Retirement living in a jet.

[PT7]

I don't very often click on an "IcePop" link, which present those slideshow videos that are plastered with ads. Anyone ever go through the routine of "Next Screen...Next Screen...Next Screen..." ?

One did catch my eye today because I like stuff on jets, and I actually went through these seemingly endless flip screens. Found an interesting website by this fellow, and what kind of home he has "built" in Hillsboro, OR. Hillsboro is about 30 miles north of McMinnville, OR, where we used to live; also Hillsboro is just west of Portland.

Here is the website I found, which might be fun entertainment for a quiet afternoon diversion: http://www.airplanehome.com/

This fellow, Bruce Campbell, is a retired electrical engineer. When a young man he bought this Hillsboro acreage. Eventually for retirement, he bought a no-longer-flown Boeing 727-model 400 jet. Boeing built these from approx. 1960-84. This jet is Campbell's current "house in the woods." Really cool!

He keeps his home open for visitors, and this year has even given some concerts "from the wing," e.g. a vocalist from Japan, Yuko Pomily, performed there. Campbell spends 1/2 of the year living in Japan, where he is planning to buy a another larger jet, a Boeing 747-model 400 and build a second home. The location would be on the island shores of Kyushu, Japan.

If you look at his website, it is filled with stuff. What I enjoyed is the section that show 20 chronological aerial photographs of this "house in the woods," when being built from 2003-2015. Here is that one link: http://www.airplanehome.com/Images/Aeri ... talog.html

No small feat!! Retirement living in two jets -- one in OR and plans to build a second one in Japan!
So this post is just for fun....hope you might enjoy it.
PT7

[Mags]

I remember when they flew it in here, uh, no not quite. It got my attention after they had disassembled it, as it was trucked it out of the airport. A few years later the local news media did a followup story. I don't remember much of the story itself except the part about the transparent floors. From the main deck one can see through the floor into the cargo bays.

About 8 miles from where my place is.

Thanks PT for sharing.

[Mistered]

Hmm, to each his own I guess. If I had this kind of money it would be a 1000 + acre parcel probably not too far from where I live now, with a 'modest' home and all the trimmings situated about in the middle - and damn few knowing about it other than close friends & family.
Always somebody who needs to promote, advertise and post their life via 'social media' - not unlike those who need to 'socialize' their lives via the 'Holiday Letter' & pics to family & friends.

[Mags]

Hmm, to each his own I guess. If I had this kind of money it would be a 1000 + acre parcel probably

I'm right there with you on that. Was in AZ in April, scoping out potential places to maybe someday live. SW of Prescott was/is a 53 acre rural parcel I was eying. Very remote. The closest town had I think not more than 4 buildings. That acre size for me in a dryer, sunnier climate, would be just about right.

[PT7]

You're welcome...I'd like to see this fellow's place, and if I lived as close as you are, I'd for sure be doing that!

Speaking of airplanes. Have you seen the Spruce Goose ("The Flying Boat") at the Everglade Aviation & Space Museum in Mac? That is one huge plane! Back in the early 90s, it must have been a sight to behold when the Spruce Goose was disassembled and transported by barge up the West Coast, then up the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, to Portland, Oregon. It "rested" there while the movers awaited correct water levels in order to move it down the last 7-8 miles down the Willamette and make it under the bridges without clipping them.

After that final water journey, they finished re-assembly of the Spruce Goose in 2001, and good timing for me and my wife, it was all ready for visitors at the museum before I moved back to the Midwest from OR. A good friend of mine was a tour guide at the Evergreen museum then, and we got some really great closeup positions to view the wood plane. Much fun and a great experience. Anyone visiting near the Portland area, this is a great museum to visit if you like all kind of aircraft.

Ok, I'm turning off my jet engine for today!
PT7

[Mags]

I might visit the fellow's place. I haven't been following his progress. Didn't know he gave tours to the public until you shared the links to his place. I have been by there on my way to Hagg Lake and through McMinnville on the way to coast. Can't see though from the road. He has it parked in his forest.

