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2011 League Seminar October 14-15, 2011

The League of WWI Aviation Historians is happy to announce that the 2011 League Seminar will be held on October 14-15 in Monterey, California. The title for the meeting will be "Field of Dreams" as our field trip will be to the facilities of Antique Aero in Paso Robles, CA on the 15th. On display there will be aircraft from the collection of Javier Arango and will include, weather permitting, a flight demonstration by some of those aircraft.

Registration Form.

Monterey Airbus provides shuttle service between San Francisco and San Jose airports and Monterey. They pick up outside of all of the terminals at each airport and will deliver you to the hotel, which is Casa Munras Hotel in Monterey. Reservations are strongly recommended. To make one simply contact them via their website. The League Seminar site is the Casa Munras Hotel in Monterey. For hotel reservations, please reference the group code when registering to receive the League group rate. Casa Munras. Group Code: GCCOR8. IMPORTANT UPDATE: The rooms at Casa Munras (700 Munras Avenue Monterey, CA 93940) have sold out. For hotel reservations in Monterey, please visit www.Orbitz.com, www.Hotels.com or your other favorite travel sites.

UPDATE: There is a Travelodge hotel (www.travelodge.com) across the street from the Casa Munras. It currently has rooms available thru Saturday at a rate cheaper than the host hotel. Saturday availability is limited but they have a good number of rooms for Thursday and Friday.

2011 League Seminar Speakers

* Greg van Wyngarden - Jasta 18 The Staffel with the Split Personality
* Walter Pieters - The Belgian Air Service in the First World War. The creation of the BAS and from the beginning of the war until the armistice, showing pictures, color profiles, lists of war flights and aircraft.
* Darroch Greer and Ron King - The Millionaires' Unit: America's Pioneer Pilots of the Great War. Presenting a work-in-progress documentary on the First Yale Unit and the Birth of Naval Aviation.
* Ken Emery - America's first foreign air campaign. An account of the challenges, adventures and misadventures of First Aero Squadron pilots during the 1916 active phase of the Punitive Expedition.
* Carl Bobrow - Russian Aeronautical activities during the First World War. Includes a particular focus on Sikorsky's Il'ya Muromets four engine aircraft and the elite squadron (Eskadra vozdushnykh korablei) that flew them.
* Colin Owers - The Forgotten Americans Aerial Combat over the North Sea and English Channel. The development of the America flying boats is the subject of this presentation.
* James Dietz - "Anatomy of a WWI Painting (or two)"?
* Javier Arango - Director "The Aeroplane Collection" a preview of the Saturday seminar visit to Antique Aero.
* Banquet Speaker - Prof. Keaby Lyde - Silver Wings and the Silver Screen:Early Hollywood's view of WWI Aviation.

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Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting Sat. November 3, 2012

This meeting is at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

10:00AM - Museum door opens

Book exchange... At the upcoming meeting we are going to continue our book exchange. The idea is for attending members to go through their own collection and find books that they no longer want and exchange them for equal or lesser value. How does that work... if you have a paperback you can exchange it for another paperback if you have a hardcover you can exchange it for a hardcover or paperback. The limit will be four (4) books per member to start. Special thanks to Frank Garove a member of the group has made a generous donation of nearly 100 aviation books.

10:15-10:30AM Meeting begins in Classroom 2a and 2b - Nuts, Bolts, Stick and Fabric (the opening remarks and short business meeting)

10:30-11:30AM Presentation by noted author and historian Blaine Pardoe who will provide a lecture on Lafayette Escadrille pilot Bert Hall, from his upcoming book "The Bad Boy." As a special treat, Blaine Pardoe discovered a long lost copy of one of Hall's silent movies, A Romance of the Air. This film has been lost for decades and provides us with some footage of Bert Hall flying in a fictionalized story.

11:45-12:30PM - Expanded and Extended Member's Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell - We have some very interesting WIP's that will be shared at this meeting...
If you have something to share please do so this section of the meeting it is the perfect opportunity to share, request and exchange information, some very good opportunities have come at this portion of the meeting.

12:30-1:30PM Lunch at McDonalds or at McDonalds Cafe, or if you are inclined please brown-bag it.

