Dressing up at airshows

[flyingheritage]

Anyone interested in this link

http://heritageflyinggear.blogspot.com/

It shows a "downunder" gentlemen, who dresses up as a "pilot" to do pilot displays at museums and on warbirds.

Would be neat to see more of this happen all around the world.

Does this happen much in US and UK?

Last edited by flyingheritage on Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

[richkolasa]

Whoo, I was a bit worried, thought it might be like "in heels" (Rudy Guiliani style).

Rich

[Robbie Roberts]

Dude- Check out http://www.geocities.com/sidecarsarge/apspage1.html http://www.capitalwingaps.org/ http://www.stby.com/553Sqdn/index.htm
http://www.maam.org/wwii/photos/reenactor/ww2_reen.htm

WE ARE OUT THERE! And all over the world...

Come to the dark side... We make your photos better...

Robbie[url]

[flyingheritage]

http://www.maam.org/wwii/photos/reenactor/ww2_reen-(13).jpg

There's Bob Crane from Hogans Heros....

Sure looks like a dead ringer pass..

Wonder how hot those guys get in wool in sunshine..... yikes...

[Robbie Roberts]

(If anyone is having trouble with the pic above, you need to add the "(13).jpg" to the end of the url... it didn't take right in the posting, so the link does not work right)

I'll pass it along- Those are the guys in my group! WWII Airmen's Preservation Society... Hey- wool really isn't that bad in the heat if you don't think about it a lot! But this past year I wore HBT's in the extreme heat we had. Not sure for this year coming up tho... May go with the HBT's again, or might go with the flight suit- we are doing a CBI/Pacific theme.

Still redesigning the radio display- I am thinking of spreading it out from a B-26 to a B-17 setup. Of course, the early B-24 layout has definite good points, as well...

Robbie

Oh- and your Bob Crane lookalike actually has blonde hair... I think that is Con Carlson. ( Another one of our members is a WWII B-17 Radio Operator & POW shot down on the first Berlin mission...)

[P51Mstg]

When you said dressing up, I figured you meant something more like the kids from Section 3 at Reno. I always thought it was reserved more for the adults too.......

Mark H

[flyingheritage]

I raise 2 kids and see 3 adults there LOL....

In all seriousness, what kind of costs does one look at when dressing up in WW2 pilot gear?

Do veterans and more the public truly understand why the renactors are doing this? I assume some people might have no concept of history.

Dont the poor renactors get heckled or labelled as idiots for dressing up?

What does you all think?

[flyingheritage]

OH i rember it now -

Isnt it illegal to wear pilot uniforms or army uniforms as it could be seen as "passing yourself off" as a military person or has that law been adjusted to allow renactors to do their bit for the historical side shows?

I think some countries around world would arrest people if they wore aircraft or army uniforms at a show.

[JDK]

There have been reenactors at the Flying Legends show at Duxford (UK) for some years now, and it certainly adds something to the show. They often are walking around in the crowd as well. In a show environment, I don't think anyone's likely to have an issue - the most I've seen is some worries about the 'wannabe' element.

It's more common in the UK at other airshows now, and very normal at military meets.

I've seen reenactors at the la Ferte Alais airshow in France, last year.

IIRC, it's quite common to see Military and civil police vehicles at shows, but they can't wear the badges out on the public highway.

Like those weird guys that like flying old aeroplanes, the general public probably reckon it's better we all are kept out of trouble and aren't vandalising telephone boxes.

[RyanShort1]

In all seriousness, what kind of costs does one look at when dressing up in WW2 pilot gear?

Do veterans and more the public truly understand why the renactors are doing this? I assume some people might have no concept of history.

Dont the poor renactors get heckled or labelled as idiots for dressing up?

What does you all think?

I haven't been heckled as an idiot - yet... I think it really helps if you are part of a crew - or the pilot. It makes it easier to explain. I did go to a few shows where I was just by myself, but was grateful that some of the Lone Star guys "adopted" me and I got to help them out with Thunderbird.

Sometimes you do have to watch out for lots of folks who want to take their picture with you. I'm not big on that at all. Especially not with silly girls - I'd rather not have that show up sometime when I hope to get married to a decent gal... So, I tend to turn away unless it's a mixed group or kids.

Most of the time you'd be surprised how many folks really don't make a big deal about it. I've had a very few veterans complain or think it weird, but even they are usually ok with it once they realize we're trying to honor them.

As far as how much it costs - it can vary quite a bit. I think you could probably do a half-decent impression for $300-500 fairly easily, but could also spend into the thousands very easily. If I had lots of money I'd go with repro stuff as it's fresher and doesn't endanger the originals - but sometimes you can get the originals at a better rate - and since there are actually a fairly good number of good examples already in collectors hands, it's not like we're wiping out the last handful.

Most folks aren't that familiar and couldn't tell you it was a WWII outfit - including a few military folks who've saluted me. I usually just return it .

The more reenactors the better - for the aura. It definitely is useful as a starting off point for a discussion or a talk.

As far as how hot the old wool stuff is - you'd be quite surprised. I live in San Antonio, TX, where the temperatures on the tarmac can easily reach 100 degrees on the right kind of day. I've worn the uniform on those days and it isn't as bad as you'd think. It can be a bit uncomfortable for a bit and then you get used to it. I've even worn my A-2 over it on a summer day up in New Braunfels! I think that humidity (think Wings Over Houston two years ago) may be worse than sun.

Here are some pictures to prove it.


A sunny day with the A-2 on at Randolph with some of the Lone Star crew on Thunderbird


With a WWII pilot and his (son?)





I've got plenty of other shots, but this was too many already.

Ryan

[tom d. friedman]

bring it on buddy, i'm sick & tired of cotton candy, cheap chinese warbird mugs, hats, models & the usual dribble. i haven't been to an air show in at least 5 years. the carnival atmosphere just gets old after a while.

[Randy Haskin]

Flying Legends at Duxford this year was the first time in my long history as a US airshow goer that I've seen re-enactors.

In theory, I think it's a terrible idea. If you'd asked me before Legends this year what I thought of re-enactors hanging out at a warbird show, I probably would have replied with some long diatribe about sorry wannabes, etc.

In execution, I thought it was great. Made for some really fun photos.




So, I'm a convert. Thanks to those guys for coming out. I hope to see more of this in the future!

[Brad]

How's this?



Me and mustangpilot at Olympia several years ago. We just nearly went to jail!

[tom d. friedman]

the guy in the yank crusher looks like tom hanks!!

[CAPFlyer]

I've got a "Desert Tan" flightsuit that I wear on the few occasions I go up in warbirds or work around them in a capacity where it's a "plus" to have it on. I've had 3 or 4 guys comment that the flightsuit is actually the right color for the WWII tan suit and I should get the proper WWII patches for the suit and put them on. I don't know I will yet, but apparently it's easier to start the "look" as a crewmember than I thought.

I do have a lot of respect for the reenactors though. Our Wing Leader is part of a Military Vehicle Club and his whole club shows up to the DFW Wing's Warbirds on Parade (formerly Open Cockpit Day) and it adds a lot to have the WWII jeeps, halftracks, staff cars, and such setup around the planes they would have served along side during the war. We also have a group of Shortwave guys who come out and do CW during the entire event in a very nice radio tent that looks just like the pictures I've seen.

It really adds to the atmosphere and education of people coming to see these old birds.