Moth Visit coming up.....
 

I will be making a visit to AMA the week of June 21st to see our special little Moth. Not sure if I will be the first WTTM pilot, other than Jay, to see the WTTM on display. Regardless, it will be a very special moment for me. Looking forward to it, and hopefully I can meet both Jay and Maria while I am at the museum. Will take some photos for all to see.

AMA Visit, the WTTM Display
 

Well, I finally made it to AMA's National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, Indiana. Had the chance to look over the display during some quiet moments at the museum. Also had a good tour of AMA's administration building, meeting some very important people, all courtesy of Jay Smith, Assistant Editor to Model Aviation magazine. I would urge all RC flyers to visit the museum. Most especially, I would hope the pilots of the World Tour Tiger Moth get the opportunity to visit. Here's the report, also posted elsewhere:

As pilot #45, I had the privilege of flying the World Tour Tiger Moth in March of 2005. Little did I know then that I would be involved with the plane and it's final destination, the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, IN. From the time I first laid eyes on the plane when I had it back then in my hobby room, I sensed there was something very special about it. I had limited experience with the Pico Tiger Moth, having bought one a month or so prior to my "designated flight" with the WTTM so as to
prepare me for the flight. Call it 'Moth-itis' or what ever, I formed a bond with this plane. From that moment on, I would refer to the WTTM as our "special little Moth". That designation remains with me to this day.

Three years later, June 24, 2008 to be exact, I attended a fly-in in Pennsylvania whereupon I received our special Moth from Keith Wilson, the plane having last flown in Hawaii, thereafter being shipped to Keith in
Pa. I then drove to Muncie, Indiana to deliver the plane to AMA's National Model Aviation Museum. How interesting it is now, one year later, when I again visit the Museum to see first hand our special little Moth on
display.

I recall that moment when I handed our little Moth to Maria VanVreede, the Museum registrar. For archival purposes, I could no longer place my hands on the plane. It was, indeed, now out of "our" hands and in a new home. That moment will forever be remembered.

Now, almost one year later to the day, I am back at the Museum to see the World Tiger Moth display. It is Sunday, June 21, 2009, at approximately 11:00 AM, and there are only two or three other people visiting the museum. I already know I will be returning on Tuesday, June 23rd, to try and meet Jay Smith (Pilot #3), Assistant Editor to the Model Aviation magazine. What follows is what happened that quiet Sunday
morning as I saw the display for the first time.

I was basically familiar with the layout of the museum, and had in my mind the image of a fancy glassed-in display case, with bright lights and all the components associated with the WTTM, such as the transmitter, the spare parts, the skis, with the plane being the center of attention. Instead, I found our special little Moth in a display around the corner, in a quiet location, with a black backdrop. I must admit, I had mixed emotions.
Everything basic to the project was there, ....the plane, the log book, and the shipping carton, as well as descriptive text displays with photos.

I guess I thought I should see my name or photo somewheres. How presumpteous can one get! I started to take photo's of the display. It was a quiet Sunday morning, very few people around, and as I looked
through the view finder of my camera, the first message started to get through my thick head. This display was not about me or what I wanted to see. Yes, I was one of some 85 pilots and other participants, but
the message was loud and clear. "Park your selfish sentiments at the door, Doug, and look closely at the display, very closely." And, so I did.

The simplicity of the display was making a statement. Michael Smith, Maria VanVreede, and their staff had captured the very essence of the World Tour Tiger Moth project.

Via photos and text display, four people very instrumental to the success of the project are given due credit:

Gene Carr - who built and donated the plane to the project

Keith Wilson - who stepped in for Gene and served as the flight director.

John Houghton - who took on the responsibility for reviving the WTTM website while still a student in university.

Buzz McMillian - whose help in the retrieval of the plane from the Missouri debacle as well as making the connection with AMA's museum assured the final success of the project.

Yes, there were some 85 pilots and others such as LED Kitty who were very influential with the project. These four, however, really had a positive influence on the success of the endeavor.

As I continued to photograph the display, thereafter standing back a few feet and studying it, the second message came through, in the quietness of the location, with no one around. The design of the display
effectively made the point.....and here it is....the World Tour Tiger Moth is still flying! Our special little Moth is not sitting on a post, crammed onto a shelf, or merely standing on a table top. She is suspended in the air, above and forward of the shipping carton, above the flight log book, above the text and photo documentation of her journey and experiences. She is still flying.....

Many times we, as pilots and participants, saw or used the following "sign off" on a post concerning the project: "Onwards and Upwards, little Moth". The World Tour Tiger Moth has indeed reached the apex of her epic flight.........and on display she continues to fly.....straight into history. There will never be another one such as this.

I continued to take another picture or two, and then left the display area to tour other parts of the museum. I returned a few minutes later to take one last look. That is when, in my own mind and perception, the third
message came through with unmistakeable clarity. It really hit home. Our special little Moth is calling out to all who participated in this project, but most especially to the pilots. Here is the message, and I share it with
you now.......

"Will you remember me? I was there to fly for you. Will you come and visit me?"

Every pilot who flew and thus touched and handled this special little Moth will not have completed their
flight experience until they have made this visit.

She is calling out to you:

"Will you remember me? Will you come and visit me?

Come to Muncie.

Come and see the World Tour Tiger Moth one more time. Come and watch our special little moth "fly".

