Hello Folks, well I remembered this week to post on Sunday. I think it won’t be a problem anymore. Yesterday was the first (annual?) Volunteer Appreciation Day at the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum in Geneseo. I had a good time. I got a 20-minute ride in HAG’s C-45H, had great food and met once again with some great Folks. That was my fourth flight. One commercial to and from Chicago on our honeymoon, and two L-Bird flights at HAG events. I thoroughly enjoyed this one because the aircraft was larger and I wasn’t cramped. It’s strange though, I really enjoy aviation but not so much flying. I’ll jump at a chance to fly if it’s there (for free, of course), but I really could take it or leave it. Sim flying is more my speed, I guess. We had headsets and we could hear the radio and intercom chatter which I liked. The takeoff was so smooth I didn’t know we were climbing until I heard “The gear’s up.” Really great visibility. My goal is to take a flight in “W7″ our C-47, Natasha, our Antonov An-2 or maybe even the “Movie Memphis Belle.” We’ll see. Now, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.

18 August 1903
German Carl Jatho ‘hops’ his 9 horse-power, gasoline-engined aeroplane a distance of 18 meters (59 feet).

22 August 1909
The first international air meeting takes place at Reims in France. 23 aircraft and their pilots compete for cash prizes in speed, distance and duration competitions.

20 August 1910
Lieutenant Jacob Earl Fickel of the United States Army, fires the first shots from an aeroplane at Sheepshead Bay in New York State. He fires a Springfield rifle at a target from the passenger seat of a Curtiss biplane.

20 August 1913
The first loop is performed by Lieutenant Nesterov of the Imperial Russian Army while flying a Nieuport Type IV monoplane over Kiev.

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Well another week gone and would you believe I forgot to do this post Sunday since I decided to move it. Yep, mind like a sieve. Terminal CRS (Can’t Remember Sh–Stuff) Oh well. Another thing I never learn is “Don’t buy any more flight simulators.” I have enough…I have more than enough…OK, I have too many. I went out and got X-Plane 9. I should have known when I tried to download the demo and it blew up and didn’t install there would be issues. No, I had to get it anyway. After all the stuff I went through to get Microsoft Flight Simulator 10 (FSX) to work on my system, I had to go and try to add something even more involved on that same system. It works, kinda. You see, first of all the documentation sucks. You have two sources. The pamphlet that comes with the DVDs, yes that’s right, DVDs. Six of them. One disc containing the program and the scenery for the US and five discs for the scenery of the rest of the world and, I think Mars. The other source is the manual furnished on the disc which is more extensive than the pamphlet. This is one honkin’ involved program. You can design and build your own aircraft, livery, and scenery. You can customize the keyboard commands and your joystick buttons and it accepts any style of controls you choose to use. I, of course, am totally lost. I like the plug and play stuff. I always, whenever I can, buy the strategy guide and read that first before the instructions so I have an idea what I’m getting into. I have my favorite parts of each sim which I do over and over again. I have never really tried going from the beginning to the end of a campaign. I barely get out of the training part. Too many things. One sim (Falcon 4.0 and its successor Falcon 4.0 Allied Force) has 32 training missions before you get your wings. And it’s not like you can only do it once, you have to do it many times before you get it right. Oh, and should you not fly it for a while, refresher training is in order, just like the real world. Carrier Qualifications are the same as real life. I’m 60 years old. I don’t have time for all this training, let alone all the missions. On top of everything I’m heavy-handed on the stick. I’ll still keep pluggin’ though. Hope your week went well. Now, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.;)

11 August 1906
Mrs C.J. Miller becomes the first American woman passenger in a dirigible (steerable airship).

17 August 1910
Franco American John B. Mosiant’s mechanic becomes the first passenger to fly across the English Channel, in a Blériot monoplane.

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Hello Folks, well, less than seven have flown by this time. I have decided to change my post day from Tuesday to Sunday. This way you Folks can start out the week with some nice historical tidbits to dazzle your friends and co-workers with. I hope you have fun and learn something with these posts. I know I do. I’m also including a link to show you Folks what the Blue Beauty looks like and the HAG logo Frank Schaufler did on the floor of “Swanson Hall” our new command building. Now, let’s get down to some serious history shall we?

http://members3.boardhost.com/1941AirMuseum/msg/1217416335.html

Have an AB FAB week,
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.;)

8 August 1908
One of the Wright brothers, Wilbur Wright, makes his first European flight at Le Mans in France in the new two-seat Model A.

