Re: The First Warplanes

Douglas R. Jones (djones@iex.com)
Thu, 23 Feb 1995 09:08:34 -0600

> Of course, I hope you're correct. However, the last time I was at
>Rheinbeck that is *precisely* what I saw going-on! In all of the years
>I've attended airshows at the Old Rheinbeck 'Drome I have *never* seen
>fewer than half-dozen WWI craft perform. On the occasion of the season
>opener last summer (which was also an inauguration for the Museum and a
>tributary for Cole), they had only *four* machines available to perform,
>then one of them only temporarily (the Fokk D.VII had to cut-short its
>flight when it began to lose oil). The D.VIII was disassembled and
>completely out-of-repair; the Alb.D.Va was totally unflyable; the Camel
>failed during the show; their second Dr.I was sans engine (the third was
>in one of the museum huts); and so on, and so on....

Interesting. I wonder if they just hadn't gottenready yet. With Cole's
death and their trying to get things into order it is possible they were
late getting back from Florida. I suspect there was some question as to
the direction things were going.

I think I can tell you why Brian's D-VIII was diassembled. It wasn't finished.
He started work on it Thanksgiving of '93. First flight I believe was late
June or early July. Not bad in my book. It takes me longer than that to build
a 1/6 model!

I have been told the the Nieuport 11 that Gene DeMarco went down in will
be available for the shows this year!

> Now, this could be a coincidence, agreed, but I, personally, doubt it.
>In fact, it makes me worry very much. I'll be attending again this year
>(about mid-show-season for them), so I'll be happy to revise that opinion
>if I see otherwise.
> I only hope I do.

I was with Larry that weekend. And it looked to me like all was well. There
was no talk of any problems and they felt like things were set to move into
the future. I would have to check the video I shot but I am fairly
certain they flew:
- Jenny
- Dr1
- N11
- D-VIII
- D-VII
- D-Va
- 504K
- Stompe
- Great Lakes Trainer
- Dehaviland ???? (blasted CRS!)
- Pietenpol
- both Bleriots
- Curtis Pusher
- Possibly the Camel but memory fails me (again)

Eric if you are in the area i would suggest coming the weekend of
the R/C Jamboree. Lot's of nifty scale models and the past 2 years
everything full scale they had to fly, flew!

Doug
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