Member Mug Shots (continued)

[cheddar cheese]

Last beach I went on was Sword Beach..

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

not many people can say that

 

[cheddar cheese]

During 6th June 1944 lots of people could say that. May they rest forever in peace.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

When I went for the 50th Anniversary of D-Day to Normandy, we went and walked all the beaches and we would go down to the water and storm the beach just to see it from the perspective of the soldiers landing. It would have been crazy under fire!

 

[cheddar cheese]

We werent allowed to do that We could have gone on Omaha beach too, but the tide was right up. Also, by Sword beach was small village. The Hall there still had bullet holes in it from the attacks.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

wow............

 

[cheddar cheese]

I wish I didnt break my camera on the first day I did have a back up camera but it was a cheap throw away one and I had to carefully plan out what I would use them for.

 

[evangilder]

Okay, not a mugshot of me, but some shots I took down at the museum with my boy, Jacob, about a month ago. Not many 3.5 year olds can say that they sat in the cockpit of a Bearcat! Combining my aviation hobby with my photography hobby here.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

Damn evan, willy waving about what cool aviation-related things your kid has done...

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yeah so if any of us were coming by the museum could you like organise VIP tour type thing??

 

[Nonskimmer]

Lucky kid. I wanna sit in a Bearcat too!

 

[evangilder]

I extended the invite to anyone who want to come out. I will offer the tour and point out things most people just walk by. One of the things that most people miss is the fuse panel in the C-46. I noticed it on a tour before I joined. There is a fuse labelled "Missile Power"!

I know, NS. Even I haven't had a chance to sit in the Bearcat! The crewchief happened to be there on the sunday that we went and suggested that I put him in there for pictures. I gladly did that, until it was time to take him back out. He didn't want to get out! I think we have a pilot in the making!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

why can't you sit in it??

 

[evangilder]

I could have, if I had not had Jacob with me. I have to keep an eye on him in the maintenance hangar at all times. It's a dangerous place for a young lad. I have to get permission from the crew chief to board the aircraft. If they are there, they are usually working on the plane, so they don't want anyone on board. This would have been a rare opportunity. Oh well, I will try to get in there one of these days.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

couldn't you find annother aircraft for him whilst you were in the F8F

i can just picture you standing there looking at your sun with envy.....

 

[cheddar cheese]

Very noble of you to let your son have the opportunity before you though

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i wouldn't

 

[evangilder]

One of the things that I have found with being a parent; I will do anything for him. So he got a chance to sit in the cockpit. If he decides to take up flyng lessons, there is a chance that one day he may be able to fly a Bearcat. For me, it has always been a question of time or money for flying lessons. When I had one, I didn;t have the other. Now I have neither for that. But I am content to watch them fly.

So I considered it an early familiarization with the cockpit! He has had an opportunity to meet a lot of WWII vets. I can;t think of a better group of guys for him to look up to. Studies have shown that children interested in aviation later go on to do well in math and science.

 

[Medvedya]

There's always exceptions though! I have a tough task to remember my times tables!

Always been a 'humanities' kinda guy. Biology was okay though.

Are you doing any new exhibitions at the CAF Museum at the moment?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Studies have shown that children interested in aviation later go on to do well in math and science

wow that's good do you have the name of the study or any more info about it??