Mustang madness @ Chino – more A2A
Two of the Chino P-51s, back about 10 years ago.
"Susie" is now in a different scheme, but this variation on "Snooks VII" looks pretty nice. I think I was in Bob Lewis' Cessna 172, which is why Steve Hinton had to drop flaps a bit to stay with us in the go-around.
"Wee Willy" has been Steve's Mustang since the early 1970s, she flew for about 20 years with all the markings except putting the red stripes on the spinner and the checkers on the nose, which was finally done around 2001. As you can see, the GIB was having fun taking pictures of the photo plane while being photographed. Steve's brother John Hinton is in the front seat (or maybe it's John Maloney, I forget - but there's definitely a John in the front seat :-)).
And last is a shot of what the guy in back was seeing (though this was taken on a different photo flight - but that is Yours Truly in the gunner seat of the Museum's T-6)
beautiful stuff...is hinton as cocky and arrogant as he comes across in the films or am i reading him wrong...he sure has had the best job in the world
"cocky" and "arrogant" are not words that come to mind with Steve over the 35 years I have known him. "Capable" and "competent" come to mind, and sometimes the fact one knows they are the best in the world at what they do (and he is) and have nothing to apologize for, that can come across to others differently.
glad to hear that...i was hoping you'd say that...i read him differently