8 August 1910
The first aircraft tricycle landing-gear is installed, on a United States Army Wright biplane.

5 August 1912
United States Army officers gain double pay for volunteering for flying training, after the Hardwick Bill is passed in Washington, USA.

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Hello Folks, well not only has another week flown by, but a month is about to fade into history. It amazes me how quickly they do go by. If you pick up the September issue of Air Classics, you will see the is a short article written by Aviation Artist and 1941 Historical Aircraft Group’s Air Show Coordinator Frank H. Schaufler concerning the change in the nose art on the late Dave Tallichet’s B-17 “Memphis Belle,” now known as “The Movie Memphis Belle.” It was decided to change the nose art to stop a problem with the Air Force Museum concerning “possible confusion” between the original “Memphis Belle” and Mr. Tallichet’s “Belle.” For some reason it became unacceptable to have one flying and one being restored. Frank won the contract to stylize the nose art more in keeping with the nose art used in the movie “Memphis Belle.” At first both beauties had red nighties in keeping with the movie version, (blue apparently did not register as well as red), but the starboard Beauty now sports a blue nightie. This is closer to historical as the original “Belle” had her port Beauty in blue and her starboard in red. Reversed, stylized, renamed, this aircraft is still a fitting tribute to the historical aircraft being restored and the crew that flew her. Now, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.;)

August 1907
The first aerodrome with hangars, opens at Issy-les-Moulineaux in France.

2 August 1909
The United States Government buys its first aeroplane, a Wright Model A, for $30,000. This includes a bonus of $5,000 because the aeroplane exceeds the official specification.

August 1910
Harry Ferguson pilots the first passenger flight to be flown in Ireland.

2 August 1911
Harriet Quimby becomes the first American female pilot.

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Hello Folks, another seven dead and gone. Let’s try something different. I’m not very typeative tonight so let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.

23 July 1905
The first flight of the Wright Flyer No.III. This is the first fully controllable and practical version of the original Flyer.

25 July 1909
A Frenchman, Louis Blériot, becomes the first man to fly across the English Channel by aeroplane. Flying his Blériot Type XI he takes off from Les Baraques near Calais at 0441hrs and lands at Northfall Meadow next to Dover Castle 36½ minutes later. Blériot wins the Daily Mail £1,000 prize.

21 July 1910
The Wright brothers begin experimenting with wheeled landing gears.

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Well Folks, as I stated last week was the “Big Week” for the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum. Biplane Rally, Air Show and USO Memories Show. All part of history now. Most things went well. I’ll find out more as time goes on. If you attended, I hope your experience was pleasant. If you were unable to attend, there are some fantastic photos posted on the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum Website Message Board. http://www.1941hag.org subheading Message Board. Stop by for a look. You’re always welcome. Next year’s Air Show will be held July 10, 11 & 12, 2009. Now, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.

18 July 1914
The Aviation Section of the United States Army Signal Corps is formed.

18 July 1915
Katherine Stinson becomes the first woman to loop-the-loop while performing aerobatics at Chicago.

19 July 1915
Georges Marie Ludovic Jules Guynemer scores his first victory while flying a Morane-Saulnier Parasol 2-seat monoplane, eventually he becomes the highest scoring French pilot in the First World War.

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Hello Folks, well, for the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum this is the “Big Week.” Right now the “Olde Aerodrome Days” Biplane Rally going on which features a re-enactment of the Commemoration of the first regularly scheduled U.S. Air Mail. This rally segues into this weekend which is the Geneseo Airshow “The Greatest Show on Turf” this year featuring “Flying Tigers Reunion” with a P-40 Gathering. On Air Show Saturday Night, the “USO Memories Show” will be held on the grounds. Dancing to the Big Band sound of 78 RPM will highlight this show. Three events all in one week. For details, refer to our website at www.1941hag.org. Hopefully, this week we will make some Air Show history, but for now let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.;)
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8 July 1908
A Frenchwoman Madame Thérèse Peltier becomes the first woman to fly as a passenger in an aeroplane when she is taken up by Léon Delagrange in a Voisin biplane.

