My other interests, besides the ones featured prominently here, include:
History
Throughout most of my life, my main hobby (or reading interest) has been history. I grew up reading all about American history, especially the Revolutionary War. Francis Marion, “The Swamp Fox,” and Ethan Allen were my heroes. In college, I majored in Medieval History. My wife was particularly amused at my brief foray into Polar Exploration. Other eras that I’ve read about include: the American Civil War, the Spanish Civil War, ancient Greek history, my own family history/genealogy, and 20th Century American history.
While I have a 500-page website devoted to aviation and WW2, that’s somewhat accidental. That is, aviation history has not been a primary lifelong interest for em. I merely happened to be studying about that topic in the late Nineties, when I thought it would be cool to have my own website.
Technology
I’m interested in internet technology and Linux, running all my own PCs on Linux, as well as maintaining the dedicated server for acepilots.com
Science and Evolution
I went through a brief phase on Science, Biology, and Evolution. “Creationist Morons” particularly annoy me, perhaps because I was raised as one of them – a Jehovah’s Witness.
My interest in biology and evolution also blends into the topic of Nature and Hiking.
What Else?
As of 2022, learning Japanese 日本語.
Sports? The Winter Olympics and top-level soccer (the World Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team, English Premier League, European Champions’ League). I’ve watched some baseball in my time, and, of course, never miss the Super Bowl. Coaching youth soccer. When my kids were young, I coached their soccer teams – what a great experience.
Shakespeare. Jazz Music. Foreign films – esp. Akira Kurosawa. Stamp collecting. Legos. Running.
Maps. Any kind of map.
News and Politics
Of course. Even had a blog about politics from 2004-08, called “The Politburo Diktat.” That was fun for a while.
Well I found your blog quite interesting. I too have a large number of hobbies I am interested in, one of which is early aircraft and model in 1/144. I am currently loking at purchasing some models from Shapeways who make these but 3D photocopying.
I wanted to tell you that the US Naval Institute published a reprint of a submarine identification book from 1944 (?)
http://tinyurl.com/b2lrnxv.
My own blog is here, it is a mix of Religious, and historical, almost entirly about France, the Revolution (French one), 100 years war, and various things which come into my brain. http://lefleurdelystoo.blogspot.com/
Richard.
Here is an article I did on
Thanks again for a good blog.
Stephen Sherman. I was sent your AcePilotslink from a friend and I read with interest. As a pilot/builder/buff (and worked at Old Rhinebeck) I beg you correct your description of the Fokker DVII. The fuselage was welded steel tubing. Only the wings were of wood construction. Also the BMWIIIa engine was boosted to 240+ HP by using a 50/50 mix of Gasoline and Benzine. Check out Mikael Carlson DVII video (youtube)powered with the 160 Mercedes.
Your article on the Bell p-39 was interesting. One thing that needs to be corrected, the p-39 was built at the Wheatfield NY plant along the east side of Niagara Falls airport not in Buffalo NY. This plant had a long history of aircraft to include the X-1, Huey, Cobra Gun ship, VTOL, Rocket belt, and the Vietnam Hydro Skimmer Gun boats.
Thanks
Sam
3/24/13 Moab, Utah.
Your web site is quite interesting. You show a picture on 1930 aircraft of an American Airlines Curtiss Condor, NC12396 with was an AT-32 Condor.I have Curtiss Condor NC12363,serial 23, a T-32-C series Condor and the sole surviving airframe of the 45 built. It is in the process of being restored. The Condors served in 2 Antarctic expeditions for the US Navy and Admiral Byrd in 1934 and in 1939/1940. The first Byrd Condor was reportedly in bad shape as a fund raiser prop in Dallas in 1938/39 but there seems to be no trace of it thereafter. One US Army Condor.was fitted out at Washington, DC with a ramp and special fittings to accommodate President Roosevelt’s wheel chair and 6 staff members. It can claim the title of the first Air Force One if photos can be located showing Roosevelt made a trip in it. However the US Secret Service stripped bystander cameras of film if the photo showed the President in a wheel chair – which was never shown to the US Public.
