Reading WWII Weekend 2010

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 4:31 pm

Zachary and I got back this morning. We had the honor of meeting members of the Band of brothers including Buck Compton, Don Malarkey, Babe Heffron, Bill Guarnere, and others. Then met Doolittle Raiders Cole and Thatcher. After that met up with Matt Jolley and enjoyed the show. What a great event. There were so many veterans there that were not featred guests of the show, but still had amazing stories to tell. I really feel that i was lucky to be able to attend this event, and enjoyed the friends, the flying, and the veterans. Also after the show Gary of Fighting colors, Scooter, and some others showed me that bread could indeed have aerodynamic properties!

RickyRicky · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 5:03 pm

Hello all
My wife and I went to the show on Sat. It was a great show. I found Mudge and Mrs. Mudge in uniform. You are a funny guy.
I got to talk to Jim Beasly by the nose of his Spitfire. Jim you are doing a great job. Keep it up.
The walk (or crawl) through the Lancaster was amazing.
The P-61 is looking very nice. Each year is looking better and better.
Well worth the 7 hour ride from Boston.

Rick Bryant

LARGEFLYER · **Joined:** Thu Aug 10, 2006 12:31 pm **Posts:** 181

mustangdriver wrote:

Zachary and I got back this morning. We had the honor of meeting members of the Band of brothers including Buck Compton, Don Malarkey, Babe Heffron, Bill Guarnere, and others. Then met Doolittle Raiders Cole and Thatcher. After that met up with Matt Jolley and enjoyed the show. What a great event. There were so many veterans there that were not featred guests of the show, but still had amazing stories to tell. I really feel that i was lucky to be able to attend this event, and enjoyed the friends, the flying, and the veterans. Also after the show Gary of Fighting colors, Scooter, and some others showed me that bread could indeed have aerodynamic properties!

It just wouldn't be WWII Weekend without the Saturday night bread battle!!! It is the stuff legends are made of!!! Ha Ha !!!

Greg

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jun 07, 2010 5:51 pm

I am not sure that I will ever be able to see a Bucca da Beppo the same way after that. It was a blast, and I was honored to be in the company of so many fun people.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:34 am

Here is perhaps my coolest buy at the show. I bought the P-61 metal display then I had it signed by the 7 Blackwidow pilots and crew.

Mudge · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:59 pm

Just as a side note...When the eight T-6s flew over and there was one "tail end Charlie", I remarked to Mrs. Mudge (who looked fabulous in her Navy whites, by the way)..."I wonder why he's not joined up with the others?" Her immediate response was, "Probably not formation qualified". I was amazed. See...she does pay attention!

Mudge the chagrined :oops:

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:17 am

Mudge wrote:

Just as a side note...When the eight T-6s flew over and there was one "tail end Charlie", I remarked to Mrs. Mudge (who looked fabulous in her Navy whites, by the way)..."I wonder why he's not joined up with the others?" Her immediate response was, "Probably not formation qualified". I was amazed. See...she does pay attention!

Mudge the chagrined :oops:

Or it is more proof that she is the reason you go to these shows. You have let it slip that she drags you to them before.

Tim

lmritger · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:35 am

mustangdriver wrote:

I am not sure that I will ever be able to see a Bucca da Beppo the same way after that. It was a blast, and I was honored to be in the company of so many fun people.

Ok, that seals it. I gave up a whole weekend of hanging with awesome folks, reenactors and veterans alike, seeing heavy metal like a Lancaster and B-17, and missed out on a Buca di Beppo... all to spend two days getting my a$$ kicked up and down the southern Chesapeake Bay in 90+ degree weather and 100% humidity? To quote the old knight from "The Last Crusade": "He chose poorly."

Next year, I am going to find a way to go to this event, no matter what.

Lynn

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:16 am

It's a great event. The thing that really impressed me was that the crowd was very polite and nice. No one really crossing your photos, and even making an attempt to stand out of the shot for you. In the lines to do thing, you found yourself talking to the people around you making the wait shorter. The MAAM Volunteers were very friendly, and alot of fun in some cases. There was a group shot being taken of all of the P-61 vets infront of the P-61. The shot was for the museum and the vets, so the general public was in a spot to not really get a great shot. The MAAM volunteers saw me trying to get a nice shot, and offered to take my camera across the line and take some pics for me. While in line to meet the Band of brothers, Zachary and I were trying to figure out how to get good shots of us meeting them. I guy standing behind me said, "I'm just gettg a picture signed, so I'll take pics for you." he did, and took great pics of us meeting them. Me and Don Malarky shook hands like 5 times because he had to figure out the camera. On the last time as I was shaking his hand I said "I had no idea I'd be touching Don malarky this much." We both started laughing, and that is the picture he captured. It is one of my favorite pics from the event. The other one is of Zachary, myself, Babe Hefron, and Bill Gaurnere together after they found out how far Zack drove for the event, Bill told us to come around back for a group picture. They were awesome. The reenactors were awesome, and I even got the 506th PIR Easy Company group to recreat the famous Foy photo. As Zachary suggested, this may become an every year event for us.
As for the Bucca dinner. I had no idea that bread could hurt. Scooter nailed me right in the head. I kept looking over at Matt Jolley like, What the heck did you get us into", but he had the same look! So I started throwing bread back. It was crazy. Gary of fighting colors was using me as a shield. The craziness paused for a very sincere and touching toast to the friends that were present and the ones that had passed on. Then more food fighting.
Once again another event made even better because of my association here at WIX. Thank you to everyone that made it so special.

