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| Hi From Di | May '08 |
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| By Di Freeze |
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I often mention our writers in this column, but this month, while I was going through submissions, I realized I rarely talk about the photographers, who contribute so much to our publication.
"Sheble Aviation: An Oasis for Seaplanes in the Arizona Desert," displays Bob Shane's talent as a writer and photographer. Based in Kingman, Ariz., Joe and Valerie Sheble operate a fleet of Cessna 172s and Beechcraft Travelairs, a Lake Buccaneer, used for single-engine seaplane training, and a Super Cub on floats.
As a child, Joe Sheble worked for his dad, who operated a flight school in Blythe, Calif. Sheble soloed at 16, got a commercial license at 18, and at 23, was the youngest pilot examiner in the country. While flying his dad's Super Cub on floats, he developed a fondness for water-based aircraft. At 22, when he checked out in a Twin Beech on floats, he fell in love with it.
In February 2007, Sheble fulfilled his dream of owning a Twin Beech on floats. It's now common to see that airplane flying up and down the Colorado River. To learn more about Sheble Aviation, see page 4-C.
Recently, Clayton Moore visited the Collings Foundation headquarters. This month, he shares photos and what he learned about the foundation, located on a 70-acre complex deep in the woods near the small town of Stow, Mass.
The foundation delivers its unique message about history and American heritage through an astounding collection of aircraft, race cars and other mechanized icons. The visionary behind the foundation's extraordinary holdings is Bob Collings, an entrepreneur and passionate automotive and aviation buff. In 1979, the Collings family launched a nonprofit foundation to organize the growing collection of historical artifacts under one umbrella organization.
A major focus of its efforts is the Wings of Freedom Tour, a traveling showcase of World War II-era military aircraft that has made more than 2,000 visits to airports across America since it was started in 1989. The tour includes a North American B-25 Mitchell, Consolidated B-24J Liberator and Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress. Each year, between 3 million and 4 million people experience the warbird tour.
The Collings team has also developed the Vietnam Memorial Flight, a touring company that includes a McDonnell F-4D Phantom II, Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk and Bell-UH-1E Huey helicopter. To learn more, turn to page 9-C.
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