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Draft Posts
January 2026 draft posts
Happy New Year!
2026
The connection between the east end of the island of Puerto Rico and St. Thomas was an important link for those AAB passengers that flew the Goose.
The photos by Charlie Freehling capture this unique experience.
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William F. Buckley Jr.
was a friend of Charles Blair Jr. and William's son Christopher shared a story about Charlies visit to his home back in the early 1970's. Christopher was an accomplished author and the story came from his book "Losing Mom and Pup".
Read the page below.
Original photo from Tom Anusewicz Collection
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Looking back to a congressional document from 1974
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"Starfire"
A converted army aircraft rescue boat
1968 saw interesting arrivals at Antilles Air Boats. It was 1968, when the VS-44 Sikorsky was purchased from Dick Probert and relocated to St. Thomas from California, to join the fleet at AAB. That same year Charlie married Maureen and brought his new bride back to St. Croix.
It was 1968 when Maureen O'Hara Blair decided to returned to Hollywood to join Jackie Gleason to make "How Do I Love Thee". And it was 1968, when Charlie Blair purchased a 104 ft. converted WWII army aircraft rescue boat in Miami and brought it to the U.S.V.I.
A boat like this should have had more documented history but research has not turned up the stories I was hoping for. Without having its Army P# it has been difficult to get specific details.
Maybe this posting will allow for more info.
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Christopher Blair, Charlie son remembers when his father purchased the boat in Miami in 1968. Chris was already involved with the
VS-44 Sikorsky N41881 ferry flight from
Maureen's Aviators
The wings of make-believe and reality
The Wings of
Hawks
Maureen O'Hara Blair had previous marriages but there were truly two men in her life. Charlie Blair and John Wayne.. Her best movies were with the Duke. You would think that Charlie would have been jealous of that relationship but actually it was Maureen that was jealous. Charlie and the Duke were close friends and spent time without Maureen. She actually was happy that they were all close friends. She couldn't ask for more.
The Bluetail Whale (not an official name) arrived in the Virgin Islands in 1974 as "Southern Cross".
This aircraft along with its sister "Excalibur VIII" had a glorious history and more can be found on the Shorts Sandringham S.25 page.
"Southern Cross" spent a couple of summers in the UK/Ireland in charter service but the Virgin Islands service was limited.​​
As the years went by, the big birds had trouble spreading their wings. The economics kept them on the ground. Following Charlie Blair's death in 1978 it was clear that the Sandringham's would be put up for sale.
Gooses and Geese
January 9, 1978, four Gooses return to the St. Croix seaplane terminal from the Governor Cyril King's memorial fly over.
See the photos of that flight at
photo credit Charlie Freehling
proper goose grammer
Bluetail Whale
The
The Bluetail Whale (not an official name) arrived in the Virgin Islands in 1974 as "Southern Cross".
This aircraft along with its sister "Excalibur VIII" had a glorious history and more can be found on the Shorts Sandringham S.25 page.
"Southern Cross" spent a couple of summers in the UK/Ireland in charter service but the Virgin Islands service was limited.​​
As the years went by, the big birds had trouble spreading their wings. The economics kept them on the ground. Following Charlie Blair's death in 1978 it was clear that the Sandringham's would be put up for sale.
Christiansted, St. Croix Seaplane Ramp - September 1980
"Excalibur VIII" was purchased by Edward Hulton from the UK. He was well financed to prepare the aircraft for its journey across the Atlantic including a fresh paint job (white with blue stripe). "Southern Cross" was not well financed and a small group of interested individuals came together, lead by Capt. Ron Gillies, to get this aircraft across the North Atlantic before the winter of 1980.
The aircraft was painted with zinc chromate primer (green) and they got some blue paint on the tail before the money was running out. Thus the Bluetail Whale. The preparation was done in the San Juan hangar .
The money remaining was to be used to get the aircraft to Ireland. The photos below by Charlie Freehling were taken when the
Sandringham stopped in Christiansted, St. Croix for final prep before it departure for Boston. The trip didn't go as planned.
Read the personal log of Jim Flannagan, first officer / flight engineer, hired to assist with the crossing.
Flannagan's Log
photo credit Jim Flannagan
photo credit Tom Anusewicz
Claude "Bonny" Austin
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Tri-Air Corp.
Alexander Hamilton Airport
Christiansted, St. Croix
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Left to right / standing; Claude Austin, Lou Ellen, Jerry Boyce, Art Machel
front, Jasper Henry, ______, and ______.​​​​
photos credit Charlie Freehling
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The Amphibians
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Phil: "I was in the Virgin Islands once, I met a girl. We ate lobster, drank pina coladas. At sunset we made love like sea otter. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over again?"
Groundhog Day
February 2, 2026
