Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Mrs. Whipple's place card, c. 1930s


A place card for a bridge luncheon, no doubt. I like to think Mrs. Whipple had a fine time, and kept this as a souvenir, perhaps placed it in a scrapbook or shoe box for awhile.

Below, catching up on the Dayton convention. Registration packages are starting to arrive in the mail. I've been enlisted to give a presentation; more on that later. 

Take it away, Garth!

2012  INTERNATIONAL PAPER DOLL CONVENTION
 
                                COME  FLY  WITH  US !
 
                                          Email #4
 
                       THE WORLD'S FINEST AIR MUSEUM !!
 
Just over 5 miles southwest of your Convention Hotel is the oldest, and
the finest Air Museum in the world - - the National Museum of the
United States Air Force.
 
Perhaps you or a spouse was in the US Air Force or US Air Corps,
or one of your parents - - or grandparents - - or uncles or aunts.
 
Perhaps they flew in aircraft that today are seldom seen - - the North
American F-86 Sabrejet, the Lockheed Constellation, the Martin
Marauder, the famed B-17 Flying Fortress, the Lockheed P-38
to mention just a small number of the actual aircraft there.
 
There are far, far more aircraft - - even the  aircraft of legend from the
earliest years of aviation - - the Wright Brothers 1909 Military Flyer,
the Curtiss 1911 Model D, the SPAD VII, the Curtis Jenny, the Sopwith
Camel, the Bleriot Monoplane, the Nieuport 28, the Fokker D VII,
the DeHavilland DH-4 and so many, many others!
 
Here, in one location, in three gigantic hangers, plus an outdoor
air park, are the aircraft flown by the US, Great Britain, France,
Germany, that will stir the memories of those who recall them
and perhaps who flew them.
 
And it's even located at historic Wright Field, where the Wright
Brothers conducted their test flights after Kitty Hawk proved the
feasibility of heavier-than-air flight.
 
And it's just over five miles from your Convention Hotel !!
And it's free!
 
Is someone in your family fascinated by engines? Just about
every aircraft engine ever made is here, along with armament;
photographs; exhibits about the Four Chaplains, the Tuskegee Airmen.
the famed Sperry bombsight, the Ferry Command, and the WASPs
- - everything about aviation!
 
Including a Moon Rock (brought back by Apollo 16), and
the World War II 8th Air Force Control Tower.
  
There's even a Missile and Space Gallery, with a Mercury Capsule,
a Gemini Capsule, and the Apollo 15 Command Module! Plus some
major IRBMs and ICBMs - - the Jupiter, the Thor, Titans, and
Minuteman that you can view from the ground (they're tall!) or
from an elevated platform.
 
And - - there's the Research and Development Gallery !!
Sound dry? Lots of bald guys with white lab coats wandering
around writing strange mathematical equations on vertical surfaces?
 
To the contrary!  The R&D Gallery contains some of the most
storied experimental aircraft in history, and I'll bet that you've heard
of them:
 
 - the Bell X-1B. The Bell X-1 was the first to break the sound barrier.
 
 - the XB-70 Valkyrie, the first to fly 5 times the speed of sound.
 
 - the Bell Textron XV-3, world's first successful vertical takeoff
    and landing (VTOL) tilt-rotor aircraft 
 
 - the Hawker-Siddeley XV-6A Kestrel, designed for vertical or short
    takeoff, while retaining full speed in normal flight, the Kestrel was
    the predecessor of the famed Harrier aircraft in the Royal Air Force.
 
 - the Lockheed YF-12A, the predecessor and design basis for the
    SR-71 "Blackbird"
 
 - and many, many, many more.
 
Oh, did I mention the Presidential Aircraft ??!!
 
In a special section of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are
a number of aircraft that have served Presidents of the US:
 
  - the Sacred Cow, the only VC-54C ever constructed, flew
    President Franklin Roosevelt to the Casablanca Conference
    with Prime Misister Churchill and General DeGaulle in1943.
 
 - the Independence, a Douglas VC-118, flew President Truman
   to Wake Island in October 1950 to discuss the Korean situation
   with General Douglas MacArthur.
 
 - the Columbine III, a C-121, the military version of the Lockheed
   Constellation, was the aircraft used by President Eisenhower
   from 1954 to 1961.
 
 - Air Force 1, a VC-137C, was the aircraft used by Presidents
   Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon, and also served their successors
   through President Clinton. This was the aircraft on which
   Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as the new President on
   November 22, 1963 - - and you may recall the famous photograph
   of Vice-President Johnson taking the oath of office from
   Judge Sarah Hughes, with Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Kennedy
   watching. That scene took place in this aircraft.
 
In the Presidential Gallery, you'll be able to board the Sacred Cow,
the Independence, the Columbine III, and Air Force 1, and view
several other smaller Presidential aircraft.
 
