The Dawn Patrol takes on the U.S. Air Force in Dayton.

By Dick Starks

This banner greeted everyone driving into the museum. Look closely. It’s Tom Glaeser in his Nieuport 11. We had to forcibly restrain him from cutting it down in the dark of night and taking it home to put it on our hangar wall.

“Oh, yes. One more thing,” the FAA briefer said. “In the interest of safety, let’s not have any more of these maximum rate-of-climb takeoffs.” I kept on looking straight ahead, but I could feel a hundred sets of eyes lock onto me. Now I have to give him credit. The FAA guy didn’t look directly at me. He didn’t point at me either. But he really didn’t need to. Everyone knew who he was talking about. I alone occupied the throne of shame. Usually, the rest of The Dawn Patrol was up there with me, but not this time. Yep, my record at the biannual Dawn Patrol Rendezvous at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force was intact. Once again, I’d gotten my tail in a crack at this prestigious gathering of WW-I aircraft. It’s a gift. …

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