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Thunderbird Club

#308,983
Miles_ONeal said:
Just a casual “taught my mom aerobatics”…

We need all the stories alluded to here!
Click to expand...
Well...
My mother - who was born in1924, to a Baptist minister in Northern Arkansas, was... a piece of work. And one of the most liberated women I've ever known. She did whatever she wanted to do, pretty much her entire life. Telling her that "girls don't do that" was a total waste of time and breath; she would simply show you how wrong you were - and walk away smiling. Some time between studying Medical Lab Science at Ouachita Baptist University; being the 1st string catcher on the Softball Team; and driving the fastest cars she could get her hands on - as fast as she could get away with - she learned to fly. Don't know who taught her; but, since Ouachita Baptist U. is in Arkadelphia? Might have been "Uncle Josh". Anyway, she left school in 1943 to join the Women's Army Air Force, after she was turned down for the WASPs (Women's Army Service Pilots). She never said why, but I can imagine that not being able to fly fighter planes from the factory to ferry/training bases, annoyed the Bejeezus out of her. She wound up being a Control Tower Operator at a USAAF training base in Norman, Oklahoma. Where she got to fly whatever she could get her hands on. "Uncle Josh" was a very qualified Instructor Pilot; so, that's probably where she learned aerobatics. too. In 1946, she transferred to Roswell Army Air Field (yes, that Roswell) in New Mexico - where she met my father. Who was an aerial gunner during the war, but was also a civilian pilot. He was ostensibly a Supply Sargent (a long story in itself), but had "business" with Base operations - including the Control Tower. They met; they dated - long walks in the evenings, shooting tin tans and other stuff (Mom was a crack shot, too); and... other, more traditional things. They got married in 1950 - and had me a year later. At the time, the rules said she had to resign from the Air Force; so she concentrated on being a Military Wife - and a wonderful mother. Which she most definitely was. She didn't have much opportunity to fly after she got married - and neither did Dad. I did get to fly with her once, in "Uncle Josh's" American Champion Citabria - which, as I found out - is a real, genuine aerobatic plane. She made that plane do things I didn't think a small, high-winged tail dragger could do. Afterwards? "Well, I see that you still know how", was all he said... But, she never lost her love for big, fast cars - preferably with manual transmissions. Riding with her could be... hair raising. The second time we got stationed in the UK (mid 1960's), she took up golf, since all us kids were in our teens. If the weather permitted, she was off in her Austin Healey Sprite to a golf course. She was good enough that she became a semi-professional golfer; she competed until she succumbed to an illness, in early 1991. I had to fly back from Desert Storm when she went to the hospital, but, unfortunately, got back a day too late. She was an amazing woman; a marvelous person, and a wonderful Mother...:cool:
 
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#308,984
GIBrat51 said:
Well...
My mother - who was born in1924, to a Baptist minister in Northern Arkansas, was... a piece of work. And one of the most liberated women I've ever known. She did whatever she wanted to do, pretty much her entire life. Telling her that "girls don't do that" was a total waste of time and breath; she would simply show you how wrong you were - and walk away smiling. Some time between studying Medical Lab Science at Ouachita Baptist University; being the 1st string catcher on the Softball Team; and driving the fastest cars she could get her hands on - as fast as she could get away with - she learned to fly. Don't know who taught her; but, since Ouachita Baptist U. is in Arkadelphia? Might have been "Uncle Josh". Anyway, she left school in 1943 to join the Women's Army Air Force, after she was turned down for the WASPs (Women's Army Service Pilots). She never said why, but I can imagine that not being able to fly fighter planes from the factory to ferry/training bases, annoyed the Bejeezus out of her. She wound up being a Control Tower Operator at a USAAF training base in Norman, Oklahoma. Where she got to fly whatever she could get her hands on. "Uncle Josh" was a very qualified Instructor Pilot; so, that's probably where she learned aerobatics. too. In 1946, she transferred to Roswell Army Air Field (yes, that Roswell) in New Mexico - where she met my father. Who was an aerial gunner during the war, but was also a civilian pilot. He was ostensibly a Supply Sargent (a long story in itself), but had "business" with Base operations - including the Control Tower. They met; they dated - long walks in the evenings, shooting tin tans and other stuff (Mom was a crack shot, too); and... other, more traditional things. They got married in 1950 - and had me a year later. At the time, the rules said she had to resign from the Air Force; so she concentrated on being a wonderful mother and a Military Wife. Which she most definitely was. She didn't have much opportunity to fly after she got married - and neither did Dad. I did get to fly with her once, in "Uncle Josh's" American Champion Citabria. She made that plane do things I didn't think a small high-winged tail dragger could do. Afterwards? "Well, I see that you still know how", was all he said... But, she never lost her love for big, fast cars - preferably with manual transmissions. Riding with her could be... hair raising. The second time we got stationed in the UK (mid 1960's) she took up golf, since all us kids were in our teens. If the weather permitted, she was off in her Austin Healey Sprite to a golf course. She was good enough that she became a semi-professional player; she competed until she succumbed to an illness, in early 1991. I had to fly back from Desert Storm when she went to the hospital, but got back a day too late. She was an amazing woman; a marvelous person, and a wonderful Mother...:cool:
Click to expand...
Great story. :thumbsup:
 
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#308,985
Since I don’t have a Thunderbird Monday, how about a new Levantine treat. Chocolate covered pistachio paste. :drool:

IMG_1005.jpeg
 
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#308,989
Chucky Stiletti said:
used to drink at a blue collar laborer bar (long gone Protective Club in Newport RI) where the bartender would wait for all the regulars (painters, masons, builders) to be in before playing Dancing Queen on the jukebox and stepping out for a smoke....
Click to expand...
Once at a pizza place right by Ga Tech, a couple of what looked like 14 year olds (if that) came in dressed for a prom. The guy put 75 cents in the juke box to play Puppy Love 9 times while he gazed into her eyes. We finished eating & waited until Puppy Love was done for the last time (shortly after their food came), then put a dollar in to get 12 songs. I forget what the song was, but it was the hardest rock song on the list - we queued it 12x. We waited until it started the second time, waved, and left to general cheers while the couple glared.
Not proud of it, but it felt good at the time. Hopefully they learned a lesson.
 
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#308,990
Miles_ONeal said:
Once at a pizza place right by Ga Tech, a couple of what looked like 14 year olds (if that) came in dressed for a prom. The guy put 75 cents in the juke box to play Puppy Love 9 times while he gazed into her eyes. We finished eating & waited until Puppy Love was done for the last time (shortly after their food came), then put a dollar in to get 12 songs. I forget what the song was, but it was the hardest rock song on the list - we queued it 12x. We waited until it started the second time, waved, and left to general cheers while the couple glared.
Not proud of it, but it felt good at the time. Hopefully they learned a lesson.
Click to expand...
 
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#308,997
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#309,000
Ringhammer said:
I have never seen this ever mentioned here, is this an actual Gibson made Thunderbird?:

https://reverb.com/item/86500841-gi...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=86500841
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Never seen a 2011 Gibson Tbird bass with metal can pups vs the black plastic TB+ pups. To the best of my knowledge the metal cans died with the bicentennial and were resurrected (in a totally different form) in 2017 with the Eppi VP. I don’t think Gibby started using metal cans until the NR was reintroduced in 2021. The Firebird pickguard also looks odd vs a Tbird pickguard. But all that said, it’s Gibson, who knows what they may have made. I would like to hear it though since I’m working on a four pup Eppi Goth mod right now.
 
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