Yes have been to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. A few times actually. When we still had kids at home and in later times when friends came to visit. Pictures and videos of the Spruce Goose do not adequately convey how huuuuugggggge it is. The museums B-17 and B-25 are tiny along side it. Was the Goose's inside open to visitors when you went? It has been everytime we've gone to see it. Like being inside a gymnasium. I know they brought it up the rivers, but don't remember how they got it past the waterfall at Oregon City. There is a lock there but it is tiny.

The whole museum is also awesome. They have military and commercial planes beginning from WW1 to almost current. Including a Sopwith, P51, B17, Blackbird stealth, A10 Warthog and many more. Other military vehicles, rockets. There is so much more there that anyone visiting the area has got to go there. https://monolithdesign.com/articles/eve ... ce-museum/

More so than other shares, really appreciate this one.

[PT7]

Well, I turned off the jet engine today, but the props are still spinning.

The monolith web site is very good...brought back memories of my museum visit. Lots of cool military planes housed there, and since I'm mostly a WWII buff, the aircraft and views shown in the photos were most enjoyable to see again. Appreciate the link.

Unfortunately, when I visited Evergreen early-on after the Spruce Goose was set up, there weren't set up interior tours of the aircraft....at least that I can remember. I would have liked to sat in the cockpit, of course. But also would have liked to walk inside the wings where those engineers rode on its solo and only flight, monitoring the engine operation. Yup for sure, HUGE does not describe at all the vast size of this wood-constructed plane.

Final comment. One of my all-time favorite WWII single-engine fighter aircraft displayed at Evergreen is the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Duke liked them also when he flew one of these "Flying Tigers" in the movie of the same name. The other favorite of mine in the single-engine combat air craft is the North American P-51 Mustang, made famous during WWII by the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group. These pilots painted the tails of their first combat aircraft red, the P-47 Republic Thunderbolt. That generated the nickname "Red Tails" for this great support group when they protected our bombers during air raids over Germany. The P-51 was decorated the same, and became a welcome recognized sign of help to our bomber pilots. So the Flying Tiger and the Red Tail are my hero-planes of WWII.

OK, ignition off, props slowing down.
Evening time, and soon to the sack.
It's been a fun flight down memory lane. :*)

PT7

[Mags]

P-51 and B-17 my favorite. 12 O'Clock High and Combat were couple of my favorite TV shows as a kid.

[ChefDuane]

My father was a P51 fighter pilot in the 352nd Fighter Group stationed at RAF Bodney in Norfolk, England. They were known as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" and were the most decorated airborne unit in WWII. Major George Preddy was one of his flying buddies and is credited with the most P51 victories at 26. My dad only got 3, but that'll do. He flew the P51B originally then the P51B retrofitted with the empennage nacelle and the Malcolm Canopy. His last plane was P51D 4413849 "Little Buster." Dad passed in 1991 but I still have few of his war mementos, and his Remington Nylon 66 that he bought many years ago.

[PT7]

I've read some about the 352nd. They were involved in some heavy-duty action during WWII, as I'm sure all groups were as rotated. The most well-known spots were Normandy, help for airborne assaults over the Rhine, and the Battle of the Bulge. Pretty significant combat zones.

And very impressive service on your father's part taking out 3 aircraft when fighting in his P51...that is no small feat during aerial combat! A little hard to even imagine for me what that would have felt like. Appreciated that you said "that'll do."

Thanks for telling us about your father and his service to our country. SALUTE
PT7

My father was a P51 fighter pilot in the 352nd Fighter Group stationed at RAF Bodney in Norfolk, England. They were known as the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney" and were the most decorated airborne unit in WWII. Major George Preddy was one of his flying buddies and is credited with the most P51 victories at 26. My dad only got 3, but that'll do. He flew the P51B originally then the P51B retrofitted with the empennage nacelle and the Malcolm Canopy. His last plane was P51D 4413849 "Little Buster." Dad passed in 1991 but I still have few of his war mementos, and his Remington Nylon 66 that he bought many years ago.