Latest news with #T-38Talon
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Losing an old friend': Retired fighter pilot selling replica of P-40 Warhawk
INDUS – Wayne Foster spent much of his life chasing the horizon as a fighter pilot, but he could be facing his toughest battle yet: parting with the warbird he built by hand. At 88, Foster is selling one of his planes: a smaller-scale replica of a P-40 Warhawk with the Royal Air Force's 1940 Desert colours of the 112 Squadron. The asking price is $45,000. 'It's like losing an old friend,' he said, sitting in front of the plane stored inside a Quonset hut in Indus, Alta., a hamlet southeast of Calgary. Foster, who joined the Canadian Forces in 1956, served in the navy, spent three years in France and worked at an electronic warfare unit in Montreal for another four years. It was in the navy that he earned his nickname, Butch. 'I got the name Butch from Butcher, from dogfighting, I guess,' Foster said in an interview. 'We had a couple of guys in the squadron whose name was Wayne. I got Butch and my wingman got Chopper.' During his time, he said, they did a lot of dogfighting in Europe. Dogfighting is a series of tactical manoeuvres used in close-range aerial combat. 'I learned how to dogfight fairly well … by trial and error,' he said. 'Thankfully, I could do a lot of errors when no one was shooting at me.' He also had a tour in Puerto Rico. He was transferred to the United States Air Force for three years, where he trained pilots on the art of dogfighting. 'That was a wonderful tour. I flew the T-38 Talon — it goes like hell,' he chuckled. He remembers briefly sharing the sky with Chuck Yeager, an American flying ace and record-setting test pilot who, in October 1947, became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound. Foster said he tried to 'bounce' Yeager, an unexpected attack to initiate a dogfight. 'He was coming up from Spain in a 104 and I couldn't catch him,' Foster laughed. 'He was much faster than I was, but I got the opportunity to talk to him later on in Germany.' In selling his replica, Foster admits he never got to fly a real P-40 Warhawk. 'But I've flown the P-51s and it's very similar in some ways. It doesn't have a big honking engine on it, but fortunately, this one here doesn't have a big honking engine on it either,' he said. Mechanic Pieter Terblanche has been working on the Warhawk. 'It's in very good shape for the time it's been sitting,' he said. 'Everyone that buys a plane has their own idea on what needs to be done to the plane. It can be done pretty fast.' Foster's daughter Tracy said the plan was to have it placed in a museum, but there have been several people who expressed interest in buying it. Offers have been outlandish, she added. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'We've had a couple of crazy offers, like $500 and a case of beer, and I went nope. And then it was $5,000 and a case of beer,' she said. One person offered $200, she said, but it turned out he thought it was a model he could fly using a remote control. Her father has never spoken much about his time as a fighter pilot, she said. 'Now that he's getting a little older, he's opening up a little bit more as to what he experienced.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
20-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Losing an old friend': Retired fighter pilot selling replica of P-40 Warhawk
INDUS - Wayne Foster spent much of his life chasing the horizon as a fighter pilot, but he could be facing his toughest battle yet: parting with the warbird he built by hand. At 88, Foster is selling one of his planes: a smaller-scale replica of a P-40 Warhawk with the Royal Air Force's 1940 Desert colours of the 112 Squadron. The asking price is $45,000. 'It's like losing an old friend,' he said, sitting in front of the plane stored inside a Quonset hut in Indus, Alta., a hamlet southeast of Calgary. Foster, who joined the Canadian Forces in 1956, served in the navy, spent three years in France and worked at an electronic warfare unit in Montreal for another four years. It was in the navy that he earned his nickname, Butch. 'I got the name Butch from Butcher, from dogfighting, I guess,' Foster said in an interview. 'We had a couple of guys in the squadron whose name was Wayne. I got Butch and my wingman got Chopper.' During his time, he said, they did a lot of dogfighting in Europe. Dogfighting is a series of tactical manoeuvres used in close-range aerial combat. 