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WOLI at AAPWarbirds Over Long Island visits American Airpower Museum on Flight of Aces Weekend
You could always count on WOLI being at an AAP event. Whenever there is a special event at the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport, you knew that Bob and Chris Baranaskas would be there. They would fly their P-40 Warhawk and P-51 Mustang in from Brookhaven Airport, NY. We are proud to be adopted members of the Long Island aviation family. Two of the best members of that family are Bob and Chris from Warbirds Over Long Island.
The photos on this page were taken at the 2007 Flight of Aces weekend at American Airpower in Farmindgale, NY, and are a tribute to two great guys whom we love dearly. As you probably know, Bob Baransakas was tragically killed in April 2009 while flying his P-40 Warhawk over the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island. He was practicing for the upcoming air show season when something went terribly wrong with the plane. Chris has vowed to carry on his father's dream, so Warbirds Over Long Island lives on. We will have more on Bob and Chris as we further develop this website.
In the photo above, Chris Baranaskas does a fly by upon arriving at American Airpower. Chris flies the P-51D Mustang 'Glamorous Gal' (44-13903, NL751RB), and glamorous it is. I've been privileged to get a ride in the backseat of Glamorous Gal with Chris at the controls. What a ride, and what a pilot.
Here's the late, great Bob Baranaskas rolling over his P-40N Warhawk (44-7368 marked as 41-1456, N740RB). We miss 'ya, Bob.
This seems to be a page of tributes. The Stearman pilot is Vinnie Nasta. Vinnie was killed at Rhinebeck Aerodrome in August 2008 while flying one of Rhinebeck's antique aircraft. The PT-17 (75-3856, N53292) Stearman still belongs to Warbirds Over Long Island. Navigation Index
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