Tillamook Warbirds

I'd been promising Josh a flight for some time, and finally our schedules and the fall weather provided the opportunity we needed for a lunchtime flight over to Tillamook.

As we were descending out of the coast range I could see another aircraft performing barrel rolls and loops about our level opposite the airport. Neat to see from level.

As we turned final for 13 I heard a Lockheed P38 announce that it was holding short of 31. I wasn't sure at first if I'd heard correctly, but after clearing the runway, we watched the P38 thunder past and into the air and make a sweeping right turn.

We taxied over to the museum and found several other WWII era aircraft parked on the ramp,including an FM-4 Wildcat, Stearman PT-17, and J2F-6 Duck. Our little C172 looked a bit out of place in this company.

As we walked towards the museum cafe, we watched the P-38 make a few low flybys.

After lunch, we we were able to get a close up look at the P-38 now parked on the ramp, as well as watch a P-51D make a few low flybys.

A fantastic noise made by Allison and Packard engines of 70 years ago.

We taxied out in our little Cessna, past these warbirds from another era, which still hold so much atraction to aviator and non-aviator alike.

As we departed and I could see the P51 making the base to final turn, then landing and roll out as we turned west to overfly the ocean beaches.

  

That was pretty cool.