'I learned how to dogfight fairly well ... by trial and error,' he said. 'Thankfully, I could do a lot of errors when no one was shooting at me.' He also had a tour in Puerto Rico. He was transferred to the United States Air Force for three years, where he trained pilots on the art of dogfighting. 'That was a wonderful tour. I flew the T-38 Talon — it goes like hell,' he chuckled. He remembers briefly sharing the sky with Chuck Yeager, an American flying ace and record-setting test pilot who, in October 1947, became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound. Foster said he tried to 'bounce' Yeager, an unexpected attack to initiate a dogfight. 'He was coming up from Spain in a 104 and I couldn't catch him,' Foster laughed. 'He was much faster than I was, but I got the opportunity to talk to him later on in Germany.' In selling his replica, Foster admits he never got to fly a real P-40 Warhawk. 'But I've flown the P-51s and it's very similar in some ways. It doesn't have a big honking engine on it, but fortunately, this one here doesn't have a big honking engine on it either,' he said. Mechanic Pieter Terblanche has been working on the Warhawk. 'It's in very good shape for the time it's been sitting,' he said. 'Everyone that buys a plane has their own idea on what needs to be done to the plane. It can be done pretty fast.' Foster's daughter Tracy said the plan was to have it placed in a museum, but there have been several people who expressed interest in buying it. Offers have been outlandish, she added. 'We've had a couple of crazy offers, like $500 and a case of beer, and I went nope. And then it was $5,000 and a case of beer,' she said. One person offered $200, she said, but it turned out he thought it was a model he could fly using a remote control. Her father has never spoken much about his time as a fighter pilot, she said. 'Now that he's getting a little older, he's opening up a little bit more as to what he experienced.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Photos: Thunderbirds fill sky at Beale AFB as base holds first airshow in years
The roar of the Thunderbirds filled the sky Saturday over Beale Air Force Base, long known for the more clandestine surveillance and recon missions of the U.S. Air Force. The Air & Space Expo is Beale's first air show in seven years. It concludes Sunday. In addition to the Air Force's premier demonstration team, the show also features the U-2 Dragon Lady and the T-38 Talon — planes based at Beale — along with aerial exhibitions that include the MV-22 Osprey, the U.S. Navy F-18 Rhino Demo Team, and a KC-135 Stratotanker. On the ground, the show features displays of the new collaborative combat aircraft that were recently assigned to the base. Admission to the event is free The final day of the show opens Sunday at 9 a.m., with aerial performances beginning around noon and concluding at 4 p.m. Attendees must be in line to park by 1:30 p.m., when the gates close.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beale Air and Space Expo: Know before you go
The highly anticipated Beale Air and Space Expo June 7 and 8 takes attendees on-base to watch cutting-edge aircraft take to the skies. Here's everything you need to know before going. In the Air There'll be no shortage of things to do and see during the Expo. Dozens of aircraft will perform throughout the day, including the U-2 Dragon Lady, the T-38 Talon, the Air Force Thunderbirds, the Navy F-18 Rhino Demo Team and more. A few featured performers include Australian professional aerobatic and air race pilot Aarron Deliu, Vicky Benzing piloting a 1950 Boeing Stearman bi-plane, and 'Scratch' Mitchell in a T-33 Shooting Star. USAF Parachutists will also perform. On the Ground Thirty-seven aircraft from various military branches and bases will be on static display on-ground, including the U-2 from Beale AFB, the F-35A from Luke AFB in Arizona and the U.S. Navy T-33 'Blue Angel' Shooting Star from Salt Lake City. You can view civilian aircraft as well, like CalFire's FH-60 Firehawk. Precision Exotics will showcase 'dream cars' like Lamborghinis and Ferraris. Hands-on learning and activities will be available for kids of all ages at the STEM zone. Future aviators, engineers and scientists can engage with interactive exhibits, flight simulators and more. General Admission General admission is free, but if you plan to drive, you must secure a parking pass online. The parking pass is free and good for all occupants in the