Post by patterson on Mar 11, 2020 20:31:31 GMT -5
Greetings to all. While I am not a stranger to reenacting, living history, etc, I have a feeling that I am late to the party for this forum. I don’t do Facebook and it seems like most reenacting outfits will have a presence there rather than their own websites. I used to be a member of the USAAF yahoo group many moons ago. I’m hoping to make contact with some USAAF groups in the New England or Tri-State area and if not, it seems as though this forum might be a good resource for info.
I started reenacting as a WWII USAAF 9th Air Force fighter pilot while I was still living in my home state of Texas. My impression was limited to solo trips to air shows with no affiliation to any group. I was an actual pilot at the time and was flying a retired navy trainer. I worked for the USS Lexington Museum for three years and in 2000, was given an opportunity to be cast as an extra in the movie Pear Harbor. I ended up being Col. Jimmy Doolittle’s flight engineer. A year later, I was transferred to Connecticut (I served 12 years in the US Coast Guard and was deployed to Kuwait for a year during OIF.) and started working part time for Mystic Seaport Museum, a working 17 acre 19th century seaport/maritime museum.
As the 150th anniversaries of the Civil War battles approached, I decided to try my hand at reenacting that era. Marriage, homeownership, children, etc. happened shorty after and my priorities changed. I recently got the wild hair to revive my WWII USAAF impression. My old uniforms no longer fit as I’m 40 now and slightly larger. So, I’m back to gathering uniform components and my research is well underway. This time, I’m going for three impressions- 5th AF P-38 pilot, 5th AF B-25 pilot, and 20th AF B-29 pilot. I feel as though USAAF is underrepresented, especially when it comes to the campaign in the Pacific.
Like many, I am looking to create an impression that provides the most authenticity, but realize my limitations, ie priorities, family, work, budget, and life in general. All guidance and input is welcome. I can handle criticism, be reasonable. If there are any fellow USAAF reenactors present, I’d like to hear from you. Thanks.
I started reenacting as a WWII USAAF 9th Air Force fighter pilot while I was still living in my home state of Texas. My impression was limited to solo trips to air shows with no affiliation to any group. I was an actual pilot at the time and was flying a retired navy trainer. I worked for the USS Lexington Museum for three years and in 2000, was given an opportunity to be cast as an extra in the movie Pear Harbor. I ended up being Col. Jimmy Doolittle’s flight engineer. A year later, I was transferred to Connecticut (I served 12 years in the US Coast Guard and was deployed to Kuwait for a year during OIF.) and started working part time for Mystic Seaport Museum, a working 17 acre 19th century seaport/maritime museum.
As the 150th anniversaries of the Civil War battles approached, I decided to try my hand at reenacting that era. Marriage, homeownership, children, etc. happened shorty after and my priorities changed. I recently got the wild hair to revive my WWII USAAF impression. My old uniforms no longer fit as I’m 40 now and slightly larger. So, I’m back to gathering uniform components and my research is well underway. This time, I’m going for three impressions- 5th AF P-38 pilot, 5th AF B-25 pilot, and 20th AF B-29 pilot. I feel as though USAAF is underrepresented, especially when it comes to the campaign in the Pacific.
Like many, I am looking to create an impression that provides the most authenticity, but realize my limitations, ie priorities, family, work, budget, and life in general. All guidance and input is welcome. I can handle criticism, be reasonable. If there are any fellow USAAF reenactors present, I’d like to hear from you. Thanks.