1:45-2:45PM Presentation by noted author and historian Jon Guttman- Prototypical Aircraft Carrier Strike on the German Zeppelin base Tondern

In July 1918, seven Sopwith 2F1 Ships Camels left the aircraft carrier Furious to attack the German airship base at Tondern. Some of the Camels did reach the target and the resulting destruction ended the regular airship operations from the location. The raid, deemed a success by the Admiralty, set the precedent for greater carrier operations to come.

3:00-4:00PM TBD... Please stand byÉ

4:00PM Meeting room closes

4:00-5:30PM On your own tour of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

5:30PM The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center closes

There is no formal membership required to attend therefore if you know of anyone who is interested in this aspect of aviation history they are most welcome. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
the League of World War I Aviation Historians, publishes a periodic journal and there are dues for that, if anyone wants to join, they are welcome on their own to do so outside of this meeting.
There is no fee for attending the meeting, although there is a $15 parking fee at the museum, therefore consider carpooling.
We would appreciate an RSVP as soon as possible so that we can gauge the number of people planning to attend.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate contacting us
Ed (MautnerE@si.edu)
Ted (tedhamady@gmail.com)
Charley (GosseC@si.edu)
Carl (bobrowc@si.edu)

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Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting Sat. May 19, 2012

This meeting is at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

10:00AM - Museum door opens

Book exchange... At the upcoming meeting we are going to continue our book exchange. The idea is for attending members to go through their own collection and find books that they no longer want and exchange them for equal or lesser value. How does that work... if you have a paperback you can exchange it for another paperback if you have a hardcover you can exchange it for a hardcover or paperback. The limit will be four (4) books per member to start. Special thanks to Frank Garove a member of the group has made a generous donation of nearly 100 aviation books.

10:15-10:30AM Meeting begins in Classroom 2a and 2b - Nuts, Bolts, Stick and Fabric (the opening remarks and short business meeting)

10:30-11:30AM Presentation by Roger Connor - Curator of Vertical Flight at NASM - "PKZ-2: The World's First Military Helicopter" will take us on an unusual ride (http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/petroczy.php)

11:45-12:30PM - Expanded and Extended Member's Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell - We have some very interesting WIP's that will be shared at this meeting...
If you have something to share please do so this section of the meeting it is the perfect opportunity to share, request and exchange information, some very good opportunities have come at this portion of the meeting.

12:30-1:30PM Lunch at McDonalds or at McDonalds Cafe, or if you are inclined please brown-bag it.

1:45-2:45PM Presentation by Russell Smith - Extraordinaire artiste- "Tumult in the Clouds" how and why art records what the camera cannot (http://www.russellsmithart.com/Gallery.html)

3:00-4:00PM Presentation by Col. Scott Willey (USAF ret.)- "WWI Aircraft in the National Collection" their history, the restoration & care stories of these fifteen+ wonderful machines. (Aircraft - National Air and Space Museum)

4:00PM Meeting room closes

4:00-5:30PM On your own tour of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

5:30PM The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center closes

There is no formal membership required to attend therefore if you know of anyone who is interested in this aspect of aviation history they are most welcome. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
the League of World War I Aviation Historians, publishes a periodic journal and there are dues for that, if anyone wants to join, they are welcome on their own to do so outside of this meeting.
There is no fee for attending the meeting, although there is a $15 parking fee at the museum, therefore consider carpooling.
We would appreciate an RSVP as soon as possible so that we can gauge the number of people planning to attend.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate contacting us
Ed (MautnerE@si.edu)
Ted (tedhamady@gmail.com)
Charley (GosseC@si.edu)
Carl (bobrowc@si.edu)

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Washington DC Meeting Sat. January 21, 2012

This will be the 8th meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians. And the first for 2012!

The meeting is at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on the Hanger Floor Level, Classroom 2a and 2b. Schedule for Saturday January 21th 2012.

10:00AM - Museum door opens

Book exchange... At the upcoming meeting we are going to continue our book exchange. The idea is for attending members to go through their own collection and find books that they no longer want and exchange them for equal or lesser value. How does that workÉ if you have a paperback you can exchange it for another paperback if you have a hardcover you can exchange it for a hardcover or paperback. The limit will be four (4) books per member to start. Special thanks to Frank Garove a member of the group has made a generous donation of nearly 100 aviation books.

