DAYTON, Ohio – The 2018 WWI Dawn Patrol Rendezvous returns to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Sept. 22-23, 2018. The last Rendezvous was in 2016 (see video below).
Along with the full-scale aircraft, the event includes period re-enactors in a war encampment setting, era automobiles on display and participating in a parade, flying exhibitions by WWI radio-controlled aircraft, guest speakers, a collector’s show for WWI items, and merchandise for sale.
Fourteen presentations from WWI authors will take place on the hour throughout the weekend beginning with “Banfield,” by Jim Wilberg on Saturday at 10 a.m., and ending with “Junkers Aircraft” by Colin Owers on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Popular hands-on educational activities return, such as Buckeye Gamers in Flight’s WWI giant board game, “Wings of Glory,” which provides participants with a better understanding of the war in Europe and the number of countries involved, and Aces Over Wright Field’s aircraft computer simulators for those who want the experience of flying a WWI aircraft.
The museum’s education division invite attendees to learn about trajectory by playing a game that challenges participants to hit a target while compensating for wind. There will also be a trivia game on the museum’s WWI exhibits located inside the museum towards the end of the WWI Gallery.
Gates will open each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
The 2018 WWI Dawn Patrol Rendezvous will be the 11th event offered by the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Great War Aeroplanes Association. The last WWI Dawn Patrol Rendezvous took place in the fall of 2016 (see video below).
This event is also being supported by the Air Force Museum Foundation.
In addition to the flying event, the museum has launched a WWI anniversary page on its website. Through 2018, a WWI-related artifact will be featured, along with links to other online resources.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about 1 million visitors from around the world come to the museum.