WELCOME TO THE WORLD WAR II WARBIRD GROUP

Our Warbird Group meetings are held at the Stockton Field Aviation Museum 7432 CE Dixon St., Stockton Metro Airport, on the third Wednesday of each odd month at 7 PM. This means that the meetings are in January, March, May etc on the third Wednesday. Please join us as there is no admission charge. We also have an annual BBQ during the meeting in September and that meeting time is usually an hour early at 6 PM but be sure to check back here for the latest dates and times.

I wanted to let you know that the WWII Warbird group is having a meeting on Wednesday evening, July 16th at the Stockton Field Aviation Museum at 7pm.

The next Warbird meeting will be Wednesday July 16, 7 PM at the Stockton Field Aviation Museum, 7432 CE Dixon St., Stockton Metro Airport. Our speaker will be Bill Todd F-86 Sabre fighter pilot during the Korean War. Bill grew up in southern California graduating from high school in San Gabriel. He joined the Air Force and was a cadet in 1948 getting his wings and commission in 1949. He took basic and advanced in Texas and Las Vegas and his first assignment was at Hamilton AFB. Off to Korea in 1951 where he flew 72 missions in the F-86 Sabre with the 335^th and 336th Fighter Squadron, 4^th Fighter group. He scored three probables against MiG-15s who fled north over the Yalu River into China where US pilots were strictly forbidden to enter. After four and a half years in the Air Force Bill became a test pilot for General Electric flying out of Edwards AF base. General Electric was the major engine manufacturer for jet fighter aircraft being tested at Edwards. He test flew 17 different jets including the T-38, F-101, F-104 and many other experimental aircraft in their development stage to be accepted by the Air Force. His last flight was in December 1963 when he joined management at General Electric and retired ten years ago after 38 years with the company. Bring a friend and come out Wednesday for a good reminder of the “Forgotten War.”

If you, or a friend, would like to be placed on our e-mail list to be informed about upcoming events, just send an e-mail to me at: list@twinbeech.com

THE WWII WARBIRD GROUP IS A GATHERING OF AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS THAT GET TOGETHER EVERY OTHER MONTH AND SHARE STORIES AND EXPERIENCES ABOUT WWII AND OTHER AVIATION TOPICS.

THE MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THE STOCKTON FIELD AVIATION MUSEUMS HANGAR AT STOCKTON AIRPORT IN CALIFORNIA. THE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (MEMBERSHIP NOT REQUIRED) AND FEATURE A GUEST SPEAKER WHO FLEW IN ANY OF THE MILITARY SERVICES DURING OUR NATION'S CONFLICTS FROM WWII TO PRESENT DAY.

MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN MILITARY AVIATION REGARDLESS OF THEIR MILITARY SERVICE, NATIONALITY OR GENDER. YOU ALL ARE WELCOME SO PLEASE COME OUT AND JOIN US FOR AN INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING EVENING.

WE ALSO HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS BAR-B-Q'S AND THE OCCASIONAL AIRSHOW OR OPEN HOUSE.

IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING OR JOINING THIS GREAT GROUP PLEASE SEND THEM OUR WAY.

THE WORLD WAR TWO WARBIRD GROUP MEETS BI-MONTHLY (JANUARY, MARCH, MAY, JULY, SEPTEMBER, AND NOVEMBER) ON THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT THE STOCKTON FIELD AVIATION MUSEUMS HANGAR AT 7PM.

REMEMBER THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BA A MEMBER TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS SO GRAB A FRIEND AND COME ON OUT.

THE MEETINGS ARE HELD IN THE STOCKTON FIELD AVIATION MUSEUM HANGAR LOCATED AT 7432 C.E. DIXON STREET STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA USA

FROM HIGHWAY 99 NORTH TAKE THE FRENCH CAMP EXIT AND HEAD WEST. TURN RIGHT OR NORTH ON AIRPORT WAY. TURN RIGHT ON STIMSON (AT THE NATIONAL GUARD) AND FOLLOW IT TO THE END WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE BLUE MUSEUM HANGAR ON YOUR LEFT. THE ENTRY DOOR IS ON THE BACK OF THAT HANGAR.

FROM HIGHWAY 99 SOUTH TAKE THE ARCH ROAD EXIT AND HEAD WEST TO AIRPORT WAY (WATCH OUT FOR AND FOLLOW THE DETOUR SIGNS POSSIBLE DETOUR). TURN LEFT OR SOUTH ON AIRPORT WAY AND THEN TURN LEFT INTO THE MAIN AIRPORT ENTRANCE ON C.E. DIXON. FOLLOW C.E. DIXON SOUTH UNTIL YOU SEE THE BLUE MUSEUM HANGAR ON THE LEFT. THE ADDRESS IS 7432 C.E. DIXON STREET. THE DOOR IS ON THE PARKING LOT SIDE OF THE HANGAR

FROM HIGHWAY 5 NORTH OR SOUTH TAKE THE FRENCH CAMP EXIT AND HEAD EAST FOR A FEW MILES. TURN LEFT OR NORTH ON AIRPORT WAY. TURN RIGHT ON STIMSON (AT THE NATIONAL GUARD) AND FOLLOW IT TO THE END. ON THE LEFT YOU WILL SEE THE BLUE MUSEUM HANGAR ON THE LEFT. THE ENTRY DOOR IS ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE HANGAR NEAR THE PARKING LOT.

The stories of 15 Central California flyers in World War Two are told in this book. Paper back, 138 pages, 8 x 11 inches. Compiled and edited by John V. Schippers, published 2002 by the WW II Warbird Group, Inc.

Quotes from stories in "THE WAY IT WAS, Memoirs of Flyers in WW II, Vol. 2"

Quote from Ed Ah Tye, B-17 top turret gunner, 8th AF: "Before our first mission (it was to Berlin!) the officer at orientation said, 'If you get shot down over France, mix with the civilians and wait to be picked up by patriots who will try to smuggle you back to England. Also act mute so you speech won't give you away.' I was the only Oriental on base and asked the officer in charge; Since I am a Chinese-American, what should I do if I'm shot down and won't blend in with the Frenchmen? The officer shook his head and answered, 'Don't get shot down.'

Quote from Bill Behrns, P-38 pilot, CBI: "I rolled over and rolled out on the target coming down with throttle wide open. Apparently I was looking right down the barrel of an ack-ack gun. All of sudden, BOOM! -- the whole airplane jumped and everything went dead."

Quote from Bill Gaines, B-17 pilot, 8th AF: "One of the other tough missions we had was bombing Munich Greens airfield with frag bombs.

....we got beat up pretty bad and had to make another forced landing. On that one I left the plane in Brussels. The two outboard engines were shot out and we landed with the two inboard engines. Fighter planes escorted me almost all the way in or I wouldn't be here talking."

Copies of "THE WAY IT WAS, Memoirs of Flyers in WW II Vol. 2" can be purchased for $13.00 which includes tax, from John Schippers by e-mailing him at:

jvschippers@juno.com

TO ALL OF OUR COUNTRY'S VETERANS, WE HERE AT VINTAGE AIRCRAFT WOULD LIKE TO SAY:

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY!