WMWA Vice President

PJ Ash

I would like to thank Dino for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of the WMWA.  I’ve loved warbirds ever since I’ve seen airplanes.  I’m a qualified commercial pilot who has been flying RC for 17 years.  I’ve been building and flying scale warbirds for about 10 years now and see no signs of stopping!  I feel that warbirds play an essential role in this hobby and are a ongoing book that tells the story of our heroes serving this great country (and others) so we can enjoy the freedoms that we have.  Every time I build and/or fly my scale warbird, it gives me joy to know that in my own little way, I’m preserving the part of history that I love.  I have the up most respect for our pilots and personnel who defended and are defending our country.  For that reason, I feel that the WMWA is a perfect match for me to be able to help and serve our modeling community by carrying on the memory of those who fought for us.    With that said, I spent a great amount of time with Dino getting to understand his father.  It was said at Sr.’s funeral, “let us not feel sorry for the people who knew him, but for the people who never got to meet him”.  I am one such person.  I do feel a great loss for Dino Sr., but having one of my best friends as his son, I feel that I’m able to get to know him through stories, pictures, and memories.  I, like many of you, have a picture of him in my workshop making sure I do it “just right”.  I do know that Sr. wanted to have a group of warbird enthusiast who love the history, airplanes, and service men and women.  This association is just that!    I want to help grow this association with more advertising, events, and new faces.  I would like to start new programs that will promote the association as well as promote warbirds.   I want to get to know you, and in return want you to get to know each other.  I will be announcing several projects and ideas for us to better understand the association members, what they have built, flown, etc.  I know as I’m building a plane, to get information on my project from someone who has “been there and got the t-shirt” is such a great help.  I look forward to hearing ideas from you and what you think could help the association.    Dino and I spent a lot of time together recently during the 2006 WRAM show in NY and discussed the future of the WMWA as well as a few issues.  We are working very hard to get an event in the Jersey and New York area.  Our main area of concern is an appropriate field.  If you have any ideas, please feel free to email either Dino or myself.  I’m working at starting an air show in the Lexington Kentucky area for those of you a little further south.  I will keep you informed as time goes on.  Look at the website for any updates.   Dino and I addressed some topics in which came up more than once. Regarding membership and what a member receives from the annual $15.00 dues/donation is simple, You receive a WOE or “Wings Of Eagles” newsletter which enables members to catch up on new items, projects, ideas and friendship from modelers all over the world! It’s being part of a special group of members who share the same passion, WARBIRDS! It’s that simple. We do not want the WMWA financials to be public information therefore they will not be printed in any newsletter.  However, anyone who is interested in knowing the WMWA financials are more then welcome to contact our treasurer.  The funds are used for the promotion of the WMWA through air shows, newsletters, and our website.  If in the unlikely event that the WMWA were to be dissolved, all remaining funds will be donated in Sr.’s name to the American Lung Association. I look forward to serving in this wonderful association and I think you for the opportunity to help grow the WMWA.