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Fall Fun Day at Houma, LA

thinkn9a

Well Known Member
Went by Houma for a "short" visit today. Friendly folks at Butler aviation (do want to give them a plug) provided a PT cruiser and pointed us to "Nifty Fifties" cafe just down the road. (about a mile). Has the juke box, black and white tile, and the pink and black booths, etc. Food was appropriate for the atmosphere. Burgers, shakes (great "fountain" milkshake) :D , club sandwich, and salads. Real slabs of meat on club sandwiches, good fries and large hamburger. :)

While we were heading to eat, we called Charlie Hammonds of Hammonds flying service. We arranged to meet him at his museum, after we finished eating. (note.... you need to call and arrange to tour ahead of time,.. would not hurt to call a day or so ahead of time) Charlie you might say has flying in his blood,... only been flying for about 60 years, (named Charles Lindy Hammonds after Lindberg) ..and now in retirement he only flies 3 or 4 times/hours a day, so you need to nail him down or you won't get in and get the tour. 985-872-1423

Charlie got his commercial rating at 18 and soon thereafter was running a floatplane operation, doing instruction, etc. All the while during his career he collected "stuff' related to aviation, from Lindberg, to movies (his son was on staff at Top Gun school when Top Gun was filmed, and he flew the aggressor jets for the film) to Doolittle raiders, to friends with several different Thunderbird and Blue Angels groups. (at least one tried to get float qualified). He currently is in a "small museum" now that the PHI helicopter outfit bought out his old facility.

So,... he has some stories..

Now the reason for this post in Temp Posts. If you don't make it to Petit Jean, for the camping,.. you might want to head to Houma. The antique car club, local EAA chapter, and Military Vehicle Club are all going in with Charlie for Fall Fun Day, on 3 Nov 2012, from 10 to 3. Speakers include Charlie, his son Ricky,... and C.J. Christ who will be talking about the German subs in the Gulf during WW II.

should be some good stuff...

one of several old props,... he can tell you what it came off of
http://i50.tinypic.com/6yfhpf.jpg

gotta sign in to get admitted to the museum
http://i48.tinypic.com/3448isg.jpg

nifty fifties,...
http://i50.tinypic.com/2zzsupu.jpg
 
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