I mentioned that the Presidential Gallery (as well as the adjacent
Research and Development Gallery) is in a restricted section of
Wright-Patterson. Wright-Patterson has some highly restricted areas,
and we can't just go wandering through them. There's a special
shuttle bus that transports people to the restricted area (and back)
four times each day - - 9:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:15 PM.)
You must sign up for a particular shuttle bus run, and it's strictly
"first come, first served".
 
Here's what you'll need to show them to register and board the bus:
 
For US Citizens, a current government-issued photo ID
  (original passport, State photo ID, State Driver's license)
 
For Canadian citizens, an original passport (not a copy or image),
  or a NEXUS card.
 
For all other non-US visitors, an original passport (not a copy or image)
 
Those under 18 must be escorted by an adult (1 adult per 2 children)
Children under 18 are not required to produce ID when accompanying
 their parents.
 
I cannot begin to mention, let alone describe everything that's here.
There is so much to see in this incredible Museum that you really
should allocate the entire day. Get there early (9 AM or so) so you
can sign up for the shuttle bus to the Presidential Gallery and the
Research and Development Gallery.
 
One more caveat - - Shuttle buses are not handicapped accessible.
Individuals requiring special assistance to board the bus should contact
the museum's Operations Division in advance at (937) 255-3286 to
arrange transportation.
 
Now, what about Tours of the Museum?  Let's look at them.
 
1. Self Tour.  Because the museum is laid out in chronological order,
    beginning with the Wright brothers and going through today's stealth
    aircraft, it's easy for you to self-tour the facility. (You can even take
    a virtual self-tour of the Museum to help you plan your visit.)
 
2. Heritage Tours.  These are free guided tours that are open to the
    general public. Tours are offered daily at 1:30 p.m., with an additional
    tour at 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays. All tours begin at the entrance to the
    Early Years Gallery (through the Gift Shop and turn right).
    Advance registration is not necessary.
 
3. Behind the Scenes Tours. These are regularly scheduled, free
    guided tours of the museum's restoration area. Participants are
    shuttled to the restoration hangars, located about one mile from
    the main museum complex. Tours are offered nearly every Friday 
    at 12:15 p.m. Advanced registration is required.
    Registrations are currently being taken for tours through May 2012.
    (If you're interested in the Behind the Scenes Tour, let me know and
    I'll tell you when you can register for an August tour.)
 
4. Presidential and R&D Galleries Tours.  I told you about these above.
    They're located on the controlled-access portion of Wright-Patterson
    Air Force Base, are accessible using the shuttle bus service from the
    main museum complex. This service is offered on a first-come,
    first-served basis, so you'll want to sign up as soon as you arrive at the
    Museum, since the shuttle buses will fill quickly. Be sure to review the
    ID requirements that I listed above.
 
When you go to the National Museum of the US Air Force, remember
that while there are chairs and benches in the exhibit hangers, the
floors are concrete, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes !!
 
Yes, there's a cafeteria, the Valkyrie Cafe, located on the second floor
of the Museum. They serve a chicken dinner, a nice variety of
sandwiches both hot and cold, soup, chili, salads, pizza, desserts.
Even breakfast if you get there early. The prices are quite reasonable.
 
HELPERS
Those who have attended Conventions know all about the "Helper" Prizes.
For those who haven't attended yet, the "Helpers" are wonderful paper
doll or paper doll-related prizes that are donated to the Convention, and
raffled off. The raffle is an exciting time and one of the high points of any
Convention.
 
Elaine Price is in charge of the Helper prizes this year, and since many
people have registered already, Elaine would like to get started on the
Helper prizes. So, those who have Helper prizes that they'd like to
donate to the Convention may send them to:
Elaine Price, 5492 Asbury Lake Dr.,#62, Cincinnati, Ohio 45247.
Or - - you may contact Elaine to tell her what you'll bring by writing
to her at the above address or emailng her at elainerprice@gmail.com
For their protection, be sure that donated items are encased in plastic
and your name and address are on a card enclosed with each item.
 
In three weeks, we'll be back to tell you of some wonderful buildings
that you can visit - - including a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house,
an 1804 Federal style home, and an 1803 Inn that has hosted
12 US Presidents plus many other notables.
 
- - Garth
 
            2012 INTERNATIONAL PAPER DOLL CONVENTION
                               August 9 - 12, 2012
                Hope Hotel, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base                             
                                   Dayton,  Ohio                                                                     
******************************************************************************
                          CONVENTION REGISTRATION
 
NAME__________________________________________________
 
ADDRESS_______________________________________________
 
CITY_______________________STATE_______ ZIP/PC__________
 
EMAIL_____________________________________
 
PHONE____________________________________
 
Registration:  $185,00 USD 
 
Absentee Registration:  $75.00 USD
  (Absentee Registrations are limited in number.)
 
Guest Registration (3 Meals) $85.00
 
  GUEST NAME:__________________________________________
 
Make Checks payable to:  Louise Leek 
 
Mail to:
 
Mary Young
P.O. Box 9244
Dayton,  OH    45409
**********************************************************************************

2 comments:

  1. Don't miss the museum!!! It is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good to know. I hope you will be joining us at the convention!

    ReplyDelete