7 July 1910
The Belgian war ministry establishes a flying corps.

10 July 1910
The first flight at an altitude of over a mile is made by Walter Brookins, flying at 1,900 metres (6,234 feet) in a Wright biplane in Indianapolis, USA.

13 July 1910
A German Erbslon non-rigid airship explodes near Opladen, killing five people.

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Hello Folks, did it seem like a week went by to you? Not to me. I think I’m on some kind of time acceleration deal. The weather here in the Northeast is finally starting to not be so erratic. July is here and it’s really about time. Well, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Have an AB FAB week,
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.

1 July 1907
An Aeronautical Division is established within the office of the Chief Signal Officer of the United States Army and becomes the first ‘heavier-than-air’ military unit. Under the command of Captain Charles de Forest Chandler, the unit’s strength was one officer, one non-commissioned officer and one enlisted man. A contract was placed with the Wright brothers for an aircraft and flight tests began in August.

30 June 1910
American Glenn Hammond Curtiss drops dummy bombs on the shape of a battleship marked out on Lake Keuka.

1 July 1911
The first United States Navy (USN) aeroplane, a Curtiss A1 Triad hydro-aeroplane, is flown.

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Hello Folks, Another seven we’ll not be gettin’ back. Hope your week went well. Geez, June’s about gone. Summer is officially here. School’s out for summer. Air Show season has begun. The Geneseo Air Show is only 17 days away. Well, Arrival Day, anyway. The week before “The Greatest Show on Turf” is the “Olde Aerodrome Days” Biplane Rally. This year we will be celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the First Regularly Scheduled Air Mail Service. On the 9th and 10th of July mail will be flown from the Geneseo Airport to Rochester, Niagara Falls and Buffalo. You stamp collectin’ Folks out there should check HAG’s Website for special covers which will be available. Along with the P-40 Gathering, these should be a couple of once-in-a-lifetime moments. Hope to see you there. Now, let’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.;)

28 June 1911
An English aviator, Tom Sopwith, makes the first charter flight, when hired by the firm Wanamaker’s to deliver a pair of spectacles to Mr W.A. Burpee. Mr Burpee was a passenger on the liner Olympic, which had left New York harbor on a transatlantic voyage. Sopwith, flying his Howard Wright biplane overhauled the liner, then several miles out to sea, and dropped the carefully wrapped package onto the deck.

26 June 1912
The Japanese government forms a Kaigun Kokujutsu Kenkyu Kai (Naval Committee for Aeronautical Research).

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Hello Folks, another seven behind us. I forgot to tell you that the 14th, aside from being Flag Day, was our 39th wedding anniversary. Yep, 39. And my family was sure it wouldn’t last a year. They had a pool. Really! Oh well, that’s one I’m glad no one collected on. The Liberty Belle is in Buffalo and Rochester for its last two tour stops before flying “Over the Pond.” The story in the Buffalo paper kinda concerns me. It starts as follows:

Take a good look at Liberty Belle winging overhead Saturday on its latest visit to the Niagara Frontier. Ride along for the spectacular view if you can afford the $430.

Might be your last chance.

The restored B-17 Flying Fortress survived a 1979 tornado that flipped another airplane on top of it, destroying its midsection, but high fuel and insurance prices may ground it forever once the current 50-city  U. S. tour ends this weekend in Buffalo and Rochester.
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Wouldn’t that be a shame? Other tours and even Air Shows are suffering from aircraft no longer traveling due to the price of fuel. People are tending to stay local with their own travels. I sure hope this doesn’t shoot down our Geneseo Airshow, but I’m concerned it will rear its ugly head. There’s only 24 days left until Arrival Day (July 11th) plenty of time to push the price of gas to climb to an even more unaffordable price. Especially for Folks traveling from other states. Well, guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens. In the meantime, ket’s get down to some serious history, shall we?
Take Care and Be Safe,
Tom K.

20 June 1909
Zeppelin LZ3 is delivered to the German Army.

17 June 1910
The Vlaicu I parasol monoplane makes it’s first flight in Romania.

Zeppelin LZ7 ‘Deutschland’ begins passenger services in Germany.

18 June 1911
The Circuit of Europe air race starts in Paris.

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