10:15-10:30AM - Meeting begins in Classroom 2a and 2b - Nuts, Bolts, Stick and Fabric (the opening remarks and short business meeting)

10:30-11:30AM - Presentation by Scott G. Rall "RFC Uniforms, Flying Clothing and Ephemera", who plans to bringing along and presenting different and varying RFC items from 1914-1919. Including Officers Maternity tunics and Service Dress tunics with wings. Flying clothing which includes flying helmets, goggles, Flying jacket, gloves and boots and a Thornton Pickard training gun. Ass this is not enough he will also have such ephemera as paybooks, paperwork and trench art. In ScottŐs own words, "So a pretty good span of what was worn both on the ground and in the air during the Great War."

11:45-12:15PM - Presentation by Charles Gosse - "Lafayette Escadrille Uniforms" - Extant original uniforms in the National Collection; details on who, what, and when, including close-up images of these museum objects revealing little know facets about them...

12:15-12:30PM - Member's Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell (see details below bringing items into the museum**)

Please if you have something to share please do so this section of the meeting it is the perfect opportunity to share, request and exchange information, some very good opportunities have come at this portion of the meeting.

12:30-1:30PM - Lunch at McDonalds or at McDonalds Cafe, or if you are inclined please brown-bag it.

1:45-2:30PM - Presentation by Carl J. Bobrow - "Aircraft Wireless Sets" - For most of the war communication with the ground was flags, ground signs, flares, message drops, balloons had telephone lines to the ground and by the end of the war aircraft would have wireless systems, but just how sophisticated were they? Here is a hint look up on the net "SCR-68" Nuff said... Come and see a surviving set for yourself.

2:45-3:15PM - Presentation by Jon Guttman - "Aerial Reconnaissance on the Eastern Front" - Be prepared to be stunned at what you did not know, including the truth about Tannenberg and other amazing aspects of War in the Air in the east as noted author and historian Jon Guttman presents an excellent view on the topic.

4:00PM - Meeting room closes

4:00 - 5:30PM On your own tour of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

5:30PM - The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center closes

There is no formal membership required to attend therefore if you know of anyone who is interested in this aspect of aviation history they are most welcome. The parent organization, the League of World War I Aviation Historians, Welcome to The League of WWI Aviation Historians publishes a periodic journal and there are dues for that, if anyone wants to join, they are welcome on their own to do so outside of this meeting. Please Read Carefully

There will be a Member's Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell session. If you have something to share bring it to the meeting! There are some security rules governing bringing objects into and out of the museum so please observe them, they are as follows.

1.) Upon arrival at the facility check in with the SI Security Officer at the door and log the item or items into the Security Log Book. Please provide the Name of the Item, quantity and a brief description of the item (s) accompanying the Historian.

2.)Upon departure if any of your HistorianŐs are questioned by our Security Staff, we will have the log book at the exit point to verify that the item entered into the Museum with the Historian at the entry point.

3.) Should the Historian depart the facility by-way of the loading dock then the Officer at the exit check point can call the point of entry for the Historian and verify the item (s) prior to their departure.

There is no fee for attending the meeting, although there is a $15 parking fee at the museum, therefore consider carpooling.

We would appreciate an RSVP as soon as possible so that we can gauge the number of people planning to attend.

One last caveat, as this is a public space those attending this meeting cannot bring items onto the museum property with the purpose of sales, sorry about thatÉ

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Washington DC Meeting Sat. September 24, 2011

7th meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians. The meeting is at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on the Hanger Floor Level, Classroom 2a and2b. Schedule for Saturday April 16th 2011.

10:00AM - Museum door opens

Book exchange?. At the upcoming meeting we are going to continue our book exchange. The idea is for attending members to go through their own collection and find books that they no longer want and exchange them for equal or lesser value. How does that work? if you have a paperback you can exchange it for another paperback if you have a hardcover you can exchange it for a hardcover or paperback. The limit will be four (4) books per member to start. Special thanks to Frank Garove a member of the group has made a generous donation of nearly 100 aviation books.

10:15-10:30AM – Meeting begins in Classroom 2a and 2b – Nuts, Bolts, Stick and Fabric (the opening remarks and short business meeting)

10:30- 11:15AM – Presentation by Blaine Pardoe - Bert Hall - The Bad Boy of the Lafayette Escadrille presents some of the research into his elusive lovable rogue.

