Historic military aircraft owners lend support at Honor Flight Chicago fundraiser

The thunder of a radial engine, the smell of oil mixed with high-octane aviation fuel, the speed and maneuverability of aircraft built to win dog fights are all thrills known to the owners of retired military aircraft. There's a passion shared by these pilots to preserve history and pass along their enthusiasm to new generations.

A fundraiser sponsored by the DuPage Veterans Foundation on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at DuPage Airport in West Chicago, Illinois, will provide an opportunity for the public to support veterans of The Greatest Generation and experience aviation history at its best.

The general consensus among the aircraft owners donating their time and aircraft to the event is that they all graduated to military aircraft after aerobatic flight training. Here are the stories of several of the aircraft owners participating in the fundraiser and the backgrounds of their historic aircraft:

John O'Connor's 1945 Grumman F8F Bearcat was used for bombing practice runs by the Navy in California near the end of WWII. Post war, the aircraft was used for wind testing and eventually landed as a static display in a museum in Louisiana. Barely airworthy, the aircraft was ferried out of the region in advance of Hurricane Katrina.

Although not an easy task, the aircraft has been fully restored and painted in the Blue Angels paint scheme. According to O'Connor, there are less than 10 Bearcats currently flying. “Parts are difficult to find and must be reengineered,” said O'Connor. For example, the four-bladed propeller is hollow and was engineered to reduce weight and act as a wing. It is particularly difficult to replace.

O'Connor's pursuit of aviation spans 37 years and includes a wide range of experience in WWII era and civilian aircraft, including Stearman, Super Decathlon, T-28 trainer, P-51 Mustang and F4U Corsair. He also flew T-34 trainers as part of the local precision flight team, The Lima Limas. Said O'Connor, “There is camaraderie among warbird owners – it's a great group of people.”

Mike Gillian's 1944 FM-2 Wildcat was manufactured by General Motors. The aircraft served at the end of WWII as a trainer on the west coast and in the Midwest at Glenview Naval Air Station. The 1987 restoration sent the aircraft to Wyoming and England. It returned to the United States in 2003 and was eventually purchased by Gillian in 2007.

As with many aviators, Gillian's desire to learn how to fly had been a life-long pursuit. He began flying in 1987 at Midway airport in a Cessna 172. His training eventually included aerobatic instruction in a Super Decathlon and a Pitts S2-B. Military aircraft are designed to be maneuverable. Said Gillian, “The Wildcat excels at aerobatics but it's tricky to take off and land.” With a narrow landing gear built to accommodate grass runways and carrier landings, the Wildcat was well-known for its difficult landing characteristics.

A veteran of both the Army and Navy (Korean War), Charles “Chic” Ramsden owns a Stinson L-5, which saw active duty in WWII in the skies over Europe. Built in 1942, it was the 398th L-5 manufactured for the military and was used by the Army Air Corp as a reconnaissance aircraft.

Ramsden's aviation experience spans 57 years. His first ride in an airplane was with his family's insurance agent, after the gentleman landed on the local golf course down the street from his boyhood home. “After that, I was hooked,” said Ramsden. He learned to fly at Sandwich Airport where he soloed in a Piper Cub. Among the variety of aircraft he has flown, he later learned aerobatic skills in a WWII-era SNJ trainer and co-owned a B-25 bomber with a group of pilots.

Dave Artwohl co-owns a Yakovlev Yak-52 with his brother, Richard Artwohl, a Marine Corp veteran of Vietnam and the Gulf War. The aircraft was designed by the Soviets for training both military and civilian sport pilots. This particular aircraft was built in Romania in 1993, where it sat in a crate until it was shipped to the United States in 1997. Popular with aerobatic pilots, the airplane features a radial engine and inverted fuel and oil systems, yet it is easy to fly and land.

Sparked by a visit to EAA's Airventure in Oshkosh, Wis. seven years ago, Dave wanted to learn how to fly. A ride in a WWII-era T-6 trainer at Aurora Airport was the deciding factor. He began taking flying lessons with an instructor that was also qualified to fly jets, which subsequently led to Dave's purchase of a Czechoslovakian L-39 Albatros. Both aircraft are available to rent with an instructor through Gauntlet Warbirds at Aurora Airport.

Pat Brady's PT-17 Stearman was manufactured by Boeing in 1943 and saw use during WWII as a military trainer. At a time when many aircraft were not equipped with radios, this Stearman was used to pull a flag indicating to pilots in surrounding aircraft that it was time to return to the airfield. In later years, it was used as a crop duster and as part of a local wing-walking act.

It's a family affair where Brady's interest in aviation is concerned. His father was a pilot in the Air Force in the 1950s and his brother, Kevin, is also a pilot. When asked about his interest in owning the military trainer, Pat said, “I just always wanted to fly a Stearman. It's pure stick-and-rudder flying with minimal instruments.” The aircraft is currently owned by Pat Brady, Kevin Brady and Art Turner.

Included as an item in the silent auction is an opportunity to bid on a ride in the Stearman as one of the many fundraising incentives aimed at sending WWII veterans to Washington DC. Pat said, “Honor Flight Chicago is a wonderful program and it's an honor to participate in the fundraiser.”

These and other historic aircraft will be on display along with military and civilian period vehicles at the DuPage Veterans Foundation's first annual fundraiser to support Honor Flight Chicago. The public is invited to join in honoring WWII veterans at the fundraiser on Saturday, May 5, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at DuPage Airport, 2700 International Drive, West Chicago.

Gates open at 11:00 a.m. followed by lunch with the veterans, music by “Legacy Girls,” silent auction and much more. Re-enactors will be on hand from the 10th Mountain Division and from the Rockford Peaches as part of the WWII Girls Baseball Living History League.

Special guest Steve Sanders of WGN Television will emcee the event. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door; $20 for children under 12. WWII veterans and active duty military personnel are free. Proceeds will benefit Honor Flight Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dupageveteransfoundation.org or call (630) 614-4533.