Pacific Flyer Christmas Card Contest

We have a clear winner in our annual Best Christmas Card Contest and once again it came from the artisans at Victory Girl, who specialize in painting leather jackets, among other things.

This one features a fetching lass on a downhill sled with the message, "Relax" on the front and inside, "it's all downhill from here." Truer words were never printed.

They create their own nose art for not only jackets but also custom aircraft decals, vintage airport signs and more. See their offerings at www.victorygirl.com or give them a call at (909) 297-6688.

First runner-up for the sheer artistry and appeal was Tom and Carol Wathen's painting of Tom's Laird-Turner LTR-14 racer. Tom, who also owns Flabob airport, actually has this plane, a replica.

The original plane was flown by Roscoe Turner who won the Thompson Trophy with it two years in a row (1938-39) with speeds around a pylon course of up to 283 mph.

The plane was called several things, depending on its sponsor; "Pesco Special," "Miss Champion" (shown here) and the "MacMillan Ring-Free Meteor," although it's generally just called the Meteor. Turner's original is housed in the National Air and Space Museum next to the stuffed remains of his lion, "Gilmore."

Tom's replica was flown at Reno and at Oshkosh by famed race pilot (and ex-Air Force test pilot) Skip Holm, who racked up 1,072 combat hours and was a test driver on the F-117 Nighthawk.

Others that were particularly artistic or noteworthy came from Walter Boyne, former head of the National Air & Space Museum and a prolific author; Lt. Col. John Coffindaffer, USAF (Ret.), stuck in the frozen wastes of Connecticut where he works for Sikorsky and a cute photo from Flabob Airport Bum Andy Andersen.

Rob and Susie Harrison's card even included a cartoon strip about Rob "The Tumbling Bear."

To all of those who took the time to actually sit down and write a personal note and sign it, seal it, stamp it and mail it, we say thank you one and all, God Bless and our wishes for a joyous new
year.

- Wayman Dunlap, Editor