vehicle. Drivers will be routed to available parking areas and may require a shuttle service (complimentary) of more than 20 minutes. Parking passes are not available day-of and have to be secured online. Parking opens at 8 a.m. on the day of the event and gates will be closed to incoming traffic at 1:30 p.m. Premium parking closest to the entrance is available with the purchase of Elevated Experience packages. Elevated Experiences There are three Elevated Experience packages available: Ground Level Access ($35 per vehicle): This package gives you one complimentary premium parking pass for the Skyline Lot (good for all vehicle occupants), one commemorative poster when your pass is presented at the BMLC Booth and a dedicated security checkpoint. The Flight Deck Package ($50 per person, children under five years free when accompanied by paid admission) grants access to a shaded viewing area on the flightline. You can bring your own chairs but no open umbrellas are allowed. With the purchase of two Flight Deck packages, you can receive a complimentary premium parking pass for the Skyline Lot. If you only want to purchase one Flight Deck package, you can get a preferred parking pass for $15. Flight Deck packages also come with in-and-out privileges (no seat-saving) and a dedicated security checkpoint line. The Recce Town Experience is the most elite package. Prices vary: $195 for adults and $100 for children ages five to 12. Children under five are free when accompanied by paid admission. You'll be granted access to a premium flightline viewing area with a spacious tent for shade and outdoor seating for viewing. With every two Recce Town Experiences purchased, receive one premium parking pass in the Skyline Lot. If you only want to purchase one Recce Town Experience, you can get a preferred parking pass for $15. Also included is access to a luxury bathroom with air conditioning, a commemorative air show poster, light snacks, a buffet lunch, two complimentary tickets for alcoholic beverages (ages 21+), access to a full bar for additional drinks, complimentary water, in-and-out privileges and a dedicated security checkpoint line. A table for eight can be reserved for $2,500 per table for either day. Volunteers People 18 years and older can volunteer at the Expo in a variety of ways, including guest navigation and behind-the-scenes logistics. Identification Everyone 18 and older must keep a valid federal or state ID on them at all times. Those who do not have an ID can use one of the following: Employment Authorization Documents (Form 1-766) Permanent Resident Cards, aka Green Cards (Form 1-551) Foreign passport bearing an unexpired immigrant or non-immigrant visa or entry stamp and arrival-departure records (Form I-94, Form I-94W or DoD issued CAC w/ Blue Stripe. You are not required to present your ID for base access on the day of the Expo, but you may be asked for it at any time while attending, so keep it readily available. Prohibited Items Weapons of any kind, including pocket knives, pocket tools, scissors, box cutters, billy clubs, large heavy chain link jewelry or belts, mace and pepper spray Firearms of any kind Toys that resemble firearms, including laser pointers Illegal drugs Marijuana Alcohol Backpacks (diaper bags are subject to search) Bikes, skateboards, rollerblades Walkie-talkies, HAM radios, scanners RC aircraft and drones Flammable items and fireworks Pets (except for service animals) Spray paint and silly string Outside food, coolers, grills or glass containers Glass bottles Liquid without factory seal intact (baby bottles are exempt) All vehicles are subject to search. Banned items will be confiscated and/or cause visitors to be turned away at the gate. For more information, tickets, volunteer signups and more, visit
Chicago Tribune
18-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Heidi Stevens: Memories of a dad who wasn't mine, but shaped my world, as his family grieves his death
