The First Summer Trip

A few photos capturing my day at Reading's World War II Weekend with Sam follow.

P-39 Airacobra, which I don't remember seeing before. Sam and Jacob were excited to know that the hole in the propeller cone was actually for a 20mm cannon. 

Favorite plane ever. 

A Red Army veteran holds court with the help of a translator. 

Sam learns about a paratrooper's kit. 

Sam with a grease gun. 

Kendra told me to look for this Weasel. 

B-17 comes in for a landing. 

B-17 touching down.

A Japanese torpedo bomber. 

An Avenger. Really, it's a shockingly large aircraft for carrier use at that time. 

FDR impersonator.

Not a great B-29 photo, but the plane was spectacular. 

Perhaps our favorite father-son moment was on the way out of the event when we were turning onto US-222 and "FiFi" made a banking turn above us. The view from our minivan was splendid. Of course my safety-minded driving prevented me from reaching for the camera.

That would be Sam's favorite moment. For me it was the joy of taking him from one living history reenactor to the next, engaging in conversation, and Sam hanging in there for it. This will be an annual event for some time, which is good. After all, Sam promised that some year for my birthday he'll get us a plane ride. When he's old enough to have a job. And, he warned, that will be the only present I get that year.