DU input needed... My son wants a "Mustang P-51" birthday party...

[ScreamingMeemie]

***nothing is ever easy in the house. One year he had a Mr. Smee (Peter pan) birthday.

I'm going to make him an airfield cake and load it up with plastic models. Last year he had a WWII birthday. Can you tell he is a flyboy at about to be 8?

Anyone have any other cool ideas...places I can find good images to copy over for decorations...? Games??


Thanks! gosh, sometimes I wish I had a normal kid... :D

[Cannikin]

1. That wont be cheap. Those old birds are expensive to fly and maintain

I've been an air buff since I was his age too. Its never gone away.

[ScreamingMeemie]

36. Maybe if I take up a collection...

:hi: He was really angry when we went to DC and he found out he couldn't actually sit in the planes at the Air and Space Museum. :hi:

[yellowdogintexas]

73. check out this link for EAA/Warbirds division.

http://www.warbirds-eaa.org/who/pictures.html

[Crazy Dave]

2. That sounds "cool"

Maybe you could use some of these and decorate them as fuel trucks.

[MissHoneychurch]

3. Hey Dave

:hi:

How are you?


Sorry MrsGrumpy for the thread-jacking :D

[Crazy Dave]

4. Guten Morgen!

In German Happy Birthday is Glucklich Geburtstag :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

13. Herzlichen Glückwunsch

not that I try to sound omniscient :)

Is it your b-day today?

[Crazy Dave]

16. Meinen geburtstag ist im September

:party:

[MissHoneychurch]

18. Cool

when I am in the States :D

[Crazy Dave]

20. Sehr gut

You can bring me some "Jacobs" Kaffe as a present ;)

[MissHoneychurch]

21. Me and coffee

:rofl:

I might work that out though :)

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. You better be!

This is about me, dammit! ;) :hi:

[MissHoneychurch]

14. I aplogize a thousand times (and more)

:) :hi:

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. Hey! cool idea!

My daughter has called those "skunk rolls" ever since she was a toddler. It got so ingrained here at our house that I get odd looks in the grocery store when I say..." And we need some skunk rolls..." :)

[Crazy Dave]

7. I did a "Google" on runway cakes and got....

This



And this



Now if it were my birthday...:evilgrin:

[BreweryYardRat]

9. GAH!

My eyes! :puke:

[xchrom]

17. love the dress!

[taterguy]

8. I have some pics

I took them during a visit to the new Air and Space museum. I can post them when I have time or you can PM me for them

[ScreamingMeemie]

37. Oooh that would be great.

Thanks tater! :hi:

[Robb]

10. BRAUUUUUUUUWM!!!

K-k-k-k-k-k-kow!! :bounce:



(P-51? Beats me. But old airplanes are coooooool...) :D

[Oeditpus Rex]

30. That's not a -51

But I can't figure out what it is, even armed with Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. And I feel like I should know. The clipped wings are a giveaway, but I ain't comin' up with it. :banghead:

Therefore, Robb is indeed a dingbat. :P

[Aristus]

31. It looks like a T-6 Texan training aircraft.

The ribbed canopy and the straight-edged wings are recognition points.

[Oeditpus Rex]

34. I think you're right

My first thought was that it was an AT of some type, but I was thrown by the canopy; it looks too short to me for a trainer, but I just read in Jane's that the AT-6 had varying canopy configurations.

The tapered leading edge and clipped wings screamed "Douglas" to me, too. :crazy:

[Robb]

46. Maybe this pic will help:

Took these at the air show last year... the jet joined the formation after the smoke 'n spin. ;)


On edit: Whoops, different plane! :rofl:

[taterguy]

11. a couple pics from the Air and Space museum

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. Thank you!

:hi:

[Chan790]

12. They grow up to be normal in my experience. (Image Heavy)

My brother was the same way when he was 8, yet grew up to be an anti-war protester and a pacifist. He still loves planes though. My cousin was the same way and joined the Air Force, as a jet mechanic. They're both pretty normal though.

As for images, I found 246,000 running a GIS because I had no idea what a P-51 even was.

http://images.google.com/images?q=P-51&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&o...

There are a few good images in the first few pages, these ones had clear backgrounds from which it would be easy to cut-out the planes.











There is a image of p-51 markings as well, from a model plane site.



