Hello,
This week was awesome, the Air Force detachment took about 30 cadets to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. WPAFB is home to the Air Force Materiel Command, the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), the National Air Force Museum, as well as other active duty units. We flew there on Wednesday evening and relaxed in the hotel next to the base, then on Thursday we got to go to the Air Force Museum. The main area is made up of three connected buildings that house real planes from a replica of the first Wright Flier to WWI and WWII aircraft as well as Korean War, Vietnam War, and Cold War planes and missiles, and modern aircraft. In the afternoon we got to go see a separate part of the museum that is farther into the base that houses former Presidential Aircraft and experimental aircraft. That evening we got to hang out and go to the mall near the base. Friday we got a briefing from an officer that works with determining the use of enemy tactics and weapons against US aircraft and then determines how to combat their use. We also got to tour the new indoor range, and finally go to the hospital to see how they train the medical personnel for working in the field using simulation dummies that can replicate bleeding, seizures, pulses, breathing, and many other things. That evening we got to go bowling on base and go to a movie. Saturday when we flew home, we were on a KC-10 refueling jet and we got to sit in the boom operator's position at the back of the plane and watch as our plane refueled another KC-10 and then we got to go into the cockpit and watch as that KC-10 refueled our plane. It was a pretty cool trip, and I would like to go back to the museum because there is just so much that we didn't have time to stop and see it all. If you haven't been there, I would recommend it.
Well, there are 6 weeks of regular classes left. In 4 weeks, the juniors will get their class rings during the Junior Ring Ceremony. The class rings at Norwich have a long tradition. One side is the same for every class, and the other is the same for everyone in the class. The side that is the same for every class has different symbols of the school showing our military and engineering heritage and the Vermont mountains. The other side has different symbols that are unique to that class. Norwich class rings are famous for being the largest class rings of any military school, and most people get two, one, usually gold or silver that is larger, called a garrison ring that they wear for nice events, and then the other is called a field ring that is made of another metal and is smaller and worn for everyday. You can see the class ring site with this year's seniors' ring at http://www.norwich.edu/cadets/classring.html.
This week should be pretty normal, it is starting to warm up and show signs of spring(finally!), I'm ready for it to be warm again. I have a couple more projects and papers left before the end of the semester. Well, it's almost time to march down for dinner.
Here are some pictures from the visit:
Bockscar, the B-29 that dropped the atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Nagasaki, Japan.
Air Force Remote Piloted Global Hawk.
A modified C-54C with and elevator for President F.D. Roosevelt.
The KC-10 we flew back to Vermont from WPAFB.
The view from the boom-operators position as the boom is about to connect the another KC-10 over Northern-Maine. The boom connects to the hole in the top of the aircraft the is above the cockpit windows, the black lines before the connection point help the boom-operator judge distance.
The connected planes.
Thanks for reading,
Seth
SETH: I enjoyed seeing your pictures of your trip to WPAFB. They were so clear that I almost felt like I was actually there. D.C.flew in a tanker a couple years ago and got to see the refueling process. I remember him saying it was VERY noisy! The plane for FDR was interesting. It's been 25 yrs. since we have been to visit the museum. We are having 70's degrees here this week! Hope to see you in 5 wks.
Posted by: CHAR | 03/29/2010 at 01:45 PM