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Taking A Spin Into Flight History

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By KEVIN WIATROWSKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 12, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - The blue yonder beckoned Mike Stallings on Sunday as he strapped into a bright yellow biplane that would take him barrel-rolling above the hills of eastern Pasco County.

Stallings, who owns a construction business in Bartow, was one of the thrill seekers who visited Zephyrhills Municipal Airport during the weekend to view the traveling collection of historical airplanes in History Flight's Barnstormer Tour. The flight was a Christmas present arranged by his wife.

For his donation to the nonprofit group, Stallings got an hourlong flight that put the plane - and Stalling's stomach - through its paces.

To his credit, Stalling didn't lose his lunch.

"But we were real close," he said after recovering from his first experience with airborne acrobatics.

The three-plane show gives visitors a glimpse of the early days of flight, when open cockpits, wooden propellers and piston-driven engines were standard equipment.

Through programs such as the Barnstormer Tour, History Flight raises money for goals such as preserving World War II-era aircraft and helping find remains of troops missing in action from the war.

The tour, which will be flying above southeast Pasco through Sunday, features a restored World War II-era Stearman biplane and a T-6 Texan. The airport is at 39450 South Ave.

Zephyrhills is one stop on a tour that will include Savannah, Ga.; Raleigh, N.C.; York, Pa.; and Nantucket, Mass.
Flight packages start at $225 for a 15-minute trip in the biplane for flights from smooth to aerobatic to combat-style. Information can be found at www.historyflight .com.

Many visitors Sunday seemed more interested in looking at the planes than riding in them.

David Davis of Jacksonville had his picture taken in front of the Stearman biplane with his girlfriend, Stephanie Musetti.

Davis is a Navy rescue swimmer based at Jacksonville's Mayport Naval Air Station. He also is a licensed small-plane pilot who dreams of flying Navy jets.

"It's fun to see the evolution of aviation over the years," Davis said while standing next to the bright yellow biplane. "I'm flying around in a helicopter with two jet engines."
Musetti scaled the wing of the T-6 for a peek at the cockpit. Her assessment: "A lot of stuff looks complicated."

Charles Crowl, a World War II veteran, came out to get another look at the types of planes he serviced while stationed in Europe with the Army.

Crowl, 87, carried photos from his time in the military, including one of himself as a young man decked out in a fleece-lined bomber jacket.

"These planes, they're just something we've got to keep in our mind and love them," Crowl said.

Reporter Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201 or kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com.

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