Three Horseman Practice airport??

[skyhawka4m]

Has anyone ever considered doing this airport as it looks to be a home base for numerous warbirds. I think it would make for an awesome scenery.

[falcon409]

I'm curious. . . .what is it your talking about? Are you asking someone to design a fictional airport to be used for Warbirds, or is there such an airport already that no one has done yet?

[skyhawka4m]

Well....its an actual airport, but I honestly don't know where it is. Before the AIRSHOWBUZZ website was dismantled they had videos they made at this airport and it looked to be in the midwest somewhere if I'm not mistaken.


Bomber12th may know where it is.

[skyhawka4m]

http://youtu.be/MZ9iauedF7Y

[falcon409]

Ah, ok

[glennc]

I'm not positive but I think the Horsemen were based with the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino, California, KCNO.

Glenn

[Bomber_12th]

The airfield you're thinking of is Comanche Ranch, in Texas (I believe in Eagle Pass). It is the private airfield of the Friedkin family collection (airforce) of warbirds, also sometimes known as Comanche Fighters. Friedkin family, because the collection is made up of aircraft owned by both father and son, Tom and Dan. The airfield really is out in the middle of no where, which is perfect for being able to practice full routines whenever need be (and privacy). The airfield was designed to look very much like a 30's/40's era British field, with both grass and paved landing surfaces and vintage inspired architecture. You can find the airport already in FSX by searching for Comanche Ranch in Texas (though if I recall correctly, it is represented simply with a runway and that is it).

While most of the Friedkin collection is based at Comanche Field, other aircraft in the collection are often housed at Planes of Fame at Chino. The collection includes 6 Mustangs (including an A-36, P-51C and two P-51K's (one under restoration)), 2 Bearcats, an F6F-3 Hellcat, F3F, J2F, Spitfire Ia (x2? - both in England right now), Spitfire V, Spitfire XIV, Spitfire IX, F4U-4, P-38, two F-86's, Bf-109E (awaiting restoration), Hawker Hurricane, and more.

[falcon409]

Did a quick look-see on the USGS Seamless server. Definitely out in the middle of nowhere. Looks like there is some pretty nice resolution available for it too. Hmmmm.

[skyhawka4m]

The airfield you're thinking of is Comanche Ranch, in Texas (I believe in Eagle Pass). It is the private airfield of the Friedkin family collection (airforce) of warbirds, also sometimes known as Comanche Fighters. Friedkin family, because the collection is made up of aircraft owned by both father and son, Tom and Dan. The airfield really is out in the middle of no where, which is perfect for being able to practice full routines whenever need be (and privacy). The airfield was designed to look very much like a 30's/40's era British field, with both grass and paved landing surfaces and vintage inspired architecture. You can find the airport already in FSX by searching for Comanche Ranch in Texas (though if I recall correctly, it is represented simply with a runway and that is it).

While most of the Friedkin collection is based at Comanche Field, other aircraft in the collection are often housed at Planes of Fame at Chino. The collection includes 6 Mustangs (including an A-36, P-51C and two P-51K's (one under restoration)), 2 Bearcats, an F6F-3 Hellcat, F3F, J2F, Spitfire Ia (x2? - both in England right now), Spitfire V, Spitfire XIV, Spitfire IX, F4U-4, P-38, two F-86's, Bf-109E (awaiting restoration), Hawker Hurricane, and more.

Thank you sir!!!!! I'd love to see this airport done at some point.

[orionll]

Well, if a simple no-frills photoscenery fits your style, here's something I quickly threw together: link.

To install, copy the BGL to any active scenery library folder. Data available from U.S. Geological Survey, National Geospatial Program.

Here's the coverage:

[falcon409]

Here's a preliminary look at before and "during", lol. I did a bit of color correction, but it still needs a bit more to mesh better. Some water to add and the few buildings that are there and it would be ready to fly.

[skyhawka4m]

[Bomber_12th]

It's great to see scenery already taking shape for the airfield!

The hangars and control tower is what really makes the airfield unique from others you'll find in the U.S. Without trying to model new hangars and control tower for the scenery, one might be able to find something that matches very closely to the main hangars and control tower amongst the British WWII airfield scenery objects that are out there. Even if they didn't quite match up to the real structures, if they have that same sort of look about them, it would look believable.

If you watch the pilot episode of the cartoon "Mike Da Mustang" by Airshowbuzz, the airport in that cartoon was modeled almost exactly after that of Comanche Ranch, so the structures and layout of the airfield in that cartoon is very close to the real Comanche Ranch.

Here are some images and video grabs:





Note the line-up of warbirds, all part of the Friedkin family collection, and all based at Comanche Ranch most of the time.



Note how green the grass is for the grass runway compared with the rest of the terrain (at least at the time of the year the video/image was shot):

[Bomber_12th]

By the way, I also pulled another screen grab out, that doesn't really have to do with the scenery, but one of the aircraft based at Comanche Ranch. For a number of years now, Spitfire Mk.Vc JG891 has been owned by the Friedkin family. This aircraft debuted fresh off of restoration in England (I believe in 2006 or 2007) as a "tropical variant", finished in a desert scheme, owned at the time by Tom Blair. After an air show season or two, Blair shipped the aircraft to Florida where he had it only for a short time before selling it to the Friedkin family (along with the P-38 - former LSFM). There is still a question posted every now and then as to where it is, with many having not seen it since. Unfortunately I don't believe it has gotten out to any shows in the U.S. since coming over, and since being owned by the Friedkins I don't think it has been anywhere outside of Comanche Ranch. The aircraft has since had the wingtips clipped, the tropical filter removed, and the aircraft has been repainted in the markings of the famed Spitfire Mk.V flown by Robert Stanford Tuck. It would be nice to see this aircraft and Rod Lewis' (also Texas based) Spitfire Mk.V at a show together, somewhere in the U.S. (my two favorite Mk.V's).

[falcon409]

Great reference John. Gonna get to work trying to place some objects and see what it looks like. Thanks!!

UPDATE:
Taking shape....more or less. Annotator time now...adding shrubs and trees around the hangars: