER-SWIFT/1949-GLOBE-SUPER-SWIFT/1232969.htm?

Beautiful lines! Fun to discover this is pre Korean War design.

 

[Lawreston]

I sent my photo series to the plane's owner and to Don, he long a member of our EAA Chapter #87. Don must be pushing 90 years old, and here I've retyped his memo which arrived on my iPhone: "Many thanks, Jerry! I lusted after that aircraft when it was introduced,but, of course, I couldn't afford it. Getting to fly it yesterday gave me a big lift, and it was generous of you to record the event and share the images."

I know he was "wired" while he was preparing for the flight.
(Dave, the owner, told me she cruises at about 145.)

HR

 

[Geico266]

Same retract design as the P-51 I have been told. Original engine was anemic. Latter conversations added many more HP up from and they became a very desirable plane... until RV's took off in popularity.

 

[Lawreston]

I took more images of the rotation but was so busy getting the quick transition from rotation to "zeow - there she goes past me" - until I downloaded the images I didn't realize my last shot caught the landing gear being retracted. It sort of "makes" the shot.

 

[Lawreston]

I'm out of here, folks. Today I'm doing the annual Georgetown Working League Fair. It's where many creative folks -- they permit me to participate -- will exhibit and sell many types of artwork. Among many pieces of my photography I'll be showing the growing inventory of my 4" x 12" mounted panorama prints. There'll be enough variety of images to fill both sides of this display piece I hurriedly assembled(obviously not fully dry-ran when I took the photos). This little town is a haven for artists, particularly in the summer months when many come from far and away to be at their places which may go back several generations in the families.

Those three islands(and the harbor) in my aerials are about six miles below my house. Malden, Hen, and Mink Islands were "settled" about 108 years ago by a few families from Malden, MA. They're still owned by the current generations; one only gets to get on the islands "by invitation.," if you get my drift.

HR

 

[Lawreston]

I noted in one of my posts that Don "was wired" about his flight. The Swift's pilot/owner sent me some images he took of Don during the flight. Four of them are shared here.
(In the 2nd image that's KIWI #07 in the upper right corner, they having departed #25. I've not posted them in sequence.)

Photos are by David Turner.

HR