Dawn Patrol Rendezvous - 2015/02

Dawn Patrol Rendezvous

by Dennis Norman

For the last several years I have been privileged to be a vendor at the spectacular Dawn Patrol Rendezvous gatherings at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio. The Dawn Patrol events were held in two-year intervals until 2011, when the organizers decided to wait until 2014 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I. This year’s Dawn Patrol Rendezvous took place the weekend of September 27–28, 2014.

An estimated crowd of 15,000 came to enjoy the event. Ceremonies officially began each day at 9 a.m. with the national anthem and brief introductory remarks. The full-scale and nearly full-scale aircraft then took to the air for the first of two, two-hour flying demonstrations, repeated in the afternoon on both days.

Taking to the sky were a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny, a Fokker Dr.I triplane, three Fokker D.VIIs, a Fokker Eindecker E.III, a Nieuport 11, a Nieuport 12, three Nieuport 23s, an S.E.5a, a Siemens-Schuckert D.I, three Sopwith Pups, and a Spad XIII. The air show was accompanied by running commentary from experts. After the full-scale flying came hour-long displays of RC model flying (six RC sessions during the two-day show).

In addition to the flying, the Dawn Patrol Rendezvous featured full-scale static displays of two Fokker Dr.I triplanes, two Fokker D.VIIs, one Fokker Eindecker E.III, a Nieuport 17 and a Nieuport 28, two S.E.5a aircraft, and a Sopwith Scout/Pup in Soviet markings. Also on display was a Gnome/Omega rotary engine that was periodically started on a static base by Thomas Kozura of Comstock Park, Michigan.

Fascinating static displays of World War I replicas under construction gave the crowd insight into period techniques and materials. Also included was an unconventional, all-metal, uncovered S.E.5a frame being built by Gregory Haynes of St. Johns, Florida.

Each morning and afternoon spectators were treated to parades of antique vehicles, accompanied by reenactors in period civilian dress. Sixty-seven military reenactors wowed the crowd with highly detailed uniforms and displays of arms and equipment.

Twenty-one vendors offered everything from food to merchandise. Products included artwork, prints, photos, magazines, books, toys, aircraft models and supplies, aircraft parts and reproduction items, World War I uniform items, T-shirts, and other memorabilia. Plenty of children were present and were encouraged to participate in supervised art and craft workshops while their families had the opportunity to buy souvenirs.

The busy flying field was close to the museum buildings, which offered air-conditioned relief and a chance to peek at the museum’s handsome exhibits. A large collection of paintings and drawings by Henri Farré filled the museum’s art gallery and offered glimpses of French World War I aviators and their experiences.

Organization and staff

Under the masterful leadership of Special Events Coordinator David C. Thomas, the Dawn Patrol Rendezvous took more than a year of preparation by museum personnel and outside professionals. During the show, 20 members of the museum staff, assisted by as many volunteers, handled myriad details.

Sponsors

• Air Force Museum Foundation
• Alley Cat Designs (T-shirts)
• Balsa USA
• Greene County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Holiday Inn, Fairborn, Ohio
• Sopwith Motor Sports
• Robert and Erma Scott

Twenty-eight owners participated with their aircraft. Seven World War I aviation historians spoke on a variety of topics during the flying demonstrations.

On both days, the last flight of man-carrying replicas enacted an aerial battle in which the losers were “shot down” and “captured” by uniformed reenactors. At the end of Sunday’s show, the museum invited guests to see the movie Flyboys in its theater; those not wishing to see the movie were treated to a final session of RC flying.

September 2016 is the next planned Dawn Patrol Rendezvous gathering. It will again be free and open to the public and will offer even more insight into mid–World War I aviation history. Hope to see you there!

—Dennis Norman [email protected]

Vintage World War I aircraft and owners at the show

• Phillip Arbie — Nieuport 23
• Robert Baslie — S.E.5a
• Rick Bennett — Nieuport 23
• Marvin Berk — Spad XIII
• Edmund Borkowski — Fokker Dr.I
• Dustin Burt — Fokker Dr.I
• Glenn Burt — Sopwith Pup
• Dale Cavin — Nieuport 17
• Joe Cook — Nieuport 12
• Mike Damiani — Sopwith Pup (full-scale)
• Gerry Wild — Sopwith Pup (full-scale)
• Paul Dougherty — Fokker Dr.I (full-scale)
• Glen Fike — Nieuport 11
• Charles and Craig Garrett — S.E.5a
• Gregory Haynes — S.E.5a
• Mark Hymer — Fokker D.VII
• Wes Jones — Sopwith Pup
• Mark Lewis — Fokker D.VII
• Tom Martin — Nieuport 23
• Walter McGrady — Fokker Eindecker E.III
• Darrell Porter — Fokker D.VII
• Lindsay Stevenson — Soviet Sopwith Scout/Pup
• Marvin Story — Siemens-Schuckert D.I
• C.D. Walker — Curtiss JN-4 Jenny (full-scale)
• David Watts — Fokker D.VII
• Howard Whyte — Nieuport 28
• Eric Williams — Fokker Eindecker E.III
• Dale "Butch" Witlock — Fokker D.VII

SOURCES

• World War I Dawn Patrol Rendezvous: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/wwi.asp
• National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, (937) 255-3286, www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.