His daughter is doing a documentary on her dad as a follow up to the book she wrote about him a few years ago. Dan Kirkland and I did a few passes at an air show at the old P-38 training base in Paso Robles, CA, where he once served and sat down for lunch at a table with a nice gal who turned out to be his daughter, Christina. We had a nice chat about her dad. It turns out that Christina is raising money to produce the documentary about her dad through Kickstarter. The link is below. I think she will do a terrific job on documenting one our country’s real warriors and a worthy man.Through our T-28's, many of us had a chance to meet Gen. Olds and even fly in the same airspace with him.
- Ken Karas
Unforgotten Hero recounts the life story of 2nd Lt. Jimmy L. Escalle, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who became missing in action during the Korean War. Jimmy trained in the T-28A at Webb AFB 3560th PTW, the advanced single engine program that was the precursor to jet transition. For photographs and links, see the new page in this website: Webb AFB 3560th PTW.
I’m tremendously excited to announce the launch of a long-planned Kickstarter campaign to accomplish the production of a 60-minute documentary titled, “Robin Olds – The Rest of the Story”.
Over the past five years, since the book of my dad’s memoirs came out, I’ve been asked dozens of times, “When’s the movie being made?” Before Hollywood gets its hands on his story I feel it is vital to talk about my dad’s life beyond his aerial battles and commands, including what he did in his thirty years of retirement. In order to understand the personal motivations and backstory behind his leadership ability and accomplishments as a fighter pilot, I will chronicle the subtle elements, influences and passions that guided his life. With your help, the rest of Robin Olds’s remarkable story can be told.
- Christina Olds
Rainer Steinberger performs in Bavarian Tailhook in the HORIZON AIRMEET 2016 in Genderkingen / Germany
Realistic fiction set during the Secret War in Laos whose main character is a helicopter pilot for Air America, his story on how he got there and made a "Full Circle" back to his roots in Louisiana. By Allen Cates, former Air America pilot.
In addition to the stories, many of the Raven authors have shared photographs from their personal collection, some never seen by the public before. For more information see the Raven Chronicles Archives page on this website under "Call Sign Raven." click on photos to enlarge
Gen Olds used his All American West Point football skills to knock me around the squash court! I never had a chance!
= = = I said, "Sir do you want to go flying with my T-28 formation in the morning?"
Olds said, "Don't BS an old BSer!"
And he was ready the next morning! He should have gone to the back seat but he directed "wild bill take the back, I will take the front!"
Not what we should have done but he lead a great 10 ship trail formation acrobatic exercise!
Fun was had by all!! - JW Wild Bill Stealey
* * * *
About 13 years ago or so one of our T-28 flight leads at OSH, Bill Stealey, introduced us to his old college dean of students, otherwise known as the Commandant of Cadets at the Air Force Academy, Gen. Robin Olds. Wild Bill gave Gen. Olds a ride in his T-28 with some of the rest of us tagging along on his wing. Robin Olds typified the fighter pilot and combat officer, and it really was an honor meeting him. And, if memory serves, he complimented the flight on its formation flying. Bill can supply more details.
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Aerial photos by Will Platt and Thore Thoresen," Storm" photo by Ken Eberhardt
click here for Sheboygan Press news article on the airshow
Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, Wild Bill & T-28's
Denise (Sweet P) and I were walking the displays in the building at Oshkosh in 2002.
I saw Gen Olds signing autographs with a Luftwaffe Ace.
I walked up to the General and said "Sir you don't remember me, but you were my Commandant at USAFA."
He LOOKS UP AT ME and says, "are you the kid who beat me at Squash?"
"Yes Sir I am!"
He said, "but I beat you the next two times!"
"Yes Sir you did!"
Gen. Robin Olds, Sweet P & Wild Bill
"Keep Calm and Trojan On"
Jeff Schroeder, Charlie Oscar Photography
Trojan Phlyers 2015 Bonham Festival of Flight
NEW RELEASE available at Amazon.com
The Raven Chronicles, In Our Own Words, is a unique collection of first person accounts by the USAF forward air controllers who flew in the Secret War in Laos. Restricted by the 1962 Geneva Agreement, they flew in civilian clothes in unmarked light spotter aircraft. These pilots regularly operated from primitive dirt landing sites, often flying in poor weather, with few navigational aids, under the constant threat of enemy fire, and in the midst of towering mountains and unforgiving karst formations. According to USAF history, they were one of the success stories of the war. They built a legend of efficiency and daring in their control of RLAF and USAF strikes in support of Laotian ground units.
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T-28 Radial "Round Sounds"
courtesy of David Ramsey
1. T-28 Start 2. Take-off
3. Fly-bys 4. Returning
click on right arrow o scroll thru selection
click on middle arrow to play
- T-28 Start3:06
- T-28 take-off0:40
- T-28 fly-bys3:47
- T-28 Returning2:08
For information featuring James E. Parker, Jr and his newly released book, see the new page on this website: "Mule."
See Jean Barbaud's cartoons at: http://jeanbarbaud.blogspot.com
Col. (ret) Craig Duehring's memoir from boyhood in Minnesota, to USAF pilot training to flyng as a Raven during the Secret War in Laos. See also:
THE LAIR OF RAVEN,
BOOK Corner