Discussion Only-(CoNA) The Centennial Of Naval Aviation

[rander]

I'll be in the Static Display area with a green USS Midway cap with yellow writing and 3 Centennial logo pins on the front and with a Canon Camera around my neck.i may also be wearing a denim shirt.Both Friday and Saturday. I'll volinteer at the Midway Hanger then walk over to the static area.

[SBGrad]

I haven't heard to much about this one, but could be kind of cool:

Naval Aviation Film Screening: Hollywood & North Island
Date: February 5, 2011
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: Lowry Theater, Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI)

The Coronado Historical Association (CHA), in collaboration with the
Office of Morale, Welfare & Recreation of Navy Region Southwest and the
USS Midway museum's Historian Karl Zingheim, will present a two-hour
educational program on Saturday, February 5, from 2-4 pm, at the Naval
Air Station North Island (NASNI) Theater. "Hollywood and North Island"
will feature a variety of movie clips and a full-length film that
portrays North Island and its naval aviators.

A feature film made in 1941, Dive Bomber, starring Fred MacMurray and Errol Flynn,
will be shown. The film is in color and includes many scenes shot on
base at Naval Air Station North Island.

I went and it was pretty cool.  The 'clips' were a few scenes from 'Dive Bomber' (which we were going to see in its entirety in a couple minutes) and of course, 'Top Gun', which shot a few scenes at North Island.

Dive Bomber was awesome.  The  'dive bomber' of the title was the Vindicator, and the Navy provided LOTs of them.  Many many flying scenes, with lots of aircraft.  Lots of Stearmans, F3F biplanes, Devastators, some PBYs used in static shots.  I was looking for Wildcats and or Dauntlesses, but didn't see any.   The part of a 'RAF fighter' was played by a repainted P-26 Peashooter! A Lockheed Electra was in a bunch of scenes, and my buddy said he saw a B-24 in one scene, but I missed it.  A couple minutes worth of carrier ops off the original Big E.   LSOs using paddles!

Half a dozen buildings at North Island that are still there.  In some scenes there is only one of the big seaplane hangars, sometimes 2, sometimes the 2nd one is under construction, but I guess they hadn't heard of continuity in those days.  The lighthouse at Pt Loma was buzzed, the field at North Island was buzzed-- repeatedly!  My naval aviator buddy couldn't believe how low they were flying over the flightline.

Anyhow, if you can find it on TV or DVD it would be worth a viewing.

[warbirdfotos]

I own Dive Bomber, which i believe stars Errol Flynn, GREAT flying sequences, there are so many great classics with our local airports as the star. Turner Classic Movies runs them all the time, in fact they do a two day marathon featuring aviation and military based films from the 30's and 40's, either Veterans Day of Memorial Day. Want to to see some great flying, check out Fighter Squadron, with Hugh O'Brien and Robert Stack, all color footage of a P-47 squadron over Berlin.

Anyway, dont mean do drag off topic.....carrion!

[rander]

I went and it was pretty cool.  The 'clips' were a few scenes from 'Dive Bomber' (which we were going to see in its entirety in a couple minutes) and of course, 'Top Gun', which shot a few scenes at North Island.

Dive Bomber was awesome.  The  'dive bomber' of the title was the Vindicator, and the Navy provided LOTs of them.  Many many flying scenes, with lots of aircraft.  Lots of Stearmans, F3F biplanes, Devastators, some PBYs used in static shots.  I was looking for Wildcats and or Dauntlesses, but didn't see any.   The part of a 'RAF fighter' was played by a repainted P-26 Peashooter! A Lockheed Electra was in a bunch of scenes, and my buddy said he saw a B-24 in one scene, but I missed it.  A couple minutes worth of carrier ops off the original Big E.   LSOs using paddles!

Half a dozen buildings at North Island that are still there.  In some scenes there is only one of the big seaplane hangars, sometimes 2, sometimes the 2nd one is under construction, but I guess they hadn't heard of continuity in those days.  The lighthouse at Pt Loma was buzzed, the field at North Island was buzzed-- repeatedly!  My naval aviator buddy couldn't believe how low they were flying over the flightline.

Anyhow, if you can find it on TV or DVD it would be worth a viewing.

I was there too and "Dive Bomber" is a great movie. Lots of great flying footage and lots of aircraft, a few scens of pre WWII North Island. Actors back in the day sure smoked alot. Nearly every indoor scene they were pulling out a cigarette and lighting up. Some of the outdoor scenes too. Any way I enjoyed it beginning to end. The Centennial week activites are officially started.

I don't know how valid this is, I over heard at the end of the parade of flight there is or maybe a mass fly by of all the 190 aircraft or    as many as possible at the end of the day between 3 and  4 pm. THe Blue Angels may not be part of the mass fly by but everything  else could be. 

[rander]

Heres a couple of possible CONA participants at 12'o clock high.

[aero-engineer]

I don't know how valid this is, I over heard at the end of the parade of flight there is or maybe a mass fly by of all the 190 aircraft or    as many as possible at the end of the day between 3 and  4 pm. THe Blue Angels may not be part of the mass fly by but everything  else could be. 

Sounds like a possible mis-interpretation of the AW9 flyover, but we'll see.

Kevin
aero-engineer

[kick Z tail out]

Sounds like a possible mis-interpretation of the AW9 flyover, but we'll see.

Kevin
aero-engineer

I concur, sounds like it's misinterpreted.

[rander]

Weather Forcast through the weekend calls for temps in the 67-72 along the costal strip and lots of sunshine  Friday and Saturday.

[Raaver]

finally some good news, haha. good to see THAT!!
thx rander,

Robert

[garphoto.com]

I'll be in the ground pattern on Saturday

[rander]

First let me appologize for the statement I made in reply #124  second Paragraph,I asked some people today at NI and said that probally not likely to happen.

I also heard that the Coast Guard and others like Naval Security, The San Diego Harbor Police and THe San Diego City Police are going to heavily patrol the waters of San Diego harbor to keep small water craft and boats out of the Parade of Flight route, the line of green arrows in reply #64.The boats will be confiscated they doing that because incase an aircraft  goes down it won't take a small boat  and the people onboard down too.

[Realbigtaco]

This was on signonsandiego today, along with a good preview.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/08/north-island-base-celebrates-100-years-flight-open/

[Realbigtaco]

The Stennis airwing is headed into Miramar tomorrow.  Would be nice to see them fly in.  I wonder if they are flying in large formations?

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/08/carrier-aircraft-final-preparations-historic-flyov/

[raptorf22]

I hope they have an f-14 tomcat flying or at list in static display i would relly like to see one flying

[kick Z tail out]

I hope they have an f-14 tomcat flying or at list in static display i would relly like to see one flying

Don't hold your breath, asphyxiation is a terrible way to go out  

Static will happen... one of the typical museum shells with plywood stuffed in the intakes. Actually it could be one of the Midway's aircraft from what I heard. If that's the case, I love everything about their Tomcat but the plexiglass panel cover on the M61. Of course if the Navy was on top of their game and pulled one of those VF-31 Tomcats out of AMARC to fly in the parade I would gladly eat my hat. Still, would never happen.