FHC F6F First Flight

[Mach3DS]

The Flying Heritage Collection Recently completed a milestone with their first flight of the newly completed restoration of the F6F-5. Just as a reminder, if you are in the Paine Field (KPAE) Everett, WA area, the FHC museum is opening a second building and the grand opening is April 12th. This day is free to the public!

 

[Phantom88]

What a Beauty!! Thanks for sharing.

 

[falcon409]

Was that Steve Hinton in the cockpit? Couldn't be sure but it did look like him. If it was, is there anything that guy can't fly? lol. . .beautiful airplane.

 

[stansdds]

 

[stansdds]

Was that Steve Hinton in the cockpit? Couldn't be sure but it did look like like him. If it was, is there anything that guy can't fly? lol. . .beautiful airplane.

Maybe the space shuttle, but that's probably the only thing he can't fly.

 

[Bomber_12th]

Although he isn't considered one of their main pilots (you wouldn't normally see him flying the aircraft for the FHC flying events, as FHC has several pilots), Steve is the chief test pilot for FHC, and has done the test flying for at least most of the single-pilot WWII aircraft in the collection, including the Il-2 (following its arrival in the U.S.), Bf 109E, Fw 190A-5, A6M3 Zero, P-40C, P-51D, P-47D, and now the Hellcat.

Just one unique aspect about the amount of WWII aircraft he has flown - he's got the most time of any current pilot in the largest span of Hawk series of fighters, with time in the P-36, P-40B and P-40C (x4), P-40E's, P-40F, and P-40N's. A few years back, you could see Steve flying an original Boeing P-26 at one point during the POF annual air show, and then at another time during the same show, on the same day, flying an F-86 Sabre, and both masterfully. When, for a short time a couple of years ago, 5 P-38's were brought together for a show in California, all of the pilots that were part of it, but Steve himself, had been type rated to fly the P-38, at some time in their flying career, by Steve (and of the 5 different P-38's that were part of the event, he had flown them all at one point or another).

I look forward to seeing him expand on his flying experience with Bell fighters (P-39, P-63) when the Planes of Fame P-59 is finished. ; )

The great thing about Steve, is that he is just as much a mechanic and restoration expert as he is a pilot, and he knows these aircraft inside and out ever before taking them aloft.

 

[Ian Warren]

A nice unique sound to it too , great little movie .
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[falcon409]

. . . . .The great thing about Steve, is that he is just as much a mechanic and restoration expert as he is a pilot, and he knows these aircraft inside and out ever before taking them aloft.

Met him out at Grayson when he landed there with Glacier Girl, on his way back to South Texas. Genuinely nice guy, all business, but cordial and not aloof at all. Quite eager to answer a question or let you look over the airplane. A real highlight for me.