Rodger Pettichord

Hi all. One of the hardest things about writing a book is coming up with a title. My own books' titles, ROORD: To War in a Rubber Duck; Tales of BOO; and Me and Earl, are good examples of bad examples. I'm sure you can come up with something much better, hence this week's topic. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: What would be the best title for your autobiography?

Too many, too often these days.

Just chillin'. Thanks, Adam.

Saw the Canberra for real in Viet Nam. One of the coolest planes out there. Thanks for a great video, Frank.

Given the regulars on this forum, I'm surprised someone hasn't suggested beer 😁

Jeez, Karl, don't know what I was thinking. Please apologize to Hilda and team for me 😉.

Jimmy knew how to enjoy fame. It's a real loss.

Happy Birthday, Landon. Missing you!

Fleas, deer flies, no-see-ums, gnats, chiggers, horse flies, mosquitoes, ticks, bees, yellow jackets, wasps -- if it draws blood or stings, I've met it in the wild.

Hi all. In flight sim, we sometimes see interesting animals. In real life over the years, I've seen deer, elk, mooses, porcupines, eagles and hawks, sharks, and barracudas in their natural habitats. The well-traveled readers of this thread must have seen a whole zoo in the wild. And that leads to this week's topic. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: What interesting animals have you seen in the wild?

The aliens have arrived and they all post regularly on this forum.

Doug, best collection of Dad jokes yet! Thanks!

Now that's just plain cruel! 😵

Hi all. Here are the official answers to this week's meaningless topic (#155) quiz. Thanks for some interesting responses! 1. FOKKER Dr 1 Plane of preference for Manfred baron von Richthofen, WWI German Ace and leader of the famed Flying Circus squadron. Both plane and man were among aviation's first international celebrities. 2. RYAN M-2 Charles Lindberg, flying a modified Ryan, made the first solo Atlantic flight from North America to Europe. 3. NORTH AMERICAN B-25 Colonel Jimmy Doolittle led a flight of B-25s to bomb Tokyo not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A real morale booster at a time when things looked grim in the Pacific War. 4. DEHAVILLAND DH1 COMET First commercial jet airliner. See Nick Cooper's post in the original #155 thread for interesting information about the Comet. 5. BELL X-1 Piloted by Chuck Yeager, first plane to break sound barrier in level flight. 6. THE GOSSAMER CONDOR Powered by Bryan Allen, first man-powered plane to fly a course. 7. NORTH AMERICAN F-117 NIGHTHAWK First operational stealth plane. 8. VOLOCOPTER May be first electric VTOL to service a city route (Paris, 2024). [Stay tuned. There are eight other companies still in the running] IN ORIGINAL #155 THREAD, NOTE ALSO Gerold's (Stillwater) POST OF THE FIRST JET, THE HEINKEL He 178, and KenQ'S Boeing 307, first airliner with pressurized passenger cabin.

Welcome, John. Very good first time here with very good guesses. See the #155 Answer Thread posted today for final word. Good to have you aboard!

I just vomited. Thanks a lot, Adam!!🙃

Add me to the list of Beaver fans, Frank. Thanks for another great video.

Hi John, and welcome. Come join us at "This Week's Meaningless Topic" a bit further down under the Neil Hill Memorial Lounge. That's a weekly gathering of rascals who would welcome a perennial 66-year-old.

Me too, 48 years ago. The snipping wasn't as bad as the recovery from shaving.

Tough one, Ken. With that nose, it would seem to be a four-engine variation of the Curtiss C-46 Commando, but there was no such thing. So it has to be the Boeing 307 Stratoliner. It was the first commercial airliner with a pressurized cabin.

Hey Don, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Iain said it right--we'll look forward to having you back active when it's right for you.

Nice, Carlos. Thanks!

For those who are puzzling about these planes and their seminal roles, I'll post an "answers" list on Sunday after the responses have dried up. Check in then if you are curious.

Good one, Gerold. Am I right that this is the first jet plane -- a Heinkel He 178?

Hi all. Most of us are not just flight simulation fans, we also are flight history buffs. We know significant names, planes, and events. This week's topic will test your aviation history knowledge, so let's have at it. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: What bits of aviation history are associated with the following planes? 1. FOKKER Dr ! 2. RYAN M-2 3. NORTH AMERICAN B-25 4. DEHAVILLAND DH1 COMET 5. BELL X-1 6. THE GOSSAMER CONDOR 7. NORTH AMERICAN F-117 NIGHTHAWK 8. VOLOCOPTER