Steve Ritchie signs F-4 Paper Model

[milenio3]

On our quarterly reunion of the American Fighter Aces Association, here in San
Antonio, Texas, we had a most unusual gathering.

First, General Steve Ritchie, the only ace from the Vietnam War, with 5 Mig-21's
on his pocket. He signed my copy of the GPM F-4 "Mig Killer" paper model, and
Roy Grinnell's book "Artist of the Aces", where page 136 depicts his Phantom as
he fired a sparrow against a Mig-21.





Page of the model with signatures of Frank Frazier (two Mig-15 over
Korea), and Steve Ritchie (five Mig-21 over Vietnam).



More about Steve Ritchie here.

If that was not enough, we celebrated the 100th birthday of Lt. Richard "Dick"
Cole, co-pilot of Jimmy Doolittle in the famous "Doolittle Raid" over Tokio
(April 1942). As one of the only two Doolittle Raiders that are still with us in this world,
he is still live and kickin', and as you see in the following photo,
with his signature smile. As he told us "I trusted that this body would remain
healthy until God says "it's over!"



In the photo, standing, Mr. Mariana Ritchie and Steve Ritchie, and Mary Donahue
(Col. Dean Caswell fiancé).
Seated: Lt. Dick Cole, Gen. Frank Gailer (P-51 Mustang ace, Chuck Yeager's
wingman), and Col. Dean Caswell (F4U ace, survivor of the Kamikaze attack to
the Bunker Hill carrier). These two aces of World War II have paper models made
by yours truly.

Real living legends, no less.

These and more photos will be released in a future "American Fighter Aces & Friends"
bulletin. For more information on the AFAA go to: www.americanfighteraces.org

[goodduck]

That is way cool!

[Loui]

Awesome.... Thanks for posting the link.

[Don Boose]

I am glad to see you are continuing to meet fliers and pairing them with models of their aircraft, Gerardo. It a great combination of paper modeling, aviation history, and outreach.

Don

[Wyvern]

Awesome! Some truly great men there.

Wyvern

[milenio3]

Thank you, Goodduck, Kacrut, Wyvern!

Don, yes, I feel most lucky (even I don't like that word) to meet,
talk and befriend with these living legends.

Hearing the war-time stories by mouth of the very actors is priceless.

PS - I just knew that another San Antonian WWII Mustang pilot flew his last flight:
Lt. Col. Bill Bullard, who flew the P-51 Mustang "El Malo Hombre", and whom I met
some years ago. Amazing gentleman. The Great Generation (from whatever
country)is leaving us.

[milenio3]

Just an update of my GPM F-4 kit, signed by F-4 pilots...

The kit was stolen at the San Antonio Air Show.
Don't know who or how. But it was extracted from the
collection of kits I had on display.

So if you ever see a GPM F-4 kit, please look for the signatures
on the page depicted in the photo above, and claim it as a stolen
item, get it and a reward is waiting for whoever finds it.

Thank you.

EDIT: The kit is the one from 2005, not the one from 1999.
Same cover, different edition.

[elliott]

Well that sure stinks.

[Vermin_King]

What a load of .......

[RyanShort]

Originally Posted by milenio3

Just an update of my GPM F-4 kit, signed by F-4 pilots...

The kit was stolen at the San Antonio Air Show.
Don't know who or how. But it was extracted from the
collection of kits I had on display.

So if you ever see a GPM F-4 kit, please look for the signatures
on the page depicted in the photo above, and claim it as a stolen
item, get it and a reward is waiting for whoever finds it.

Thank you.

EDIT: The kit is the one from 2005, not the one from 1999.
Same cover, different edition.

I know how that feels. I had a nice diecast Fieisler Storch model in 1/72 stolen from a museum display on liaison aircraft of WWII down at the Alamo Liaison Squadron when we were having one of our Bluebonnet Picnic events. I think I paid something like $60 for it. :(