tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post296003350945728245..comments2024-02-05T22:44:26.812-08:00Comments on Tailspin's Tales: • Know Your EquipmentTomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-409522978775151942012-11-02T12:25:02.115-07:002012-11-02T12:25:02.115-07:00Ah. Hard to say, then. A .38 revolver or .45 autom...Ah. Hard to say, then. A .38 revolver or .45 automatic would be a good guess.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-54945926010458798392012-11-02T12:12:32.795-07:002012-11-02T12:12:32.795-07:00oh yes, the type of plane was a Piper Arrow, twin ...oh yes, the type of plane was a Piper Arrow, twin engine. sgreerpitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764262558160301061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-39485178314129280832012-11-02T12:11:09.135-07:002012-11-02T12:11:09.135-07:00I wasn't clear enough, sorry. I worked in Gene...I wasn't clear enough, sorry. I worked in General Aviation, and our chief pilot was a former Navy fighter pilot. It was a private business that contracted with the Navy to fly out to remote areas of California to bring back AWOL Navy personnel, who basically got caught because they were injured or ill and had to be hospitalized. These were essentially air ambulance flights, but because the patients were AWOL they sometimes attempted to flee, and so our chief pilot carried a side arm, wrapped in cloth under the co-pilot's seat. I saw the gun on more than one occasion, but was not familiar enough with sidearms to know what type it would be. I do know that it was a type of pistol that he became comfortable with while in the Navy (not necessarily the side arm he actually used while in the Navy). sgreerpitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764262558160301061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-35821620608389212902012-11-01T09:01:18.013-07:002012-11-01T09:01:18.013-07:00On a carrier we were issued .38s, but they were ve...On a carrier we were issued .38s, but they were very carefully controlled. There's no way we could have left one under the seat, especially since it was an ejection seat. What did he fly?Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682476305241175707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-45556016217004657812012-11-01T08:55:31.590-07:002012-11-01T08:55:31.590-07:00hi, I'm writing a novel based on my own experi...hi, I'm writing a novel based on my own experiences in general aviation in 1973, and I need some help -- a pilot I worked with in 73 was a former navy fighter pilot in vietnam in the late 1960's, and when we had to pick up injured AWOL Navy or Marine personel from backwater places and return them to Oakland, he put a hand gun under front seat of the plane - I didn't know anything about handguns at the time, and wondered what kind of side arm/service weapon a former navy or marine fighter pilot might have. sgreerpitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07764262558160301061noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7795385237882019506.post-74834679992951642972010-12-02T11:39:50.770-08:002010-12-02T11:39:50.770-08:00Tom,
I love your blog with the historical compone...Tom,<br /><br />I love your blog with the historical component. My husband was a Marine fighter pilot from 1969 to 1987. He went through the training command in 1969 and then was an instructor at Kingsville from 1971 to 1974.<br /><br />I have linked to your blog on my blog, and would like to be a link on yours. I looked for contact info but couldn't find any except the comment section. Thank you.<br /><br />Marcia<br />http://wingwife.blogspot.comWING WIFEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15200111162708301369noreply@blogger.com