I don't know of any games specifically, but you could modify old party games into new ones:

"Pin the tail on the donkey" into "Fighter Ace". Same game, just change the picture on the wall that they're aiming for to a smallish image of a fighter plane, draw cross hairs around it, first one to hit the plane wins.

"Tag" into "Dogfight". (They have to make plane noises while running around.)

Try to find a figher jet-shaped pinata. They make them, we got one for my brother for his 21st.

[XemaSab]

15. The "kill" stickers are a little morbid...

:scared:

[Chan790]

19. Yeah, But I figured the rest of the marker sheets would be useable. n/m

[ScreamingMeemie]

39. Those are perfect!

Thank Chan... :hi:

[Whoa_Nelly]

22. Get a bunch of those balsa wood plane models for favors they can throw

and maybe some of those huge styrofoam ones, too. (Have seen them at dollar-type stores...usually pick a few up for my granddaughter to play with just as I used to do for my son (her dad) when he was young.) Have a plane throwing contest in several sets, with the top throwers from each set of two players making it to the final throw, either distance, or into a large "target" area that has different points as it gets closer to the center..doesn't have to be round...could be squares drawn in chalk on the driveway with 10 points on the outside squares, and moving in to 100 for the center square. (Would give each kid at least three tries)

Get a paper airplane book from the library, and make copies of the coolest ones. The kids can make their own while at the party, and can take home the how-to pages with them.

Give each of the kids their own travel passports. Saw this idea here:
http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/airplane_parties_12.html

And here is a page with a bunch of plane party ideas:
http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/airplane_party.html

[ScreamingMeemie]

48. The balsa wood plane idea is excellent. I'm going to go to the

hobby shop and see if they have a P-51 model... Thanks WN! :hi:

[politicat]

23. Depending on how creative with words you are (though I'm sure DUers

Would be happy to help) how about a treasure hunt for the pieces of a plane? Little riddles like

Blades go up and blades go down
Spinning me round and round
In the garden, deep under cover
There I shall be found.

(so the scansion limps. I'm not a poet.)

Can you think of 10 places to hide things?

[ScreamingMeemie]

50. OOOh! A treasure hunt!

Excellent! Thanks! :ih:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Your kid's got good taste.

As they used to say back in the Big One: P-51s are the ROXOR!

[Deep13]

42. Prefer the P-38 Lightning.

Two counter rotating Alison V-12 engines, four 0.50 cal. machine guns and a 50mm canon. Nasty piece of hardware. Probably did not have the range of the P-51.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

43. Me to.

Of course, the best was the De Havilland Mosquito.

[Deep13]

44. Looks big, like a light bomber.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

45. It's a little bigger.

And except for the two merlin engines, built mostly out of wood.

In the early part of the war she was mostly used for photo reconnaissance and other intelligence gathering roles. For example, an SAS officer could squeeze into the fuselage with a small radio and relay messages to the French resistance, or British spies, or escaping Allied prisoners, etc.

Being would, they wouldn't have stood up to much ME-109 fire, but they didn't have to. They could fly so high and fast that they could simply outrun anything that the Germans had.

Later models were given machine guns and cannons, for fighting, ground support, and sub hunting.

[ScreamingMeemie]

51. I have to take him to the airshow everytime it comes to town!

His sister used to work it when she was in Civil Air Patrol, and he got to stay all day and some of the pilots would ride him around, wearing their flight jackets and skip him to the head of the line so he could see inside the planes... He was in boy heaven. :hi:

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

25. Pffft! Don't be cheap! Buy a real Mustang p-51

You know you want to :P

[ScreamingMeemie]

53. Sure! Wanna help with the financing?

;) :hi:

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

74. Uhhh. . . . . About that. . .

On second thought, maybe you should stick with the models :P :hi:

[Throckmorton]

26. Give him a My Little Pony Themed one instead

Tell him you couldn't find any Mustang related stuff, but a pony is close right?

[ScreamingMeemie]

54. ...and then he will never ask for another birthday party again.

;) :hi:

[Reverend_Smitty]

27. could be worse...

he could want a Newshour with Jim Lehrer themed party http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_167094324.html

[ScreamingMeemie]

55. Now this is true...

I think Mr Smee took the cake. His sister drew, colored and cut out all the decorations. She was amazing. :hi:

[Blue-Jay]

28. Your son has good taste in aircraft, at least.

The P-51 is the most beautiful aircraft that has ever flown in my opinion.

I have an idea! In honor of the Tuskegee airmen, everyone at the party could paint their entire backside red!

