Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

[SteveS]

Here is Dave Fox getting ready to take off in the Aerodromes first Fokker D.VII. Painted in the colors of Ltn Willi Gabriel of Jasta 11. (1974)

[SteveS]

Richard King's Sopwith Pup getting ready to do battle with the evil Black Baron and his good friend the Regal Eagle (1974)

[SteveS]

One of my Fathers old polaroids of my brother Matt in front of Richard Kings Sopwith Pup. (1974)

[greenknight]

My own 1/6th scale Fokker DR.I ready to do battle at the Rhinebeck Jamboree about 1979.

[curtisswright]

FE8 PHOTOHere is the photo of the Fe8 after blowing a piston and groundloop. 1970's I think. Enjoy!

[Curtiss Jenny]

Living history at the Aerodrome with a visit by pilots from World War I: Ken Porter, Douglas Campbell, and Arthur Ray Brooks with Cole Palen. Does anyone remember any of the great stories these pilots told?
I believe one had his engine shot off his plane, and was able to just barely get it back to No Man's Land. Another I think was the first in the military to jump out of a plane with a parachute. Parachutes were first frowned on, believing that a responsible pilot should go down with his ship attempting everything to try to save the aircraft.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Now, that is fabulous!! Any idea the year that photo was taken Curtiss Jenny?

[Curtiss Jenny]

ACC Cadet Leader,

The previous photo is from my friend's collection from the 1980's. Arthur Ray Brooks was the longest living of the pilots who died in his 90's duing the 1990's. Brooks had a very interesting story about his Spad 13, the Smith IV. During WWI, his sweetheart went to Smith College, so he named his aircraft Smith I, II, etc.

Many years later as a senior citizen Brooks took a tour of the Silverhill facility, the Smithsonian's Air And Space Museum's wharehouse for aircraft. He noticed a biplane off to one side, and left the tour group to get a closer look. The tour guide talking to the group did not notice his departure at first, then looked over to see this old man sitting in the biplane. The guide went over to Brooks and said you have to get out of the plane. Brooks replied "I'm sorry but this is the plane that I flew in WWI." The guide, not comprehending at first, said "Ok, sure you flew a Spad 13, but you still have to get out of the plane." Brooks, now with a tear in his eye said, "No, you don't understand, I flew THIS plane, the Smith IV! I named it after the college my sweetheart attended."

Now it sunk in to the Tour Guide, and he said, "Hold it right there, don't move!' and he ran to get a camera crew to document a WWI pilot reunited with his own aircraft.

Now for another story. As the NASM crew questioned Arthur Ray Brooks, they pointed to a small cage stored under the pilot's seat. "We've been finding these cages in a lot of WWI aircraft, and don't know what they are. Can you shed any light as to what these were used for?"
Does anyone reading this thread know Brooks' answer to them?

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Wow! Great story! Can't wait to hear what the answer is.

[Aerodrome Kid]

Does anyone reading this thread know Brooks' answer to them?

I would venture that they were for carrier pigeons.