Category Archives: Idaho

Yankee Lady, the last take-off? Does anybody know what is going on?

In June 2024, the Yankee Air Museum (now called Michigan Flight Museum) sold the Boeing Flying Fortress B-17G “Yankee Lady” to a secret buyer; they refused to say who it was, or where its new home would be.

The evening of 20OCT2024, Pocatello Airport.

According to Air Classics’ Facebook page, Yankee Lady is heading to Chino, California, to be taken apart and shipped-off to Avspecs in New Zealand.

20OCT2024, Pocatello Airport.

During the afternoon of 20OCT2024, Yankee Lady flew over my head while I was mowing the lawn in my backyard, in Chubbuck, Idaho.  It was heading towards the Pocatello Airport (which is actually not in the City of Pocatello), and now so was I.

My video from the evening of 20OCT2024:

I can only assume that the new owner(s) of Yankee Lady were on their way to California.

21OCT2024, Pocatello Airport, Idaho.

Even though there was no local news media announcement about the bomber’s visit the Yankee Lady did have an audience, consisting of the KPIH airport’s Aviation Center‘s employees, the U.S. Forest Service-BLM fire crews, and looky-loos from the Idaho State University’s Aviation Maintenance Technology school.

21OCT2024, Pocatello Airport, Idaho.

Typical windy day in Southeast Idaho:

21OCT2024, Pocatello Airport, Idaho.

According to Air Classics, once Yankee Lady gets a thorough rebuild by Avspecs Limited it is supposed to end up back in the U.S. of A.  It should be noted that Avspecs also has operations in California, so is Yankee Lady actually going to Kiwi-land, or just the land of fruits-n-nuts?

Prop-spinners:

Ready for take-off! 21OCT2024, Pocatello Airport, Idaho.

Start your engines:

21OCT2024, taking off for destinations not known:

On the night of 21OCT2024, I was informed the bomber had landed at the Redmond Municipal Airport, in Oregon.

More B-17 stuff:

U.S. Army Air Force crewmen stand next to a Soviet soldier, the day after the German airstrike.

Germany destroys B-17 bombers in Ukraine!

My recurring encounters with Sentimental Journey: 1986-2021

How to paint your 1:1 scale B-17 Memphis Belle with ‘period correct’ paint

Smoke ’em if you got ’em: First ever (legal) Drift Car event, at the Mall!

The Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck, Idaho, hosted three SCCA autocross events this year, and for an encore hosted an Inaugural Drift Car event.

Work began on the evening of 04OCT2024, establishing the area of the parking lot that would be used.  Formula Drift-Rudy Hansen, Apex Idaho, Pocatello Car Club, and a host of others, helped make the inaugural smoke show possible.

The cleanest that part of the parking lot has been in decades!

They were still prepping the parking lot the next morning.

Waiting in the wings, 05OCT2024:

Plenty of seating, at a safe distance.

Warming up (teasing) the spectators who were straggling in:

Too bad they didn’t drift this patriotic van.

The pros show you how:

It’s amazing how cars sliding around light poles can hold people’s attention for several hours. One more time:

The event ran most of the day.  For a fee you could view the action from danger-close in the ‘restricted area’, and for another fee you could take a ride (of your life).  Going by the size of the spectator crowd (which was bigger than any of the SCCA autocross events) I suspect (hope) they’ll be a Second Annual Drift Car Show, in 2025.

At the Mall: Early Halloween, Trunk or Treat

Early Halloween, Trunk or Treat at the Mall!

While they were busy trying to setup the parking lot for the inaugural Southeast Idaho drift car event, during the evening of 04OCT2024, a handful of cars were sneaking into the Pine Ridge Mall (in Chubbuck, Idaho):

Don’t be a Public Nuisance:

The event was organized by the Pocatello Car Club, with the help of a hell-of-a-lot of sponsors.

Death Proof don’t mean spider proof:

Debbie’s graveyard taxi service:

The candy action was outside, 05OCT2024:

Montana Ghost returns, with friends:

A cool ’55 Chevy:

Road killer Nissan 350Z:

Junk in the trunk BMW:

My name is Jaguar, James Jaguar:

Ford Clown Car:

2023, Trunk or Treat: Pre-Halloween Poky Toys for Tots car show, boo!

Inaugural Summer AutoFest, at the Mall!: Inside and outside.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: They’re coming to take you away!

A 2004 Cadillac Hearse was dispatched from Idaho Falls, apparently to collect some people in Pocatello.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Z Muncie!

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Z Muncie!

1971 Chevy Camaro Z28, lives in Pocatello with its Muncie 4-speed transmission.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Hydramatic Task Force!

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Hydramatic Task Force!

1956 Chevy 3100 pickup, calls Inkom home.  The 3100 model is part of the Task Force series of pickup trucks.  Hydramatic is a type of automatic transmission.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

Veterans Memorial Car Show:  A horse born in 1969.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: A horse born in 1969.

1969 Ford Mustang fastback, now living in Pocatello.  Even though the ’69-’70 Mustangs are structurally different from their predecessors, they are still considered ‘first generation’ Mustangs.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: The future is Falcon!

Veterans Memorial Car Show: The future is Falcon!

This 1965 Ford Falcon Futura, lives in Pocatello.  It is significant that this car was a fundraiser for a veteran’s memorial building, for you see that the ‘father’ of the Ford Falcon was none other than Robert McNamara, the man who would be responsible for managing the U.S. military occupation of Viet Nam, under the Johnson Administration.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: All the way from Burley!

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Unique Reflections-2

‘Royalty’ from Idaho Falls, 1986 Buick Regal.

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

Here’s my video:

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

 

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Unique Reflections (royalty from Blackfoot)

Veterans Memorial Car Show: All the way from Burley!

79 highway miles (one way) from Burley to Pocatello, Idaho.  Somehow the pristine black paint job didn’t get a blemish!

Hungry for a…  1956 Ford Fairlane?

The Second Annual Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building car show, in Pocatello, Idaho, 31AUG2024.

312 cid (cubic inch displacement, or 5.1 liter) ‘Y’ block V8.

Here’s my video:

The money raised from the car show goes to maintaining the Bannock County Veterans Memorial Building.

So many cars showed up last year that they had to stage cars in the adjacent Memorial Park, this year.

Veterans Memorial Car Show: Bicentennial Lincoln