Gents,
I am not sure who is currently heading up the clubs guest speaker program but I would like to offer this gentleman up for consideration.
Frank Tothill flew P-47Ns with the 507th Fighter Group out of Ia Shema at the end of WWII. He is still quite active and is the long standing group historian and publishes the group newsletter. I think he would make an excellent candidate for a 'guest speaker' at one of the club meetings.
Contact info below:
Frank K, Tothill
303 Dorado Drive
High Point, NC 27265-9611
pilotp-47@aol.com
(336) 869-3484
Michael Campbell
Usually someone has a person connection with the speaker and invites them to a meeting that works with their schedule and we move what we have going on or have it afterwards. There is no consideration process, if they are willing, we will have them. The model for them can be worked out later.
Sounds like we have the opportunity to have a very knowledgeable speaker. Michael can you please arrange club date with Mr Tothill that is suitable to his schedule and we will move other events around. Please keep us informed.
Thanks
RonV
Ron,
if you could provide a good day time phone number I would like to talk this over with you prior to making contact with Mr. Tothill.
Michael
sure call me at 9197533153.
RonV
I spoke with Mr. Tothill and here is where we stand on our invitation to him to be a guest speaker at one of the club meetings. Mr. Tothill turned 95 this past week and in his words; 'I don't jump rope any more'. I believe he is interested in the idea but do not believe he will attempt the trip until spring or summer when the weather is more predictable. Of all the pilots assigned to the 507th FG only 6 -7 are still living and of the 1,500 original members of the Group only 30 - 40 are still living. That is a pretty telling statement on the numbers of WWII veterans that are still with us and the fragile state they are in.
In discussion with Ron with regards to this matter, he suggested that we make the presentation of the IPMS/ES build of a P-47N to Mr. Tothill at the same time he speaks to us. I feel that this is the clubs best course of action while remembering that his ability to address the club is only tentative at best. My guess is that there is about 50 – 50 chance that this will work out. I do however, have a Revell 1/48 scale P-47N and an Aires P-47N Cockpit to donate to the build if the club wishes to proceed with this proposal.
Michael
Any volunteers to build a P-47N? Did Mr Tothill have any particular nose art for his P-47N? A quick search on google and the aircraft were natural aluminum with a yellow tail with black diagonals.
Thanks
RonV