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Casper Platoon Pilot Takes The Controls After 40 Years By Ned Costa, CAPO AGUA DULCE, CA (Dec 2008) - Casper Pilot Art McBride took control of a vintage TH-55 Hughes "Osage" Helicopter at the Agua Dulce Airport near Santa Clarita, California. Like a duck taken to water, Art maneuvered this aircraft through a near perfect take-off, flight of the area and a 180 degree hover and landing. "It's been nearly 40 years since I flew an aircraft" said Art, while claiming this to be a great time for him to have had this opportunity again! Art McBride was an "Inferno" OH-6A Cayuse Pilot in Casper Platoon from July 1969 - July 1970. Among his awards and decorations, [then] CW1 McBride was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross by General Cunningham in 1970. He is also the current 2009/2010 CAPO President.
Art McBride at LZ English, Bong Son 1969 Art McBride At Agua Dulce, California 2008
Casper Platoon Pilot Phil Johnson and his brother Martin live in the Castaic and Agua Dulce area. Martin is a pilot with American Airlines. He bought the TH-55 last year from a farmer in Oklahoma. Phil has added the Casper Platoon insignia -- and Casper flies again! Agua Dulce Airport (L70) is a public-use airport located 2 miles east of the central business area of Agua Dulce, in Los Angeles County. It was built in 1958 and has been used as a filming location for such movie project as: Fire Down Below and Space Cowboys. Surrounding the airport near by in the rocky terrain of Ague Dulce, several other television and motion picture projects were also filmed, such as: Buffy and the Vampires, the Outer Limits, Dante's Peak, the Lone Ranger, M*A*S*H and many-many more.
Casper Platoon Reunion 2009 The next Casper Platoon reunion will be held in San Diego on June 22 thru June 25. All of the details are posted here: http://www.casperplatoon.com/Reunion2009.htm. Phil and his Brother Martin are in the process of arranging with the City of San Diego, our Reunion Hotel and the FAA to allow them to bring the TH-55 to the reunion and provide any Casper with a ride around the area. If all goes well, you can expect this to happen at our next get together!
Phil Johnson At Agua Dulce Airport, California 2008 (TH-55 after cyber modifications). Art McBride: Casper921@BellSouth.net Phil Johnson: casperpgj@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________________________________
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