4 Curtiss Condors operated daily flights across the Andes between 1936 and 1940 between Lima and Iquitos, Peru. Minimum cross ing altitude was above 19,000 feet. They never lost an aircraft. The Curtiss Condor is the missing link in US air transport history. It was the first true transcontinental air transport, leaving Newark Airpport and Grand Central AIrport (Glendale, CA) every evening at 6 PM and arriving at oposite ends of the contry the following evening at 6 PM. The Condor was the first sound proofed passenger cabin transport with sound levels comparable to railroad Pullman Cars. It was the first. sleeper transport so that passengers could sleep on long nite flights in a berth rather than a seat. It also proved out the first Wright Cyclone radial engines which allowed the DC-3 to dominate air transport for the next 20 years. IT also featured the first Hamilton Standard hydromatic (controllable) propellers. It carried uop to22 day passengers or 12 night berth passengers. The Condor was the first retractable landing gear.passenger transport and the first multi engine passenger transport that could sustain level flight with one engine out..
The Condors were only operated by EAstern AIr Lines and American AIrlines from 1933 to1936,after which they were all sold outside the US. Except for the pathfinding and development work done by the Curtiss Condors the DC-3 never would have been as big a success as it has been. Curtiss Wright built an earlier version the 1928/29 Model 20 and the US Army B-2 bombers. The Curtiss Condor II T-32 was a completely new aircraft and the last and largest bi-wing transport built in the US,
It seved with the US Army, US Navy, US MArine Corps, Argentine Navy, Colombian Navy, Peruvian Air Force, CHlean AIr Force and in Central America wit TACA.
Dick Neumann
Hello Steve,
I’ve looked over some of your writing, particularly about Ace Pilots. I am interested in aviation history and I’ve written a few magazine articles. I’ve also published four book, three novels and one autobiography about my own flying experiences in the 1950s. They can be found on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com under my author name, Dave Larson. I’m now thinking about pulling together some of my stories and putting them together under one cover, maybe called, “A Flying Omnibus,” and publishing it in Kindle and Nook. I’d like to have your permission to include some of your stories that I’ve seen on the web. Perhaps you could email me with your thoughts and comments about this.
Dave Larson
Hi again,
As I was saying… a newspaper clipping from 1942 titled ‘Aces three” with a photo of Capt. Marion E. Carl, 26; Major John L. Smith, 27; and Lt. Col.
Richard C. Mangrum, 36. They are sitting at a table and Major Smith is demonstrating an air maneuver with his hand. My father, Albert W. Garlow, was a radioman/gunner with Scouting Squadron 5 and a member of the Flight 300 to Henderson Field group. His mother collected some clippings that included things he might be interested in. If there is a member of any of the families of these three men who might be interested in this clipping I will be glad to forward it. Or, indeed, to you but you may have reached your limit on collectibles. Thanks for your attention
steve, i have a signed book by ” han’s rudel” titled “piloto de stukas”. published in spain, the text is in spanish. it has an excellent photo section, one picture shows rudell recieving the knights cross from his boss, adolph. this pilot even continued flying combat missions after loosing a leg in a crash!!! interested in buying?? will send pics if you like
Sounds interesting, but no thanks. You might offer it on eBay.
Mr. Stephen E. Sherman,
I found your work to be very interesting and well studied, I particularly enjoyed the article you wrote on Robert S. Johnson. Again it was well studied and well wrote. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you retained your professionalism while addressing “Creationist Morons”. There is no reason to bring verbal insults against people with different views.
With respect Joseph D Rhoades
IF I SEND YOU A PICTURE OF A MANHOLE COVER WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO IT BELONGS TO?
I will try.
You can add Ralph H Wandrey to the PTO P-38 aces of WWII. He flew with Bong. Lives in Cottonwood, AZ.
http://www.luke.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=14029
Hello – I work for HDR, the engineering firm that designed the replacement of the Bruckner Expressway Bridge that you featured on your blog with this photo: http://stephenesherman.com/barretto-point-and-concrete-plant-parks/federal-blue-bridge-bruckner-blvd/
We are submitting the project for an engineering award with the American Council of Engineering Companies, and I was wondering if you would be willing to grant permission for us to use your photo in our submittal. We would be happy to offer a photo credit. The photo would be viewed by judges, and if the project wins an award, it could be used in publicity that ACEC does.
Please let me know if this is of interest to you. Thanks for your consideration.
Danny Sullivan
402-xxx-xxxx
Hi Stephen.
I have a Luftwaffe Biography I would like to sell, but I am not sure how to do it. The book I have is Hitler At My Side by Hans Bauer, but my copy has been signed by 27 German and English air aces. I understand that these books were signed at a convention. It comes with a certificate of authenticity. There is a copy on E-bay pretty much the same with an asking price of $2800, but I would take $800 for mine, as it is something I inherited and I am not so much into the subject.
