• July

    17

    2022

Airdrop for Ukraine

On April 9, 2022 a charity event to raise money for food donations to Ukrainian refugees was held at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.

Airport Director, Colonel Dave Darrah, USMC (Retired) coordinated this all day event with the event sponsors. Basically, the event was a “bean bag bombing derby.”

Participating aircraft and crews donated $100 per bean bag dropped. The bombing target’s bulls eye was a kiddie swiming pool place in the grass alongside the active runway. Aircraft crews consisted of a pilot and a bombardier. Bombing runs were accomplished at 300-500 feet AGL at airspeeds comfortable to the pilot in command. Cash prizes were available to those who scored bulls-eye direct hits! Regrettably, no directs were recorded!

Besides Airport Director Darrah who is a member of the VAHS Board of Directors, several pilots and bombardiers from the Warrenton/NOVA Chapter of the Virginia Aeronautical Historical Society were active participants in this charity event. Although Chapter Leader W3 flew a most precise bombing run, his able bombardier William ( No Tell) reported that the 14 knot cross wind and ” hatch open, wind in the face” run was entirely different to his previous flights in the Arizonia Commerative Air Force’s B-17 ” Sentimental Journey!” As a side note, William’s father had the honor of signing that bomber’s bombay door when it visited Warrenton-Fauquier Airport on 31 August to 7 September 2020.

It is also noted that “ace aerial” photographer Alex Hrapunov — a frequent photo-chronicler of Virginia aviation history – captured both the Ukrainian Bombing Derby and the previous visit of the Sentimmental Journey at the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.”

Semper Fi, W3
Frank Wickersham III

The final amount raised was reported to be $17,000. Thank you to everyone who made this
possible!

Photos by: Alex Hrapunov

Credit: Virginia Eagles Spring 2022 Newsletter

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