Tag: aviation history

First and Final Flights

by JohnnyKillmore, posted in Aviation, Writing

  One quick note on December 17th. Back in 1903, this was the day Wilbur and Orville Wright made their first powered flights. They barely held the Wright Flyer of the ground and only managed about 120ft, using a sort of catapult that launched them into the wind. The Boeing 747 -- itself over 50yrs … Continue reading First and Final Flights

The author looks into the camera at night, with the shadows of dtrees and dozens of bright stars as the background

Days Gone

by JohnnyKillmore, posted in Travel & Adventure

Central Oregon is likely to always remain connected in my mind to a video game for Playstation called Days Gone. That's because it was created by Bend Studios (located in Bend, Oregon) and uses actual locations in Oregon for the game map. Moreover, the main character in the game is a biker riding around a … Continue reading Days Gone

Martin Mars water bomber in action, dropping 7,000 gallons of water. Viewed from above and at the left-front quarter, the flying boat is white on top with orange-red lower half. Its wings are painted black behind its engines to hide exhaust smoke stains. The tail reads "Coulson" and below the huge plume of water is nearby forest, service road, and the edge of a lake

Mars Landing: the Queen of the Lake’s Last Flight

by JohnnyKillmore, posted in Aviation, Photography, Writing

The Queen of the Lake, who saved millions in timber and hundreds of homes and lives, retires after 20 years of military history and over 40 years as a water bomber. I was there to witness its last time in the air and on the water.