[PRCo] Re: Pittsburgh Airport 1960

[Harold G.]

HELLO BOB
EXCELLENT PHOTOS AND MEMORIES,

THE CONNIE AND VISCOUNT WERE EXCELLENT PLANES

THE AIR GUARD HAD CONNIES INTO THE 1970'S  I  FLEW
IN AN AIR GUARD CONNIE TO ARKANSAS AND SEVERAL TIMES
TO HARRISBURG.

AT THE AIRPORT...YOU PHOTOGRAPHED THE ACTIVE AIRFORCE,
NOW AIRFORCE RESERVE.   THERE IS A THIRD BASE ON THE
OPPOSITE SIDE FOR THE AIR GUARD.  REACHED BY A HIGHWAY
ON THAT SIDE OF THE AIRPORT..   SEE IF IT SHOWS ON TOPO
MAPS OR AEIAL PHOTOS.

NOW LETS BRING THIS INTO THE PRC WEB.   PAT HAD A ROUTE
FOREMAN (EX PRC) WHO WAS A FULL COL IN THE AIRFORCE
RESERVE.  I FORGET HIS NAME..HE WAS "PAPPY" TO ALL.
EVERY TWO MONTHS OR SO HE WOULD PILOT A PLANE TO
VIETNAM.  HE DID THIS AS A RESERVIST AND STILL A PAT
EMPLOYEE.   OF COURSE  I AS A MERE MAJOR NEVER
HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH HIS SERVICE TO OUR NATION..
I ATTENDED SEVERAL OF THEIR DINNERS AT THE AIRBASE,
MY NIKE MISSILE REUNION GROUP STILL MEETS THERE.

ONCE AGAIN...THE CONNIE WAS A WONDERFUL PLANE.  IMADE TWA.
GO SEE THE NAVIGATOR MOVIE.

HAROLD GEISSENHEIMER


    -----Original Message-----
    From: Bob Rathke <bobrathke at comcast.net>
    To: Diane Schmitt <schmittdl at stargate.net>; SaturnV at webtv.net <SaturnV at webtv.net>; Ron Bartel <rbartel at schielegroup.com>; Matt Barry <mrb190+ at pitt.edu>; Rich Bowers <Dashingrobo at aol.com>; Derrick J Brashear <shadow at dementia.org>; Harold Geissenheimer <transitmgr2 at earthlink.net>; James B. Holland <JBH at P-R-Co.com>; Bob Jr.-Home Lutz <srx7racer at alltel.net>; Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net>; Rod Merritt <rodmerritt at tampabay.rr.com>; William Meyer <kbmeyer at connecttime.net>; Norb Nathanson <norbn at localnet.com>; Jarrett-Home Rathke <rathke35 at yahoo.com>
    Date: Sunday, March 20, 2005 8:05 PM
    Subject: Pittsburgh Airport 1960
    
    
    Attached are scans of some slides that I took at Greater Pittsburgh Airport in November, 1960.  The TWA and Capital slides were taken from the open observation deck on the south concourse; the Air Force slide was taken from the Airport Parkway - I just parked my car on the shoulder of the road, got out and photographed aircraft landing.  Try that today.
     
    Apologies for the color, but these slides were taken with Ektachrome film which quickly shifted color.  Since 1961 I have been using only stable Kodachrome film.
     
    These are photos of aircraft that you don't see much today:
     
    - TWA Lockheed Constellation.  A large aircraft in the prop era, it had 3-2 seating, a triple tail and a very long landing gear in the nose.
     
    - Capital Vickers Viscount.  This photo was taken a few weeks before Capital Airlines was acquired by United Airlines.  In the mid-1950's, Capital was one of the first U.S. airlines to operate turbojet aircraft.
     
    - Air Force F-86.  Note the leading edge slats on the wings, the speed brakes extended on the rear fuselage and the "flying" horizontal stabilizer.  These innovationss were all secret features of the F-86 when it entered service around 1950.
     
    Bob 3/20/05