11:15- 12:15PM - Presentation by NASM Curator Alex Spencer - Lafayette Escadrille uniforms, medals and objects of interest from the National Air and Space Museum collection.

12:00- 12:30PM – 12:15-12:30PM Members Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell (see details below bringing items into the museum**)

1) If you have something to share please do so this is the perfect opportunity to share, request and exchange information.

2) Since the meeting will focus on the Lafayette Escadrille/Lafayette Flying Corp if you have something to share please contact Carl Bobrow (bobrowc@si.edu)

12:30 – 1:30PM – Lunch at McDonalds or at McDonalds Café, or if you are inclined please brown-bag it.

1:45 -2:30PM – Presentation by Bill Jackson Raoul Lufbery - Featuring photos, documents relating to the life and death of Lufbery and extensive information about the Lafayette Flying Corps memorial and its current status.

2:30 – 3:15PM – Presentation by Jon Guttman - Aces - A look at just how many were in the Lafayette Escadrille and Lafayette Flying Corps, and who they were.

3:30 – 4:00PM – Presentation by Charles Gosse Lafayette Escadrille Insignia - Extant original fabric from the National Collection and elsewhere; who, what, and when

4:30PM – Meeting room closes

4:30 – 5:30PM On your own tour of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

5:30PM – The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center closes

There is no formal membership required to attend therefore if you know of anyone who is interested in this aspect of aviation history they are most welcome. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

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J.R. Williams - Estrella Warbirds Museum - Wednesday, August 3, 2011

J.R. Williams will speak at the Estrella Warbirds Museum on Wednesday, August 3, 2011. As part of his involvement with the League of WWI Aviation Historians, Mr. Williams has been a guest commentator on the History Channel and on War Birds Radio. He is a frequent speaker on WWI Aviation history and has made numerous research trips to Northern France, Belgium and Germany.

Dinner is open to the public. It is a catered event ($17/person) and reservations are required, either on-line HERE or call 805 467-3521.

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Military Heritage Chapter - Sat. April 23, 2011

The next meeting of the Military Heritage Chapter is Saturday, 23 April 2011. We'll have a general get together, discuss recent/future activities, and enjoy snacks. As usual, we will continue to meet at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Club and Banquet Center (formerly Officers Club) in the Courtyard Room.

Writes event organizer Bob Kasprzak: "Due to security considerations, please do not go to the gate. Rather, park at the Hope Hotel parking lot. I will meet you there at 1300 (look for a red Ford Ranger pickup) and escort you through the gate to the Officers Club. Although a bit cumbersome, this has proved to be the best way to meet base entry requirements. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT WE MEET AT THE PARKING LOT NOT LATER THAN 1300. Hope you all can attend!"

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Washington DC Meeting Sat. April 16, 2011

6th meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians. The meeting is at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center on the Hanger Floor Level, Classroom 2a and2b. Schedule for Saturday April 16th 2011.

10:00AM - Museum door opens

10:15-10:30AM – Meeting begins in Classroom 2a and 2b – Nuts, Bolts, Stick and Fabric (the opening remarks and short business meeting)

10:30- 11:15AM – Presentation – John D. Anderson Curator of Aerodynamics at the National Air and Space Museum and Professor Emeritus in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland will speak about the critical development of aerodynamic design in Germany by Ludwig Prandtl and the application of these airfoils by Junkers and Fokker during the Great War and the lasting impact of these efforts.

11:15- 12:00PM - Presentation – Noted author and historian Jon Guttman will present "Duels - SPAD S.VII vs. Albatros D.III" a look at the war in the air over the Western Front by these immortal aircraft and the pilots who flew them, as only Jon can fill-us-in with some of the more curious details.

12:00- 12:30PM – Member's Works in Progress, Show-N-Tell

1) Book exchange... At the upcoming meeting we are going to test the waters with a novel idea. Frank Garove a member of the group has made a generous donation of nearly 100 aviation books. The idea is for attending members to go through their own collection and find books that they no longer want and exchange them for equal or lesser value. How does that work? If you have a paperback you can exchange it for another paperback if you have a hardcover you can exchange it for a hardcover or paperback. The limit will be four (4) books per member to start.

