She won the "Best SNJ" award at Oshkosh in 1989, and she's still wearing the same paint. At Oshkosh just last summer, she took home a Presentation Award, as well: she's My Suzy Q, and she's one gorgeous machine.

Built in 1944 and used at Pensacola (FL), the pretty bird was originally decked out with a red nose and a red tail, with "aluminum" in between; but owner Terry Adams and restorer Dennis Buehn (American Warbirds, Carson City, NV) hit upon an original, yet believable paint scheme. "I really didn't want to do all that polishing," Mr Adams said.

The restoration was painstaking, and it won the Silver Wrench award at OSH for Buehn in '89. Adams has brought My Suzy Q to every Oshkosh since, and has flown in an airshow, in numerous tight formations, in every Oshkosh since 1990.

Actually, not just Terry Adams. Sue Adams, whose image adorns the nose (in original Sam Lyons brushwork), flies, too. Her touch is evident, especially inside, where dust is never seen, and where dirt fears to land. That's a clean office!

Little things mean a lot -- like the Snap-On logo on the sides. Terry notes, as he points to the "tin" betwixt the cylinders, "See those baffles? That's not black paint; it's Snap-On Toolbox Powdercoat Black." Wears like iron, and looks great (like the tools, eh?).

Meet this remarkable pair of aviators, and see more of this machine at Oshkosh, and earlier, in Lawrenceville (GA), at the Wings Weekend (May 2-4, at LZU).

FMI: www.americanwarbirds.com; www.wingsweekend.com