Today was supposed to be OldGuy59 hosting Battlestar Galactica at MidIsleCon 2019 in Nanaimo.
However, 19 Wing scheduled Rexspo 2019, to introduce newly posted-in members of the Wing's Defence Team to recreational opportunities in the military and local civilian community on the same day. The organizers of that event contacted the Museum staff and asked if they'd like to participate in some way. Well, the Museum staff thought doing an Open Cockpit Day would be a great draw, and be an awesome introduction of new members to our Museum. The plan turned out to be full regular museum staffing for normal weekend visitors, a booth at the main Rexspo hall (the base gym), and all the remaining available hands in the Air Park to conduct tours of our planes.
Comox Air Force Museum - Open Cockpit Day/
Being one of the few, if not only, CF-104 Starfighter alumni at the Museum, they kind-of needed me to help with the day. So, I gave up the BSG opportunity to share some Canadian Air Force heritage with Museum visitors.
The Museum acquired CF104731, and before putting it in the Air Park decided the NATO green/grey camo scheme was too subdued to attract attention, especially as the plane is prominently placed at the front of the park, next to the entrance. It was, therefore, painted up as CF104763, the 417 Operational Fighter Training Squadron's Colour Bird. Both planes flew in Cold Lake, Alberta when I was stationed there, and I worked on both of them:
I optimistically brought out some umbrella chairs to rest in during the quieter moments, or to cool my heels if I was bored...
Well, the crowd started arriving at ten AM, when the main gate was open, and the flood of people didn't let up until well after we were supposed to close everything up and leave. I didn't even get to my water bottle until noon!
Lots of pictures were taken, just not by me. We didn't do a precise head count, be the Museum Assistant Director thinks that we had many more visitors than a usual Saturday, perhaps over 200 (double our average) and is very interested in doing more events.
A pretty good day, sharing my other aviation passion with fellow enthusiasts. Just not as much fun, perhaps.
Still a good day!
PS: Not 731, but a representative paint job of what it would have looked like in the NATO green/grey scheme:
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