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Pioneer of psychoanalysis - Sigmund Freud - could easily nod along to why to this day a vivid memory of my Dad sitting behind the kitchen table putting detailed models of warbirds together hits me like a boomerang every time I look at these airplanes in real size today. A beautifully printed paper box portraying the aircraft in action and a vast ocean of teeny tiny cans of paint on the kitchen table were an indicator of another warbird model being born. Soon enough, I could smell that typical acetone odor - an inseparable friend of the special glue set being opened, while my Mom in the background was worrying, "Do not spill those colors on the table and open that window while working!" My overall assessment of these happenings was: typical winter weekend evening and a rather boring process, yawn. Well, who could blame me. I was only an eight year old kid and I simply did not care much about something that broke every time I tried to move its propeller or open the cockpit with force, therefore, breaking it. As toys, those models sucked. However, no matter how boring I thought that hobby of my Dad was, I always wanted to watch him for some reason. Maybe it was because I found all those colorful propeller spinners and stars and bars fascinating. Fast forward 32 years, put EAA AirVenture 2019 into the equation, then throw me right in the middle of Wittman airport full of beautifully kept warbirds and you get me with an epiphany squared. When I saw all those majestic warbirds neatly stacked in numerous rows at AirVenture back in 2019, I immediately wished I was an ace-pilot. I almost saw myself jumping in one of them and taking up to the sky. Yeehaw! And suddenly BAM! The memory of my Dad gluing all those complicated parts of his warbird models collection became alive, vivid, and hit me like a well thrown boomerang. Finally, I realized why I wanted to watch my Dad putting those models together. I loved those darn airplanes even though I could not play with them as a kid! However, with these big ones I could play! Maybe that's what my Dad also felt when he was carefully painting the wings and fuselages while glancing over the detailed control panels.
With that being said, I think it is safe to say, it is no wonder I, too, love aviation and have a weak spot for warbirds. It has been three years since I was fully exposed to the wonders and magic of general aviation in the USA and started my Warbirds photo collection. Let's check it out.
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