Best Regards,
Mike Williams.
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your website – it is an achievement.
I read your piece on the Red Baron from WWI and, although detailed, was incorrect in regard to his death. It makes a great mystery, but these days there is no doubt that he was shot down by Australian machine-gunners on the ground.
I won’t go into detail because it’s all available on the net – but you have to dig a bit. Suffice it to say that Capt Brown was too far away at the critical time and the Fokker Triplane didn’t actually crash – it landed very roughly. Von Richthofen had a .303 bullet in him that had penetrated the lower part of his seat and finished up near his armpit and could have only been fired from the ground. It is now believed that he was still alive as he landed but was dead by the time the Australians got to him. From memory there were three Australian machine guns firing at him and it is now even known with a high degree of certainty (although not 100%) who the actual gunner was that fired the fatal shot. I believe his name was Evans although that might be incorrect.
As unlikely as it might seem, I personally knew a fellow who was actually there at the time, saw the whole thing and even had a piece of copper pipe from the Baron’s aircraft – a relic I have seen with my own eyes and which is now in an Australian aviation museum. His name was Rupert Wagner and he was a good friend of my father. He was in no doubt as to what happened. You could accuse him of bias as he was Australian (as am I) but his memory was very good and the level of depth and detail in his account was formidable.
Regardless of Rupert, most historians that have actually studied the evidence agree that it was ground fire. It is mere conjecture, but it would seem likely that the British authorities would prefer that it was the brave act of a daring pilot and that would certainly make better copy for the publicity war. Who knows? It would certainly explain why Capt Brown was always quiet about it.
I hope you can check on some of this material and include it on your site if you are happy with it.
Kind regards,
Keith
Hi Stephen, I have read your article on acepilots.com several times about the information you have gathered about the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver and found your information to be quite accurate as I know it. My father was a gunner in a Helldiver and flew in the first missions over Rabal. He was in the VB-17 squadron with his pilot being Lt Leo Martin. On his first combat mission, my father shot down a Zero but never received credit for it simply because it could not be confirmed by someone seeing the plane go in the water. However, in all the excitement, something else happened… my father IS the gunner that shot his own vertical stabilizer! I heard him recount this event many times in my lifetime before he passed. He was ask how it happened and he simply said his guns “got away from him”, and the matter was dismissed. In the next couple of missions 2 other rear gunners made the same error and each one was court marshaled. He said after that, amazingly no other gunner is recorded as shooting their own aircraft. His second cruise put him on the Yorktown in VB-9. My father was Thomas Stacy Hinson, known to his squad members as Tommy. I could probably write a short book just from him sharing almost every detail of his tour of duty in the south pacific. If you ever want to know more, please just email me.
Stephen,
I was told that the WWII battle record for the USS Fletcher DD-445 was on your website, acepilots.com/ships/fletcher.html, but I cannot find that page. Is that information still available and if so, would you tell me how to access it and would you email how to find that page to the email address I provided? Thank you very much.
Ancient Japan had kimono wrapped women beautifying their towns and in our modern world we have this model making heads turn!! Good job Aya for your well placed poses and Stephen for the great pictures taken, keep up the good work!
4-5 years old,
saw many planes over Denver co,
do you know what types they were, where they came from and where they went,
piloted by women?
thanks
opp’s during 1942-1945 ww11
HOOAH Mr. Sherman!!! I’m a military retiree, enlisted in the Army in 1973, and now back in school. Anyway, taking doing a project on unethical conduct of congressional members. Happen to find your article through acepilots.com/vietam/cunningham regarding Randy “Duke” Cunningham. Absolutely appreciate your website contributions, and acknowledge your stern admonishment of Mr. Cunningham. I’m wondering if you had any contact or correspondence with Mr. Cunningham other than what was contributed through the aerosphere.com interview. Hope you and Family are doing well. Robie Roberson
Hello, Stephen:
I am researching The Felix Squadron for the philatelic journal, Cat Mews. We are affiliated with APS and ATA. Several sources report that Charles Lindbergh was in the squadron and that he even carried a Felix doll with him across the Atlantic. Any information would be much appreciated. Thank you.
Sincerely
Hi Stephen,
I am the unit historian for the 33rd Flying Training Squadron and I saw you have some photographs of 33rd aircraft on the acepilots website. Is there any way I could acquire some high resolution copies? Thanks for your time.
