Hey Dad, A Huey Followed Me Home, Can I keep It?

Well you got me Bball, only a short 8 years since I lost my dear old Dad. We both shared an Amateur passion for aviation, My Dad in gliders me with a PPL and both with an all consuming indulgence in RC models. When I joined the Army in 84, one if the first things I bought was a Spectrum computer and "Fighter Pilot". Dad and I spent many a happy hour cooing over how real it was !

He followed my flight sim progression until I finally got him setup at home with FS98 and Manys the phone call spent talking him through stuff. If only online flying had been as accessible as it is today ! Nowadays and in the process of restoring a 44 Willys jeep so many times I've just wanted to ring Dad and ask him how am I going to weld this or tap that or can he turn me up a gizmo. ( he was an engineer and turner by trade). He sent me a book "First Light" about RAF pilots in the war, I should of called him to say thanks, Dad passed the next day, while out on the hills flying one of his model slope soarers, no finer place to be. So thanks for sharing Bball, thanks for the tear in my eye and thanks for reminding us about those remarkable men from a previous generation, who guided us toward manhood and engrained us with our passions for things that move fly and fight.

Respectfully

Nick

P.S. my Dad was a great one for tall tales. He served his National Service in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer in Germany in the 50's. Two years fixing tanks and chasing Frauleins. However referring to a Photo of a Sherman Tank in a comic I had when I was about 11, he told me while puffing on his pipe "Oh yes I remember that being taken, it's me and my mate Johnny Jones, capturing Berlin, we were the first ones there !" Course I believed it, every word, until a Homework project demanded researching the years your parents where born......ie, 1935 for dad ....... "Dad..... Er you said you and Johnny captured Berlin?"

"Yep". More pipe smoke

"But you were only Ten !"

Long draw on the pipe, "we'll, we lied about our age at the recruiting office ".

"Oh OK". Understand that this was relayed in good faith to my classmates and my teacher Mr Anderson.

Still got me smiling Dad :-)

 

Oh, and to Dusty and Griff. Deb says to get your asses back to our neck of the woods for another LAN...she misses Dusty's apparel expertise, and Griff on the tractor spreading horse crap!

 

BBall

Uh no she didn't...... :smilewink:

Hey guys,

Thanks again for the nice words.

nickmow, your story touched me. I too, remember many times (shortly after his passing), picking up the phone to chat with my Dad about something, then slowly hanging up after the sad realization had set in. Even after all of these years, the pain is still there, it's just gone from a shocked feeling to more like a lingering wound.

I did give a good laugh with the tale of your father "taking Berlin" when he was a mere 10 years old! That sounds exactly like something my Dad would say. God bless your father, and all the fathers out there (young and old) that love their kids and gladly include them in their lives.

Oh, and Griff....no, I just wanted another pic of you on the tractor hauling horse dung!

BBall

Thanks for sharing something special. :)

That was such a wonderful story, tank you very much for sharing it!