Mudge · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:30 am

I've got a compliment and a complaint. The compliment is to MAAM for:
1) the excellent show (as always).
2) the way the shuttles were organized. Couldn't have been better.

The complaint has nothing to do with MAAM, but about the rudeness of many of the attendees. We tried to watch the air show from three different places. No matter where we sat, people would walk up and stand right in front of us. Couldn't have cared less that they were blocking the view of people who had "established position" so to speak.
And it wasn't just us. These rude people were all over the place. It was "This is where I can see best and EFF EWE!" :evil:

It didn't help to say anything to them 'cause if they chose to move, someone else walked in and stood in the same place. Infuriating :evil:

We finally said "screw this" and left.

Mudge the unforgiving :axe:

dors · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:06 pm

Mudge wrote:

No matter where we sat, people would walk up and stand right in front of us. Couldn't have cared less that they were blocking the view of people who had "established position" so to speak.

This seems to be an increasingly annoying problem at all shows. I remember back when Harrisburg PA had shows in the 80's they had "box" seating. I think that needs to make a comeback. I would gladly pay a couple of extra bucks to prevent the crowd surges.

Mudge · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:35 pm

The Photo Pit at "Thunder" is ideal. OK...it cost a few extra $$$ but well worth it. The "Friends of the Fighter Collection" enclosure at Duxford is also excellent. Those are the only two shows, that we've been to, that have such a set-up. I think more shows should offer these "enclosures". If that makes me sound like a snob...so be it. I just want to be able to see what I paid (and traveled) for.
Geneseo, on the other hand, doesn't have an "enclosure", but it's an entirely different set-up than most other shows.

Mudge the snob :hide:

TAdan · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:11 pm

Here are a few of my pics from Friday.

The MAAM's N3N early Friday morning.

The CAF's lovely Dauntless.

BAHF C-54

Quick Silver looking every bit the name.

The CAF's Beast.

On the move...

P-40 from Long Island.

Yankee Warrior

Kevin Russo's SNJ.

The Lanc with some Stearmans in hot pursuit (and an N3N!) on it's 5 o'clock.

"Never Miss." First time I've seen this nice Stang.

This is what WWII weekend is all about. A gaggle of warbirds.

Mark D · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:16 pm

Hi Guys

Here is an arial perspective of the event on Sat. 6/5

How many WIX folks can you name in the photo (sorry, no prizes given out)

quicksilvermustang · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:55 pm

mustangdriver wrote:

It's a great event. The thing that really impressed me was that the crowd was very polite and nice. No one really crossing your photos, and even making an attempt to stand out of the shot for you. In the lines to do thing, you found yourself talking to the people around you making the wait shorter. The MAAM Volunteers were very friendly, and alot of fun in some cases. There was a group shot being taken of all of the P-61 vets infront of the P-61. The shot was for the museum and the vets, so the general public was in a spot to not really get a great shot. The MAAM volunteers saw me trying to get a nice shot, and offered to take my camera across the line and take some pics for me. While in line to meet the Band of brothers, Zachary and I were trying to figure out how to get good shots of us meeting them. I guy standing behind me said, "I'm just gettg a picture signed, so I'll take pics for you." he did, and took great pics of us meeting them. Me and Don Malarky shook hands like 5 times because he had to figure out the camera. On the last time as I was shaking his hand I said "I had no idea I'd be touching Don malarky this much." We both started laughing, and that is the picture he captured. It is one of my favorite pics from the event. The other one is of Zachary, myself, Babe Hefron, and Bill Gaurnere together after they found out how far Zack drove for the event, Bill told us to come around back for a group picture. They were awesome. The reenactors were awesome, and I even got the 506th PIR Easy Company group to recreat the famous Foy photo. As Zachary suggested, this may become an every year event for us.
As for the Bucca dinner. I had no idea that bread could hurt. Scooter nailed me right in the head. I kept looking over at Matt Jolley like, What the heck did you get us into", but he had the same look! So I started throwing bread back. It was crazy. Gary of fighting colors was using me as a shield. The craziness paused for a very sincere and touching toast to the friends that were present and the ones that had passed on. Then more food fighting.
Once again another event made even better because of my association here at WIX. Thank you to everyone that made it so special.

My bad Chris. I was parked in the corner so every throw was blind

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