2) If you have something to share please do so this is the perfect opportunity to share, request and exchange information

3) Announcement - Call for presentations for the next meeting, scheduled for mid-September 2011, the session will focus on the Lafayette Escadrille/Lafayette Flying Corps

12:30 – 1:30PM – Lunch at McDonalds or at McDonalds Café, or if you are inclined please brown-bag it.

1:45 -2:30PM – Presentation – Dom Pisano Curator of Popular Culture at the National Air and Space Museum and former Chair of the Aeronautics Division will enlighten, elevate, and enthrall us with the sights and sounds of WWI aviation films, reflecting on the mystique of the genre and the nature of aerial warfare captured on celluloid.

2:30 – 3:15PM – Presentation – Jerry Hester former U.S. Air Force Officer, 429th Fighter Bomber Squadron will recount the heroic actions of LTS. Harold Goettler and Erwin Bleckley of the 50th Squadron who were awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor in their effort to locate and supply the 77th Division "Lost Battalion".

3:15 – 3:45PM – After meeting discussions

3:45PM – Meeting room closes

3:45 – 5:30PM On your own tour of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

5:30PM – The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center closes

There is no formal membership required to attend therefore if you know of anyone who is interested in this aspect of aviation history they are most welcome. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

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League Week on Warbird Radio

January 24th-28th the League will be the featured guest on Matt Jolley's outstanding internet radio show "Warbird Radio Live" Each day a different guest from the League will be interviewed. The schedule of programs is as follows:

Monday Jan. 24th J.R. Williams President, League of WWI Aviation Historians

Tuesday Jan 25th: Russell Smith WWI Aviation Artist.

Wednesday Jan 26th : Denny May of www.WopMay.com.

Thursday Jan. 27th: Darroch Greer and Ron King, producers for the "Millionaires Unit" Documentary.

Friday Jan 28th: Narayan Sengupta of www.USAWWI.com.

Tune in live or for the replay of each show on www.warbirdradio.com.

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The League is Returning to Planes of Fame!

Once again, the League has been invited by the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA to participate in their "Living History Saturday" program on May 7, 2011. The League was happy to be part of a very successful event last August and we are looking forward to presenting to their great program again. Stay tuned for more information here or on their website www.planesoffame.org

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WWI Biplanes and Zeppelins

September 25 & 26, 2010 - WWI Biplanes and Zeppelins - Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, Va 23457. The Military Aviation Museum WWI Airshow was a great success. The League was happy to collaborate with the MAM on this great weekend and look forward to working with them on future events at the museum. To see some of what all went on at the show follow this link on Youtube.com.

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Washington DC Meeting Sat. September 18, 2010

Saturday September 18, 2010 - 10AM - Post Labor-day Blues - late-Summer meeting of the mid-Atlantic Chapter the League of World War I Aviation Historians aka Over The Front at NASM Udvar-Hazy Center, Hanger Floor Level, Classroom 2a and2b. We are pleased to announce that on Saturday September 18th 2010, there will be the fourth meeting of the mid-Atlantic Chapter of the League of World War I Aviation Historians aka Over The Front. These meetings are being held at the National Air and Space Museum's facility at Dulles. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

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Planes of Fame Museum, August 7, 2010

August 7, 2010 - Living History Day - Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA. Dr. Lance Bronnenkants will be joining the League panel of experts at the Living History Day at the "Planes of Fame" museum. Lance will reprise his excellent presentation on the films of Tony Fokker which was so well received at the League conference last year. He will be joining League members Steven Anderson, Jack Herris and J.R. Williams at the museum in Chino, CA on August 7, 2010. For more information on the event click Planes of Fame.

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National Museum of the United States Air Force, July 20, 2010

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - 9 am - Congressional Medal of Honor winners Goettler and Bleckley - National Museum of the United States Air Force - League member Jerry Hester will speak at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday July 20. Jerry was a significant contributor to the most recent issue of Over the Front which was dedicated to Congressional Medal of Honor winners Goettler and Bleckley. He will speak about the two heroic American aviators and the events of October 7, 1918. The presentation will begin at 9:30 am in the museum auditorium. For more information please see www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.