Of Planes and Things

I am not sure if I have ever said, "I love, Chino Planes of Fame" on this blog.  There have been four posts on the subject of Planes of Fame from 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012 but I did not find the word "love" in any of them.  Well, anyways I really love going there, but I have realized that my enjoyment of Planes of Fame is not the same as my kids.  They are my kids, but they are their own people and I am learning to be "flexible" with their interests.

Every first Saturday of the month Chino Planes of Fame has a panel discussion of an historic plane, followed by a flying demonstration of the plane (or related plane).  I have always enjoyed this events, even before my Dad spoke at one of these events ten years ago about his flying experience in the Navy.  Since having kids, I focus on looking at the airplanes during the discussion time and then watching the plane fly.    This last Saturday (Feb. 9) the plane being flown was a Korean War era F-86, and to make things interesting, a Soviet-built MIG 15 was going to fly with it as if in a dogfight.  We were eating our lunch as the jet engines of both planes were being started, and the distinctive whine of the engines was rising as the turbines picked up speed.  I made a grand pronouncement by saying, "Now, THAT sound is why we are here".   This was IMMEDIATELY followed by Lukas exclaiming, "Look over there, a cat".  I did my worst frustrated Dad routine, by trying to point out what was not obvious to my audience.  As I pointed to the planes and told them how unique this event was, and history, and their grandpa, etc., Lukas made sure the boys knew the whereabouts of the cat by pointing out its direction and speed.   I was not able to immediately swallow my pride and leave the boys to their own.  I found a great location to watch the flight, but as the planes flew overhead in their mock dogfight I realized that my love for Planes of Fame is not universal.  I do believe the boys love Planes of Fame, but at this age it might be for the cats and the broken planes in the bone-yard, or the "plane with the teeth".

F-86 Sabre and MIG 15 getting ready to start their engines

Mock dogfight

Family portrait in front of the tail-gunner position of a B-17

The "bone-yard"

The fuselage of the first plane to circle the world non-stop