It started as a Facebook messenger note. My longtime friend Wendy, who I've known since elementary school — through endless dance recitals and summer camp adventures and a million bad haircuts and a handful of breakups — wrote to tell me her dad had died suddenly. He would have turned 80 on April 14. Roger DuClos added light and joy to my childhood in a way that is hard to quantify. He taught me to water ski. He made us laugh in church. He had the kindest smile and an adventurous spirit and the patience and quiet competence that made you believe — nope, made you know — you'd be fine. If you tried the scary thing. If you didn't exactly fit in. If you needed a little extra help. If you laughed when you weren't supposed to, like in church. He was a pilot for Delta Airlines, like my own dad. A career he came to after serving in the military, like my own dad. He was an Air Force instructor pilot on the T-38 Talon (which probably made teaching a scared, skinny kid to waterski seem like a breeze) and before that a football player on scholarship at the University of Arizona. I didn't know all of that when I was a kid. I knew he was a pilot. I knew he was my friend's dad. I knew he was my dad's friend. Wendy and I quickly started a trip down memory lane the day she wrote to tell me her sweet dad died. She and her older sister, Jennifer, and I hit the dad jackpot. (The mom jackpot too, I should add. An embarrassment of riches.) Our dads came to our endless dance recitals and drove us to practices and showed up at our games and taught us stuff that probably tested their patience and made them wonder if their quiet competence skipped a generation. But they hung in there nonetheless, bless their hearts. There's a Maya Angelous saying: 'People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.' My dad taught me to change the oil in my car and swap out a flat tire and tie a whole bunch of different knots like they teach you in the U.S. Navy. And I can't tell you that I retained a lot of those details, sadly. But I can tell you that I'll never forget how those lessons made me feel: Believed in. Invested in. Trusted. Capable. Cared for. Worth his time. Loved. Wendy and her wonderful mom and sister have been going through her dad's stuff, sorting through a life, planning for a memorial. She sent me an old snapshot of our dads together. I texted it to my dad, who promptly texted back that it looks like it was taken when Roger was getting ready to leave for Delta Airlines 757 school, probably July 1997 or 1998. I texted that to Wendy. 'Tell your dad we found the 767-400ER manuals,' she wrote back. 'In case he wants a refresh.' Her dad saved everything. 'Every test he ever took in the military,' she wrote. 'EVERY. TEST.' One day I was in my parents' living room telling stories and my dad quietly left the room and returned with a receipt for the Volkswagen Beetle — two-door, leatherette trim, custom orange paint job — that he bought for my mom on Jan. 27, 1967, exactly one month after their wedding. It cost $2,054.17. (The custom orange paint job was an extra $110.) There's a mixture of resourcefulness and aptitude and nostalgia in those found objects. And they add up to something magical. 'Even the broken stuff has labels explaining that it's broken but he might use it for parts for something else,' Wendy wrote. 'He legit has a label on every phone cord … RAD lvg rm cord AZ. LCD ktchn cord WI.' What's it like to see his handwriting, I asked. All those labels. All those tests. 'It makes me cry,' she wrote. 'We used to tell him how uncanny it was that his handwriting and Santa's were the same.' I'm guessing they'll stumble upon some of Santa's old notes soon. It takes care and organization to hang onto old stuff. But it also takes an understanding that all the little moments and objects and artifacts, no matter how minor, have value. They add up to a life. Wendy's dad sewed his Walmart watch back together when the band started to fray. 'Because the watch part wasn't broken and why buy a new watch when you can sew the band with red thread,' she wrote. 'He still had a tube TV because it was still working and the DuClos family doesn't buy new stuff unless it was broken and couldn't be fixed by dad.' What a gift to go through life watching so much be fixed by Dad. I'm forever grateful for my own dad's modeling in that department. And I'm increasingly aware — as I'm saying more goodbyes to the grown-ups who populated my childhood and showed me what it looks like to take care of your people and made me laugh and made me think and loved my friends into their current, beautiful selves — that I've been lucky beyond belief. Loving, safe grown-ups shape a kid's world in such profound, permanent ways. I'll miss Mr. DuClos. My missing barely belongs in the same universe of what his family is going through. But I know I get to carry him around in my heart, where he lodged himself early — especially that look when he was about to make us giggle even though we were supposed to be solemn. Life has enough solemn.
