Monday, October 13, 2014

Curse You, Red Baron! Biplanes and Triplanes



DH is an aficionado of such things, but my knowledge of World War I aircraft is pretty much limited to the names Sopwith Camel and Fokker Triplane from the Snoopy and the Red Baron comics.


That didn't stop me from having a fine time at the recent "Biplanes and Triplanes WWI Airshow" at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach.  The museum hosts a large WWII airshow every May, and has a WWI show every two years.


The planes are interesting to see up close...


             ...and there are always some people in period dress.



The announcers always keep up an informative and entertaining commentary while the planes fly.





There were often 3 or 4 planes flying together for a great visual show.




As the planes landed, you could see that many of the pilots sported flowing silk scarves, just like this one:




The planes were all replicas, except for an actual Curtis Jenny built in 1918 and restored to flying condition.  This was one of the most famous planes built by the Glenn Curtis company.  That was one more name I recognized, because the Glenn Curtis Musem is located in Hammondsport, NY, and  DH went to visit the museum one year while I was at the Fingerlakes Tatting Convention.  Look what I did there, sneaking in tatting content :)

3 comments:

  1. Lovely pictures of the old planes, I am glad that we don't use them today, amazing how aviation has evolved over the years.
    Margaret

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  2. Thank you, Marta, my Hb is an airplan fan as well. I'll notethe museum, if we ever take a holiday to the States again.
    Do they have a Fieseler Storch? My favourite war aircraft.

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  3. Excellent photos on a blue sky day! We have been to many airshows over the years, and have also been to Hammondsport. Even in the silent movie Wings in 1927 (available on DVD), they had to try to find the 'old' planes from WWI. An amazing movie, though! The uniforms here look quite authentic!

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