Jeffrey Haub, Capt, USAF
Instructor Pilot, 33FTS
I’m looking for information on wooden training aircraft that were manufactured during WWII. I believe they may have been manufactured by a company called Ballard……… I know that they were produced in Arthurdale WV. Can anyone shed some light on this mystery?
Stephen, I am writing a book about the 1930’s Aeronca C-1/2/3 aircraft and wondered whether your late father’s collection included any shots of the Aeronca C-3 NC-13000 owned by Shobe Airlines at Boston 30 Nov 35 though 13 Jan 37.
Rgds
Peter
Sorry, his collection doesn’t include that.
Thank you for the amazing history of the TBM crews of WWII. I was an ARM2/C with VC-4 flying off the USS White Plains CVE-66 from April to October of 1944. I had 66 combat missions, some carrying a Marine Observer during the invasions of Saipan, Tinian, Peleliu, and Ulithi. My awards were a DFC, 6 Air Medals, and a Citation. I did not receive the DFC and Air Medals until I was 93.
I work with the South Plains Honor Flight Committee and a small group of veterans which we call the Market Street Geezers. I do their Facebook page and Website and when possible write their stories. My information is on http://www.facebook.com/awinnegar, https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=market%20street%20geezers, http://www.irishpennant.com/hello-world/
I Stephen, about the picture of a French men cry in 1940, is not about the french troup gone from Toulon, is about the fallen of Paris.
This picture is very nowing in France an Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1rO0_lZFBk
( go to 0.34′)
you can see in the video, the german troup march in the Champ-Elisée and two mans show they sadenes, the man in you comment is in this video.
please correct your comment in “http://acepilots.com/ww2/pictures.html”
Best regards
Jean Pierre
jp.clouet@hotmail.fr
Stephen,
I love the movie, about Joe McConnell and Butch. Did they really meet the way as depicted in the movie?
Wow, I just today saw pictures of her from back in the day. She was a beautiful woman!
Hi Steven,
I recently read about your dads service on the Denebola. My father also served as a petty officer on the Denebola for 4 years during the war. I have a large photo album from my dad aboard the Denebola. He loved his time on board. If you want to see the album let me know. I work in NYC. 201 927-7821
Dear Steven, so glad to be in communication with the old Commissar. I bought about 6 copies of your “Sketch Map of Bloggahland” as mouse pads and have been using them one after the other for probably 14 years – in fact, my mouse is on one of them right now. When one gets too dirty I scrub it with dish detergent and it cleans right up.
You had a great website and I have long missed it.
As regards warplanes, my grandfather (Thomas Upton Sisson) was a US Naval Aviator, I have his letter to his wife complaining about flying open cockpit looking for Amelia Earhart (he said it was a waste of time, she had to be dead). In WWII he was exec of Saratoga 1943-1944; in Korea, CO of Leyte.
I’ve been researching dive-bombers, the key to the Pacific victory, and about how Britain’s lack of them cost them the Indian Ocean – but then came Doolittle, and then Midway. If the US had hot had dive bombers, Midway is a failure – and the interesting question to me is, would Japan have gone back west into the Indian Ocean. Have been looking for trace evidence, not finding much.
Best Wishes,
Edward Sisson
Hello, I enjoyed reading your website and viewing the man hole photographs. Do you by any chance know where I might buy a man hole cover as a gift? My husband’s initials are DWS and as I walk along the city streets (we live on uppers west side NYC) I think of him as I walk across them. But they are quite hard to find as a vintage gift. I know it’s a total long shot, but if you have any leads I’d appreciate it. Thanks
Sorry, you got me on that one.
My father served on HMS Dragon at exactly the same time and over the same period as yours. I see the poem he wrote on acepilots but it stops half way through a verse on Buenos Aires and I cant see the photos etc that are part of the page. Do you have the complete poem and can i get the attachments please?
Yours is only evidence i can find of Dragons jaunt to South America – my father i have discovered joined the Masons in Rio in December 1935 so ship must have visited there after BA.
I still, even now, fondly remember those Politburo Diktat posts. They were hysterical (I hope they were meant to be funny).
Are they all gone? Vaporized?
You put in some fine work there.
Cheers.
Hi George, Nice to hear from you! Thanks for such a great compliment — 15 years on. Sadly, I think they are all gone, vaporized. Thanks again.
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