on October 17, 2024
An aerial view of the city of Marysville from the cockpit of a T-6 Texan trainer aircraft, named ‘Checkers’, during the Union County Airport’s Oktoberfest fly-in Oct. 5. The T-6 Texan was the backbone for advanced pilot training for World War II and beyond. In Korea, ‘Mosquito Squadrons’ flew the aircraft into combat, marking targets for the much faster jets of the era. ‘Checkers’ comes from Kestrel Warbird Experience out of Middletown, Ohio. (Gazette photo by Kyle Meddles)
View from above: Reporter reflects on ride in a war plane
Editor’s note: Reporter Kyle Meddles filed the following first person account of being offered a flight in a T-6 Texan during a fly-in at the Union County Airport.
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On Oct. 5, I attended the Oktoberfest fly-in at the Union County Airport. The event featured a wide array of different aircraft as well as a German food truck.
Around an hour into the event I figured I would grab some bratwurst and head home, until I was spotted by Airport Authority President Steve Koenig. He thanked me for coming out and paused for a moment. “You want to fly?” He asked. I agreed, and shortly found myself signing a waiver under a tent out on the runway. At the same time, a T-6 Texan thun…
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