Rare Bear

[dale gleason]

Not much happens around here. Well, Crist Rigotti visited our DMAA club meeting the other night. Great to have him. And, Randy Travis moved down the road from us, good to have him, of course.

But now this...Linda Bob is out shopping for quilt blocks and a bunch of police cars are escorting a wide load of some sort down  922 between Mt. Springs and Tioga. She wasn't sure what it was at first, then saw a "big round thing" on the nose and realized it was an airplane. "Rare Bear"! And it's being trailered somewhere in one piece, wings and all. Reckon it's going to Sherman, Grayson County Municipal (old Perrin Field)?

She got a quick pic......

[Paul Taylor]

Cool!!
Thanks for sharing.
And what is also neat is that Linda Bob knew what it was. 

[Howard Rush]

The guy who flies it also flies control line.  He stopped by our field in Arlington a couple of times.

[dale gleason]

Hey Howard. I think John Penney raced "Rare Bear" at Reno. At operations in Denver once, I was flight planning using the same table as he. I overheard him talking about stuff I know very little of, like checking people out in Russian Migs. Is he the control liner of which you speak?

If I can find out where they're taking that thing, I'll go see it.

dg

You're right, Paul. She once accurately identified a BiSlob as it flew across the highway in front of us in West Texas, spraying cotton.

[Crist Rigotti]

Dale,
It was great to join you guys for the evening!

Tom sent me an email and he'll be at Hobby Park Saturday morning about 7:30.  I'll join him and do some flying.

[dale gleason]

I'll make an effort to join you all.
dg

[Mike Keville]

. . . Reckon it's going to Sherman, Grayson County Municipal (old Perrin Field)?

Kind of hoping it's enroute to Reno/Stead for next month's air races.

(Nice photo, L.B.!)

[wwwarbird]

The guy who flies it also flies control line.  He stopped by our field in Arlington a couple of times.

 That was John Penney, but he doesn't fly it anymore. I think it's already been a few years since he's flown the 'Bear. Rod Lewis has owned the airplane for a while now. Stewart Dawson was the pilot at Reno in '12.

[dale gleason]

It seems "Rare Bear" travels a lot on low-boy flat bed trailers. There's some stuff on the I-net about it being spotted here and there, NV, AZ, N.M., and theories it is going to Breckenridge, Tx. (Some years back I overnighted the Cub there as a "guest" of Howard Pardue and there were dozens of Warbird airplane restorations going on there, 24/7) But Rare Bear is a long way from there and maybe headed for Arkansas. It's a straight shot west on 82 to El Dorado. Several JCT semis have been spotted in this area, also.

Maybe Joe Bowman of Camden, Arkansas bought it? Probably not, he just bought a new truck......Norm Faith has a Boeing 727, maybe his A&P School is getting an F-8! It's all speculation, we may never know.

dg   

[Paul Taylor]

dg

You're right, Paul. She once accurately identified a BiSlob as it flew across the highway in front of us in West Texas, spraying cotton.

Now that's funny!

[Mike Mulligan]

Yes, that IS funny!!

The Bear was leaving Breckenridge. Here's a quick blurb:

http://www.breckenridgeamerican.com/ci_23845569/ezell-aviation-ships-off-top-flight-aircraft

And a pic...

[Bootlegger]

  Dale I am sending ya' a P.M.  Gil

[dale gleason]

Thank you for that great picture, Mike! Does anyone know where 'Rare Bear" was being transported to?

And Gil, got your PM ok. We're in ABQ getting ready for their contest this weekend, looking forward to BR once again,
dale g

[wwwarbird]

Thank you for that great picture, Mike! Does anyone know where 'Rare Bear" was being transported to?

 I'm gonna say to Rod Lewis' other hangar, at Stead Field, Reno.

 The 50th annual this year. Man I wish I was going again, it's gonna be a good one.