Saturday, May 19, 2018

31st Annual Armed Forces Day Celebration - Findlay, Ohio

This morning we trekked over/up to Findlay for the 31st Annual Armed Forces Day Celebration.  This is our first visit to this three day event, and I'm happy to say that it far exceeded my expectations.

It consists of a model show, re-enactors, vendors of militaria ranging from books to vehicles, displays of equipment, weapons, and vehicles, demonstrations, and if so inclined, rides in Huey medevac choppers from Vietnam.  I'm sure that there are other activities and events that I've missed, but you get the idea.

As we left the parking lot, we immediately happened upon WWII German re-enactors with an outstanding display of small arms and equipment, each doing an great job of engaging the public and sharing their knowledge.  Following that, was an equally nice American Rev War encampment.  As we were leaving that area, we were overtaken by a US Army squad conducting a patrol circa 1969.

Next was a live fire (literally) demonstration with flame-throwers, presented by the local USMC recruiters.  We were probably 75 feet or more from the flame, and the heat was surprisingly intense.  Spectators that insisted on crowding the fence probably 50-55 feet away from the flame, were pushed out of their area from the heat.

There were buildings each housing the scale models, and then equipment displays, and several more buildings with vendors.  Prices ranged, but were generally better than Ebay, flea markets, and auctions that I've been to.  I picked up a couple small uniform items as painting guides for figs I'll soon be working on.  the focus of the products is heavy WWII to modern, but there was a smattering of earlier stuff ranging back to the Rev. War.

Intermixed among the buildings of vendors were displays of privately owned vehicles, mostly wheeled, but with a few tracked vehicles.  In all it was a great time, with a polite and well managed crowd, easy access, and a bargain for admission fee of $5.00

I didn't take a lot of pics, but here are a few:



Just an example of the types of displays in one of the buildings. 
Subject matter ranged mostly from WWII to the Gulf.

A beautiful halftrack.

An M16A1.

Kubelwagen

Can you imagine being the neighbor of the guy that
wheels this thing out of his garage?  

A Nike Hercules, I wants!

A Jeep for my daughter, she has a thing for this chassis.

From the flamethrower demonstration, an M9A1-7, and a M2-2.

The M35 (? I think) gun truck, the nearest weapon on back is a torch...

... as you can see here.

And the demonstration of the man portable weapons.

The guy operating the M2 was surprised by the kick from the projector, 
as he was jolted back a step on firing for the first time.

I should have taken a lot more photos, but had eaten a lot of battery with taking some video, so was shooting sparingly.  I'll be better prepared next year.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for the photos you did take. Looked like a lot of fun.

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  2. Wow, that is a pretty cool looking event! Thanks for posting about it, and showing the pictures.

    I was near a dumpster fire once, and could feel the heat even 100' away, so I am sure that a flame thrower could heat things up even when it is not pointed in your direction!

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  3. I love those flamethrowers - I dont think Health & Safety would allow them in the UK - mores the pity!

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