Anybody know this Texas Airport?

**Grant** · 10-31-2010, 04:18 PM

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...h&z=14&iwloc=A

I stopped there in 1992. The old man in the place was the pilot in a famous movie (the title escapes me now). I remember there were several crated R-985s just out in a field with grass growing up all around them. He had a Starduster and another couple airplane in the back. It was a surreal experience to talk to the guy because he seemed indifferent to our presence. Almost like he was looking through us when he talked. He had a guy there with him that was trying to sell us a corvette. Just real interesting, maybe someone knows the history.

**Grant** · 10-31-2010, 04:19 PM

Catch 22 was the movie

**Grant** · 10-31-2010, 04:27 PM

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1472035/

So I did a little research....Very interesting man. Still curious if any of you have been there lately, or might know more about the place.

**Steve Pierce** · 10-31-2010, 06:08 PM

Ha, I think Junior did a little prison time a long time ago. Howard Pardue's Wild Cat came from there. Junior swore it was possessed.

**kevin** · 10-31-2010, 08:34 PM

If you go to www.airbum.com, Bud Davison flew warbirds from TX and wrote pireps on them. They are on that site. I think he called the owner of the planes Junior but I'm not sure. If I remeber correctly in the pireps, he stated that the warbirds were for rent... but I could be totally wrong. It has been a long time since I read the pireps on his site. These were written back in the 80's. I'm not sure if the owner is still alive now or if the planes are still there. Is this the same Junior?

**180Marty** · 10-31-2010, 08:35 PM

I flew my aunt down there to see my cousin that lived close by in about 1984. It took about 5 hrs. to get there from my Dad's airstrip at Mound City MO in my PA12 bucking a headwind. We were both in pain when we arrived, ran for the bushes, and swore we'd never do that again. Then I looked around and found the office and went in to see if it was alright to tie the plane down for a few days and the guy said it was. I never really talked to the guys but it seemed like I walked into a meeting of the Paris Mafia so didn't hang around. Also, after landing I thought I should have looked the runway over better since it wasn't in the best shape with potholes in the asphalt.

SJ · 11-01-2010, 09:52 AM

I hope dyslexic people don't end up there instead of New Holstein!

81D....

sj

**okmike** · 11-01-2010, 11:59 AM

Flying Tigers Airport, Paris TX, Junior Burchinal

My old friend Carl Snow pointed it out when we flew over it one day, Carl has told me about this place for years, in the early 70's he and a mutual friend Gene Carrigan went down there many many weekends for several years and got to fly most of Junior's airplanes, Carl said Junior owned the place/airplanes and was a part time Baptist Preacher; and he offered a $1,500 package which included 10 hrs in a Stearman, 10 hrs in a SNJ-5 and 1 hr in the P-51 or Corsair, your choice. He also had a F9F Panther, B25, Convair, Loadstar, Bearcat and a Wildcat, Carl said Junior didn't like the Wildcat is it was hard to fly with the narrow gear. Carl got to fly the Stearman, SNJ-5, P51, B-25 and Corsair, and later bought a Corsair. Carl and Gene took the airplanes to airshows for Junior and helped him work on them for several years.

Yes $1,500 is correct (early 70's)

**prifly** · 11-03-2010, 12:45 PM

I stoped there in the 70es my female co pilot chamed jr out of a $50 buck p-51 ride.

**Amy** · 11-04-2010, 12:50 PM

I've heard so many stories about the guy but I thought he may be dead

Hopefully he is still kicking. (Field trip?????

)

**Grant** · 11-04-2010, 04:36 PM

he died in 2008.

**Old Flyer Now** · 05-22-2022, 01:05 PM

I have landed there two different times. I would have to find my logbook for dates.

It was just a curiosity at the time as I was told he had war birds…He in fact had several. He offered a type rating in most or all of them for a total of $1500 in the back of magazines. My first time there was when I got my commercial license in 1970 I believe. (I was about 28yrs old)

When I landed one of the first birds I saw was the Aqua-duck, yes, the one used in the TV series Baa Baa Black Sheep. His children were playing in it.
I saw the P-51, B-17 and others I don’t recall but the narrow, pot holed hot top had several jammed in from the highway all the way back. It was difficult to land for all the junk and old buildings all around; and those dang pot holes would jar your teeth.

The next to the last thing I heard of him was when he was trying to save the B-25 at the closing of GSW aka Greater Southwest Airport. DFW was just opened and he had to get a permit to fly it out…it was in bad shape and he had to land in a field on the way to Paris. He then had to take it apart and truck it as I recall.

Then the next time I heard about him, he was arrested for flying dope…I don’t know how the airport exists at all as it was shut down and the warbirds removed…

Hope this helped…