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Thread: One Man's Origins - Day 4

  1. #1

    Default One Man's Origins - Day 4

    Saturday dawns and I have planned some time out to visit the USAF Museum at Dayton, 90 minutes up the freeway. I had pre-booked a rental car back in the UK but had to cancel as I had lost my credit card (sorry sir, we don’t take cash or debit cards – yeah thanks). Keith gallantly comes to the rescue, renting a car and declaring me as second driver. He probably doubted the wisdom of this decision having travelled with me the following day!!!!

    I know the Buckeyes plan a visit here the following day, but I am aware that at best we will only have about three hours before Keith and I have to head for the airport and there is too much goodness here to do it justice in this time. As well as three large hangars to explore the museum runs coaches to another hangar located on the air base proper, which houses the collection of presidential and research and development aircraft. I immediately book on to this tour, joining the queue for security checks just ahead of what looks like 2 million Boy Scouts of America and a moaning Czech family who didn’t quite make it ahead of the Scouts. I share a seat on the coach with a Desert Storm vet, who has some interesting tales to tell on the 10 minute drive.

    Once there you are presented with a hangar full of goodness, with most of the presidential aircraft open for walk-throughs, and some really exotic R&D aircraft. There are really too many aircraft to take in properly in the 50 minutes or so available, so I book on a tour later in the day as well.

    Back to the museum proper which is organised in sections – early flight, WW2, Korea, Vietnam , Cold War and Missiles. Each section is stuffed full of aircraft and other exhibits, far too much to take in in one visit. I therefore elect to photograph the aircraft and check out the show cases later. As it happens I don’t even manage to get round all the sections using this tactic. Took so many photos (about 400), for only the second time in its life my SLR camera started bleeping and sending out “Help I am overheating” messages (the only other time was on an island off Mexico in temperatures of something-stupid Fahrenheit).

    I head back to the convention centre. I had intended to join in the Wings of Glory tournament starting at 6pm, but because I snuck in a second tour of the R&D hangar (and got lost on the way back) I get back too late to join in. Instead I make myself useful by dishing out damage cards and chits to those in need of them. The game finishes at 10 p.m. with prizes for the tourney winners. After this I present the Buckeye Gamers with my airship hangar and Zeppelin. I had previously told Keith I was going to leave it in the U.S. and it could be used for whatever he thought best. He suggested the Buckeyes could make good use of it and I was more than happy to agree.

    In return I was presented with a fabulous game mat produced by Luis (Iberian Shadow) for my club, signed on the back by all the Wings of Glory site members that were there. Thanks guys.

  2. #2

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    Nice - I have to check your album for pictures, Steve.

  3. #3

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    Sounds as if the "Hands across the Ocean" have been firmly cemented by you today Steve.
    The tour of the USAF Museum sounds facinating, and well worth your trip over the pond in its own right.
    I will have a further look at your albums.
    Thanks for these extracts from your visit.
    Rob.

  4. #4

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    A very good account of your visit here and sounds like you had a good time which is the important thing. Good to meet people that you get to know here.



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