This weekend, both the Commemorative Air Force's AirPower History Tour and the US Coast Guard's Barque Eagle visited Savannah. Sunday morning was an opportunity to indulge my inner History and Aviation Geeks and visit both. I'm glad that for once, my days off and time in Savannah coincided with opportunities to see something historical and interesting. Even though the morning started off gray and drizzly, it turned out to be a good one.
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| The Commemorative Air Force's B-29 FiFi under cloudy, drizzly skies at Sheltair Savannah on Sunday morning |
It was a drizzly morning when I went out to Sheltair at Savannah-Hilton Head IAP to see the Commemorative Air Force's AirPower History Tour on it's last day in Savannah. Their B-29, 44-62070/NX529B - "FiFi," PT-13 Stearman, 42-17163/N4813V, and AT-6, 42-4125/N6253C - "Nella" were on display. I was looking forward to seeing their B-24, but it won't be joining the tour until later in the Summer, they said. It's been quite a while since I've seen an airworthy B-29, so it was magnificent to see one dripping oil and smelling of aviation fuel, ready to fly!
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| A view of Savannah-Hilton Head IAP from the Sheltair Ramp with rain in the distance; it was just a light drizzle at the airport, not enough to deter one from visiting the warbirds. |
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| B-29, 44-62070/NX529B - "FiFi" |
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| B-29, 44-62070/NX529B - "FiFi" |
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| B-29, 44-62070/NX529B - "FiFi" |
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| B-29, 44-62070/NX529B - "FiFi" |
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| PT-13 Stearman, 42-17163/N4813V |
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| PT-13 Stearman, 42-17163/N4813V |
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| AT-6, 42-4125/N6253C - "Nella" |
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| AT-6, 42-4125/N6253C - "Nella" |
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| Georgia ANG 165th AW Crash Truck on the ramp at Sheltair |
As the clouds and drizzle cleared away, I left the airport and headed to River Street in Downtown Savannah to visit the USCGC Eagle (WIX-327), America's Tallship and the Coast Guard Academy's training ship. It's in Savannah this weekend as part of its Sail 250 tour commemorating the 250th Anniversary of American Independence. I've seen her in port in Savannah several times, but this is the first opportunity I've had to tour her. It was fascinating to go on board and walk around on a ship that began her life as a Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine training ship and has gone on to train generations of US Coast Guard officers. There is still the a reminder of the Eagle's history on board; at the end of World War II, she was the Segelschulschiff Horst Wessel, but was turned over to the United States after the war as a war reparation. She would be renamed Eagle and every Coast Guard Academy cadet and officer candidate spends 6 weeks on board her as part of their training. The ship's original name can still be seen on her original ship's wheel (next to last photo below).
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| USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) on the Savannah River while arriving at the Port of Savannah (photo from USCG Station Tybee's Facebook page) |
While standing in line waiting for the USCGC Eagle tour, I did some searching for radio activity from the Eagle and found them on 410.3750 (PL 67.0), which is USCG Net 401. It wasn't very active, but if you have the opportunity to visit the Eagle, you might want to keep an ear on it.
After I left Sheltair at Savannah-Hilton Head IAP, I drove by the Georgia Air National Guard Air Dominance Center/Combat Readiness Training Center, which is also at the airport. A fence check indicated that there are 122nd FW/163rd FS F-16s from the Indiana ANG and 1st FW/71st FS F-22s, and 1st FW/7th FTS T-38s from Joint Base Langley at the ADC/CRTC. Here's what I've been able to hear from them:
122nd FW/163rd FS
253.200 - CRTC/ADC Ops; 122nd FW/163rd FS Ops
240.250 - CRTC/ADC?; 122nd FW/163rd FS Air-to-Air
324.000 - CRTC/ADC?; 122nd FW/163rd FS Air-to-Air
BULLET ## (F-16CM, 122nd FW/163rd FS)
SNAKE ## (F-16CM, 122nd FW/163rd FS)
KINGSNAKE - 122nd FW/163rd FS Ops
1st FW/71st FS and 1st FW/7th FTS293.300 - CRTC/ADC; 1st FW/71st FS Ops
228.800 - CRTC/ADC; 71st FS Air-to-Air
233.200 - CRTC/ADC; 71st FS Air-to-Air
234.200 - CRTC/ADC; 71st FS Air-to-Air
227.200 - 1st FW/71st FS Air-to-Air
267.600 - 1st FW/71st FS Air-to-Air
274.200 - 1st FW/71st FS Air-to-Air
298.800 - 1st FW/71st FS Air-to-Air
ANVIL ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
FIST ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
FLEX ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
GRUMP ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
STEEL ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
TOGA ## (F-22A, 1st FW/71st FS)
IRON OPS (1st FW/71st FS Ops)
DINGO ## (T-38A, 7th FTS)
MARLIN ## (T-38A, 7th FTS)
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