Qld Air Museum Open Cockpit Weekend July 2016

[Rebelrach]

Date: Sat and Sun 2-3 July 2016

Venue: Queensland Air Museum, 9 Pathfinders Drive, Caloundra West, Qld

Time: 1000-1500 each day

Mission: To add some Star Wars magic to the Air Museum’s annual Open Cockpit weekend, their biggest fundraising event of the year. This is our 4th invite and the organisers love us attending and interacting with the crowds. This year was bigger than ever, and the museum have added a restored Canberra Bomber to their collection, jumping castle and several new engines.

Trooper Attendance:

SATURDAY
Redback Garrison:
Studio49 – Vader
Zerebin – Kylo Ren
Baytrooper – Snowtrooper
Slide Effect – Tie Pilot
Scoot040 – Tie Pilot
Big Dub – Tie Pilot
Mykill – Reserve Pilot
Wolf - Jawa

RL:
Gavin – Xwing pilot

GA:
Xaviar – Mini Vader
Sebastian – jawa

Support Crew:
Shazzam
Imperial Drone
Triple9
Rebelrach – POC
Tobalation - RL

SUNDAY
Redback Garrison:
Stormraven – Tie Pilot
Mykill – Reserve Pilot
Cadet Smiddy - Biker Scout (costume test run with GML permission)
Spooky - Jawa

RL:
Brace – Xwing pilot
Rebelrach – Xwing pilot

Support Crew:
Shazzam

Details: The coded message (an older code but it checked out) went out to the Imperial Fleet that at Mos Eisley Spaceport (AKA Qld Air Museum) aircraft old and new were being assembled for the annual inspection, and a Star Wars presence was naturally required to ensure law and order was maintained amongst the mass of Galactic Citizens arriving (over 4,000 it was recorded).

Troopers boarded transports, gunships and speeders, hitting light speed through surprisingly little early morning galactic traffic, arriving safely from 8am on Saturday. Assembling in an abandoned bunker (demountable out the back of Hangar 2) a command post was established, supplies laid out, and Vader (did somebody say ‘Diva’) had suitable space to hang up his cloak). Luckily the weather was as mild as an Endor spring, so troopers were comfortable as they kitted up to observe the local citizens and test out the ‘Old Republic’ aircraft on display, keep galactic order, watching for scum and villainy and looking for those missing droids (still).

Troopers were immediately popular with the local inhabitants, even Kylo Ren as he stalked around angrily as if it were Star Killer Base. Baytrooper and Wolf, seasoned veterans and Big Dub, on his first mission, took their orders with gusto, making 4 kids cry before lunch, mission accomplished. The throngs of locals parted to watch Vader and his The Tie Pilots (or ‘fake Vaders Collin, Ian and Bruce’) parade around the museum, they themselves awed by the array of old air transportation on display. Slide Effects younglings put in a great effort also. Being hugely outnumbered, Xwing pilot Gavin was of no great threat, joining the Imperials checking out the F-111, a Mig, a DC3, army choppers, the cargo hold of a Caribou, a Tri-plane Red Baron, Waco bi plane - made of all sorts of crude matter.

By lunch time Kylo was in quite a mood. He ordered a pizza under ‘Kylo’ as well as a can of Solo. He finished what he started, stabbing the solo can with his saber while troopers scattered. But really, what do you expect of someone with such unresolved family issues.

After lunch the troopers were asked to record some local TV news footage, from Slide Effect trying to talk to the camera through his helmet and troopers needing several takes to ‘walk’ up to the camera, after the reporter had left we all wondered if that wasn’t just some video for his kid! It never did make the news that night.

At Gavin’s coaxing, Studio49 - Vader, Scoot040 and Big Dub joined him to re-create the trench run scene from A New Hope in a ‘trench’ between buildings. It was amusing to say the very least.

On the Sunday, part 2 of the mission saw the Imperials and Rebels more evenly matched, joined by another cheeky jawa. Troopers were invited to the aerodrome tarmac to inspect aircraft on docking bay 94, and the Mos Eisely spaceport administrators were most pleased with the Star Wars presence, inviting all parties back next year, but with bigger numbers.

Troopers flew in and out over both days, committing many hours to observing the Galactic citizens and questioning them about a suspected Rebel uprising and illegal smuggler runs. Some troopers even found local accommodation within the Space Port overnight, reporting back that ‘Caloundra’ was not, as reported, “a wretched hive of scum and villainy”. While a few lucky troopers were able to test drive the F-111 fighter jet, others tried out the Canberra Bomber (try folding Mykill into that cockpit), and the Mig was also a bit of a squeeze.

With the sun setting on another awesome Tatooine winters day, and reports of heavy asteroid traffic on the M1, troopers departed. Let’s face it, the odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field are 3,720…. to 1.

Charity Funds Raised: Nil

Injuries / Malfunctions: Nil.

Public Incidents: NIL. Though we lost count of how many small kiddies cried at all the Tie Pilots. Big Dub we’re talking about you!

Mission Status: SUCCESS – as always!!! We received positive feedback and thanks from the organisers, volunteers, vendors and the public. It’s a great fun troop, with awesome photo opportunities with the vintage aircraft, cars and props and being all weekend folks have time to catch up and enjoy themselves.

On a Personal Note: A HUGE thanks to all the troopers that came a long way to make the weekend so fantastic. It’s great to see the mix of characters over both days and how popular Star Wars is right now with old and young alike. Having Vader and Kylo Ren there, multiple Tie Pilots and Xwings over the weekend, jawas, scout, snowtrooper and 2 GA's as well, was excellent.

Our wranglers were invaluable, ushering troopers around aircraft wings and noses, over walkways and around the crowds. Shazzam wrangled both days, even keeping Spooky the jawa in line on Sunday, no mean feat. Imperial Drone, Triple9 and Tobalation were a huge help on Saturday with so many troopers. Big thanks to Mykill also for attending both days. The combo of characters makes this troop such a great success, along with the cooperation of everyone. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s my favourite troop of the year!

Photos I only got 550 pics, sorry about that. In no particular order…..

It Begins….



But Grandfather…I wanna go on the jumping castle..



Vader and his pilots and The Red Baron



Big Dub and the F-111



Those flyboys…no respect for the boss



Is Vader photobombing here?



Kylo is in need of Imperial Credits



Baytrooper showing off his colouring skills



Orange and White




The budget fan-made Trench Run scene…..edit by Studio39



Rebel photobomb!



You’re not my real dad! I think…



Imperial Shuttle, Caribou …same same



Snowies..they are sneaky



What are you looking at?



Jawa colouring



Some Airforce cadet fans



Class




The Saturday troop crew



Put them in the cargo hold….



You cannot take Spooky anywhere



Baytrooper making a new friend



The pilot and the navigator…



The Sunday team



Some of the Sunday crew