Field Trip to Air Museums

Last weekend the Lewis County Composite Squadron had an adventure. It began at 0800 on the 27th and ended at 1800 hrs on the 28th.Our Caravan of three CAP vans and two POV's started out at 0830. We made a trip to Oregon and started out at the Astoria Coast Guard Air station. We toured the station, discussed helicopter SAR and got to meet the pilots and some of the Air crew members.We watched a great video that was made on site by one of the Stations members. The Cadets got to sit in and examine the Jay Hawk Helicopters. Astoria has three birds stationed there with the alert aircraft and crews on 24/7 standby. We met 10 members of the Oregon Columbia Composite Squadron at Astoria who happened to be touring the Station also!
From Astoria we drove to Tillamook Navel Air Station (or so it was known) to tour the Tillamook Air Museum. The largest wooden free span structure in the world houses many wonderful aircraft, including one of the only Japanese "Oscar" class fighters that is in flyable condition in the world. Corsair, Tomcat, Mustang, Lightning, these and many others are there and in flying condition.An Awesome Museum.
Not being a squadron to do anything half way we then drove to McMinnville to the Evergreen Aviation Museum. We arrived about 1730 set up camp and met many members of the McMinnville Squadron that came and joined us for Pizza and fellowship time around the campfire. Games were played and many lasting friendships built.
Sunday morning we broke camp, cleaned up, ate breakfast then marched to the the Museum, From 0900 to 1500 we toured, talked, watched IMAX movies, ate lunch and learned a lot! We met a WWII B-17 pilot that flew 30 missions over Germany and got to tour inside the B-17. The highlight was touring the Spruce Goose. We were allowed to take 5 members at a time up to the flight deck and many even sat in Howard Hughes Pilot seat! This tour is normally $50 per person to see the flight deck but they allowed us in free! How Awesome is That! I could go on and on (and have already) but let me sum it up, 22 Cadets, 9 Seniors, 5 Vehicles, GREAT weather, great food, Incredible Museums, Great camping, Oak groves, Vineyards and absolutely the best weekend you could ask for!

Spruce Goose	Space Museum
Tank Display

Thank you to Captain Eric Corder and His Wife Lori for making this happen! Thanks to all the Seniors and Cadets that attended and helped make it a trip of a lifetime!