OK folks, our special little Moth has made the pages of Model Aviation, page 11 to be specific, in the Sept. issue. Jay Smith has done a fine job of describing the World Tour Tiger Moth project in the space available. Nice shot of the original five pilots who are responsible for getting the World Tour Tiger Moth off and flying. I urge any and all of the pilots to make a visit to AMA's National Aviation Museum in Muncie, Indiana. You won't be disappointed. I believe Jay's write up on the "uniqueness" of the project has really made the point. We did it, and the Moth is indeed alive and happy at the museum. Kudos to all that were involved with this project, and thanks, Jay, for your writeup on the World Tour Tiger Moth.

I am honered I made the display.:cool: For those of you that might have missed it, here is the News Cast Coverage of the Oregon Fly In where the Moth was featured. BTW the "dork" explaining the moth is yours truly!:D
http://rcuvideos.com/video/kvalnews-wmv
boomer

Thanks for the comments, glad you liked the article.

Jay

Hey I know that field. I'll have to go to Keith's electric fly-in, if they have one this summer.

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/atta...2&d=1246226643

By all means, try to make it to Keith's club's fly-in. Not sure if it will be named after him, but I am so glad that picture was taken, of Keith handing off the WTTM to me for my transporting it to Munci. I believe it was Fireman Bill who took that picture. Little did either of us know how meaningful this photo would become.

Again, I encourage all of the WTTM pilots to try and make a visit to AMA Munci to see our special Moth. How meaningful is the post from Boomer Ace, who we just lost recently. How nice to know the WTTM display at the museum features as photo of Boomer handing off the Moth to the next pilot. For me, it was a real privilege to have participated in the project.

Boy, does this ever take me back! Keith, Boomer, Basket Case have all passed since this monumental tour. Doug Sipprell, in the picture with Keith sure came through. We finished the tour and the WTTM was in, I think Pennsylvania. I contacted the AMA Museum and they accepted the Moth.
Doug took that little plane and drove all the way to Munci, Indiana with it.
I really hated to ask him to take on that chore... but he jumped at the chance. There are a lot of other pictures of Doug handing the WTTM over to the museum. It was just Doug and the Tiger Moth... and I know he had a hard time leaving it there. It took us 3 years, but we made it!
Thanks again to Doug for getting the little Moth to it's final destination.
RD...YOU are the man! ;)

Buzz

+1 on what Buzz says. Keith and Doug did a yeoman's job all the way through, and I will be forever thankful to Keith for slotting me in the queue to fly in Delaware when the original pilot there backed out.

It's funny, because it now seems like so long ago that I flew the WTTM and yet, it also seems like last month at the same time! It was a great project and no easy task (can you say "kidnapped"? - LOL!). It is hard to believe that we have lost some of the iconic members of these boards and WTTM pilots. Their friendship, always willing and helpful advice, and profound contributions will never be forgotten.

Uh, huh... say again?

Re: World Tour Tiger Moth - The Final Chapter
 

Lol it is hard for me to imagine someone getting paid to spam like that. It just doesn't seem like it would be worth the effort.

What the? Is that what it is? Ha! You're right.... for the number of people posting here he's not getting much for his dollar. ROFLMAO!
Who the heck is Ann Walker? ????

The threads in the Special Event Forum get hit a lot with spam as they are near the top of the site when you log in. Same with any forum. RCGs event forum gets hit a lot too.

Oh.... no, no, no! You think you're going to come in here and spam on THIS thread? WRONG! Myself and more than 80 other pilots set a world record here. If you think I'm going to let you disfigure it, take a hike! It took a LOT of talent over 3 years to complete this tour. I see that you have no talent. Anyone can do this. Reporting you again! :(

Buzz

Buzz,

That's one problem with threads that are near the top of the forum. They tend to attract the spammers.

But not to worry, we get them every time! :)

Hey, pat... Yeah, I know.. it just irks me when I see someone spam such hallowed ground. Thanks for keeping an eye out. ;)

Buzz

LOL! Looks at Posts 292 and 293! :p>

crxmanpat:

Many thanks from this end of the runway. And, yes, the Father Moth is smiling! :)

I wish I had been able to get in on WTTM, but I had gotten in to RC too late. Although my buddy Turbo Joe did.

I have done Wiggy and WAA-08, so at least that's something. ;)

Are those flights still going? I thought Wiggy got lost in the mail or something.

@ Doug: Thanks for posting that! Father Moth IS smiling! ;)

Buzz

Wiggy is currently sitting in Germany with Pilot #2. We are waiting for the owner to come back online, he is currently MIA. But the round trip is complete though.

WAA-08 continues (in it's 3rd year now). The plane is currently in its 40th or 44th state now (can't remember which). Probably one more year left on that one.

Glad to hear Wiggy made it, a fantastic accomplishment! Congratulations to all who were involved!!

Is that Stinkweed007 you're waiting for? What happened to him?:confused:

Aeromite

Yes, Stinkweed (Tim). He got a new job that has him in places where internet access is "not possible" I guess. He did check back in once a while ago and said he was back, but then he disappeared again.

Glad to hear he seems to be OK, I was a little concerned there for a bit! What are the plans for Wiggy now?

Aeromite

Well, congrats! I didn't know it had completed the round trip.

Don't know. All depends on whether or not Tim shows back up. As far as the tour is concerned, it's over. Right now John (Max2112) is hanging on to her until something is decided.

This is such a cool project. I would like to know if there are any updates and if there is any way I can get involved with it. I just moved out to Vegas, and I have been looking for Las Vegas Things to Do, and getting involved with this project would be the best! Any info would be great. Thanks!

This project ended several years ago, and the plane now resides at the AMA Museum in Muncie.

Hello,

Glad to see your experience means what an incredible journey & I always read your journey chapter it gives more details about how we spend quality work time if we are going on vacation. I always follow your tips while I'm going for travelling.
Thanks...