What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

RV-1 Tour Stop in Toledo Ohio - 5/28 @ TDZ

pjaffray

Member
RV-1 at TDZ

On its way to the EAA museum in Oshkosh, the RV-1 will be making its only stop in Ohio at Toledo Executive (TDZ ? Formerly Metcalf Field) on Memorial Day, Monday, May 28th at the EAA Chapter 582 hangar. The RV-1 is expected to arrive around mid-morning and stay as late as we have people who are interested. We will be opening up Caf? 582 and starting our Super Breakfast at 8:30a for the early arrivers and then fire up the BBQ around noon for lunch.

Anyone with an interest in aviation, not just RV people or homebuilders, is welcome to come and enjoy the friendly atmosphere with others who have a common interest in aviation.

We will have our prop balancer on hand and for a donation to our chapter, we can assist you in the balancing of your prop. Other than that, our plan is the keep the day open for people to meet and greet other aviation enthusiasts and to check out the one that started it all, the RV-1.
 
Sounds like fun, Paul! Looking forward to clear skies, gentle winds, great food and seeing the RV-1. Please make it so. :D

I sent e-mails out to every EAA chapter in OH, IN, MI and IL encouraging any RVers who want to see The One to fly, drive or hitchhike to the closest stop and see the original RV-1.

I don't know about the RVers around Indy, but I know that you Ohio guys are a pretty active bunch. I hope there's a HUGE turnout of RVs at Toledo for a grand time!

If you're building or flying an RV in OH, IN, MI or IL and plan to make a trip to see The One in person at Toledo, Elkhart or Peoria, please check in here and let us know that you're coming. It's always more fun when you know who's showing up!
 
Wish I could join you!

Seems like folks up north are having a lot of fun centered around the RV-1 and I'm envious! Who scheduled this tour to miss the southern part of the country this summer? Oh, yeah. That would be me. :eek: Wish we could send it everywhere there are RV folks, but we all will be able to see it at AirVenture, if not before.

Thanks to all the wonderful local organizers. This tour has been humming along remarkably smoothly thanks to all the community support. Thank you!
 
I am planning on attending the RV-1 tribute
at TDZ. I can only speak for myself, but
there are also RVs in the Columbus area
attending as well as other OVRVs from Ohio
and the western Pennsylvania area.

It's hard to guess on attendance at TDZ.
Our spring picnic on Saturday has 25-30 planes
signed up to attend.

Breakfast, lunch and RVs, how can you go wrong,
Tom
 
This afternoon I arrived in Detroit via the "company jet" (jumpseat), after running into Smokey Ray in Chicago Midway and having a nice chat. Local Toledo area RV-8 builder and Toledo RV-1 visit organizer Paul Jaffray met me in Detroit and we drove to Toledo Exec.

Paul showed me around the EAA Chapter 582 hangar, with the chapter Pietenpol undergoing some improvements, a nice chapter shop (where they carve their own wood props!) and a nice library/media center (including a multi-screen flight sim and great video-teleconferencing capability)...cool chapter hangar!

Met of few of the TDZ gang, as they mowed the grass in front of the hangar to make room for lot's of RVs (and others) to park during tomorrow's breakfast and BBQ lunch. Then it was off to Paul's home to check out his 8 project (looking good) alongside his Model A Truck project and his award-winning V-12 Jag XJ-6 beauty. All that inside his barn, which is next to where the 2000 foot runway he has planned will go. Nah, I'm not jealous at all! ;)

Nice dinner with some more local chapter members, including RV-8A builder Mike Whitescarver, where we compared notes on his cowl build and my cowl re-build. Then Paul tossed me the keys to the other Jag, and said "take it" (the 375 HP XJR). Pretty cool...the famous RVer hospitality strikes again!

Now checking Weathermeister for tomorrow's flight, and the outlook for the next few days.

Paul and the Chapter 582 gang have breakfast, burgers and dogs ready to go, and we're all excited to meet Tom as he brings in the -1 tomorrow at 10am. Looking forward to meeting RVers and others from all over the Ohio Valley, so come on out and join us for some fun!

See ya tomorrow!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Last edited:
Paul Jaffray and the EAA 582 Chapter gang did a great job rolling out the red carpet for the RV-1 return to the US today (literally...they had a red carpet to welcome Tom Martin and the -1!)

At least 30 aircraft (many RVs and others as well) came in to Toledo Exec, and were waiting for the -1 over pancakes:
VAF%2520RV-1%2520Planes%2520at%2520TDZ.jpg


Tom flew down the off-duty runway past the Chapter Hangar, then landed and taxied over to US Customs:
VAF%2520RV-1%2520arrival.jpg


After clearing customs, Tom and his escort pilot were escorted to the hangar by a WWII jeep, conjuring up images of MASH's Corporal Klinger (from Toledo, of course) and Colonel Potter:
VAF%2520RV-1%2520Arrival%2520TDZ.jpg


VAF%2520RV-1%2520ARR%2520EAA%2520582.jpg


An international handshake on the red carpet for Tom, a good turnover brief and some paperwork, and we then spent some time letting the crowd see the RV-1 and enjoying EAA 582 burgers:
VAF%2520RV-1%2520Handshake.jpg


Tom headed home to Canada to make his customs appointment back home, and we spent a few hours letting folks enjoy the -1, and sharing great hangar flying. Weather and winds were forecast for the Elkhart/Mishawaka area in the evening, so we launched from Toledo in the afternoon. Don McNamara flew escort in Smokey, his gorgeous RV-8 in Navy VF-84 regalia (and all the bells and whistles in the cockpit of a fighter jet...fun machine!)
RV-1%2520261.jpg


After meeting with the local Mishawaka folks for a while, another BBQ, and some good sunset hangar flying, we put the RV-1 to bed in Don's hangar, which is painted from floor to ceiling as the flight deck/hangar deck of the USS NIMITZ CV-68:
VAF%2520RV-1%2520Fangs%2520Hang.jpg


So another great day in the RV-1 tour, and a great start to the I-70/I-80 Barnstorming Tour! We'll leave you with a sunset shot of the RV-1 tucked into Don and Melinda McNamara's little slice of RV heaven!
VAF%2520RV-1%25203C1%2520good%2520night.jpg


I hope more of the Toledo and Mishawaka folks will post some more pics...I know a ton were taken!

Off to KC (Lees Summit) tomorrow!

Cheers,
Bob
 
Thanks for the photos, Bob

Very nice pics. And, Don, what a cool hangar!

Thanks to the Toledo folks for the hospitality!
 
Back
Top