A reader saw these aircraft flying over the area on Nov. 21. She asked a pilot friend who lives in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, what it was she had seen.

“That’s a ritual commemorating the flyer who’s not ever coming back,” he replied. “That group is the Condor Squadron based at Van Nuys. The airplane is a North American Aviation T-6 advanced training plane. Many were surplus after WWII and sold as low as $500 FOB Texas. Can’t be any original pilots flying them and Korea pilots are [older too] so it must be Viet Nam vintage but they’re almost through, too.

“Must be tough getting a flight together. My old friend Col. Morgan invited me along as observer on a search flight for a lost plane in the mountains in winter months. I declined as these old planes were very sparse on creature comforts and I’d have froze half to death I am certain. Remember searching for downed planes don’t hear that much anymore.”

Submitted by Julie KIRBY