Lewis Patton’s, JOK, whether one prefers a HUGH event or not, is an unprecedented well organized HAPPENING. After 10 years I am still awed at the attendance, sorties, vendors, news media, spectators as well at the number & size of motor homes & coaches. The onsite rolling stock has gotta be in the millions.
JOK was a different gig for me as I normally stay at the Hampton but was invited to join the Bowling family in Mt Washington. What a pleasure to be welcomed into one’s family as if you had some blood privileges. I never felt any more at home than if I was at home! Even their son, CJ, seemed genuinely gracious to relinquish his bed room for the week.
So on to the jet scene with Jerry’s buddies, Keith, Kent, Drew, Todd, etc. that are in an out of his shop from early morn to say 3AM. His shop is in a detached garage in front, big shop in the middle & a paint room in the back. Well we certainly made use of it dealing with my Hawg, Metal Cat & Hawker Hunter as well as Kent’s Hawk, Drew’s Viper & on & on. Man I mean it was 24/7 jets, jets & jets.
To add to the delight Tina, Jerry’s roommate, delivered fried squash slices (which I had not had tasted in decades) to the shop, subsequently ringing the dinner bell for BLTs & homemade pies….WOW ! ! !
The flying weather was perfect from Wednesday till closing the gates Sunday evening. My first hawg flight was great until I tried to delay touch down for traffic back taxing on the center stripe, stalled busting the nose gear. So a pair of retract side brackets, nose strut, some nicks & scrapes that Jerry has graciously agreed to repair & the tank busted will be hammering the scene again. Thanks to Keith Yates getting the Metal Cat trimmed we had 5 fast, I mean faster than I had flown in many a year, flights.
We ventured over to a private field on Thursday morning, outside of New Albany, Indiana, to test fly Kent’s hawk & Jerry to singe the sky line with his Ultra Flash. This site is absolutely the most beautiful & user friendly flying facility I have ever witnessed. The Mint Julep & Scale Masters are held at this facility.
We plan on hosting an Invitational Event here during 2015.
Keith Yates should have been in this picture but he was on the flight line at the time.