[ScreamingMeemie]

56. ....

:rofl:

[LibertyLover]

29. Well, I prefer the P-47 Thunderbolt myself

but to each his or her own. About the cake - if you decide not to do the airfield (although I think it's a great idea) check with your local bakery. The one in our supermarket advertises that it can put any picture on a cake. If yours has the same service, you could bring them a photo of a P-51 Mustang and they could put in on your son's birthday cake.

If kids these days are into playing games, what about "pin the propeller on the aircraft"? If you are artistic, you could make a P-51 pinata.

Good luck - and congratulations to the birthday boy for an inspired choice for his party.

[ScreamingMeemie]

57. Thanks for a great idea...

Sometimes my ideas do not fit into my time schedule, so I'll have to check that out. :hi:

[Oeditpus Rex]

32. Bring him to the airport here

We've got four of 'em. One's a -51A. :D

This is it, next to "Iron Ass" and "The Dutchman." Missing from the photo are "Ridge Runner" and another whose name escapes me. "Iron Ass" was sold to a guy in San Diego in February.



From here: http://www.mustangsmustangs.com

(I've sat inside "Iron Ass." That's a tight fit.)

[ScreamingMeemie]

58. I did not know that. My brothers both live in So Cal...

We'll have to do that next visit! :hi:

[zonkers]

33. Krations. Mock basic training. Dog Tags.

[ScreamingMeemie]

59. Great ideas!!!

I love the dog tag idea! Thanks!

MrG would really get into the mock basic training I fear. :D

[HEyHEY]

35. Okay, you're son is in my "cool" books now

Cause when I was a lil' kid we knew all about WW2 and stuff. But I didn't think kids now did. That's awesome.

[ScreamingMeemie]

60. He is all about WWII...books, movies, television shows.

Anything he can find about it. Today we watched "The Thin Red Line" for the 800th time. :hi:

[taterguy]

40. Be careful if you ever give him Microsoft's Combat Flight Sim

It won't warp his mind but it is very addictive. If I had that as a kid I would have never done homework and/or left the house.

[ScreamingMeemie]

61. He is really addicted to Call of Duty...

He and his father both...sigh...

:hi:

[rockymountaindem]

68. Give him IL-2 Sturmovik and all the expansion packs

Way, way better with more planes and scenarios.

'Course I would never waste my time on computer games :sarcasm: ;)

[Frank Cannon]

41. I saw a P-51 in an airshow a few years ago

Man, those things could fly. They STILL can. Your son has terrific taste in aircraft.

See if there's an airshow coming up near you somewhere and take him to it. This is airshow season, so hopefully there's something going on.

[ScreamingMeemie]

62. His sister used to work the Airshow here at Selfridge when she

was a member C.A.P. They end the show with a P-51 riding wing to wind with an F-16. Even I have to say it is amazing how far we've come in aviation...it also makes me a little teary everytime. :hi:

[ulysses]

47. hey, he could have wanted a News Hour w/ Jim Lehrer party

like that kid a while back. :D

[ScreamingMeemie]

63. This is true...

:scared:

[GOPisEvil]

49. P-51! Cadillac of the sky!!!!

Great, great airplane. That kid has good taste. :)

[ScreamingMeemie]

64. We call him "Flyboy"...

He loves visiting with PassingFair's husband, who is his grownup equivalent. He has flight simulators that he lets BabyG mess around with. He's basically a God in the eyes of BabyG. :)

[bigwillq]

52. Just a reminder. My b-day is in February!

:hi: :)

Sounds like you guys know how to have a party! :hug:

[ScreamingMeemie]

65. Tell me what you want, and promise to be here, and I'd do it!!!

:loveya: :hug:

How are things?

[bigwillq]

66. Things are well!

Work is slow so I am getting a chance to DU! :bounce: And I am enjoying it!

I am eating doritos! :bounce:

I think I am going to PM you. I have a couple of questions.

[ScreamingMeemie]

67. And I will gladly answer them!

What kind of doritos? I am addicted to Cooler Ranch. I am glad you are here. Work is piled up but apparently I don't care. :bounce: :D

[bigwillq]

69. Just regular nacho cheese.

I haven't had a chance yet to PM you. I got a bit busy!

You better do some work. You better care! Or else...... :spank:

[WannaBePassingFair]

70. Oh yes,

Ricky's birthday is coming up soon, isn't it. How is Louise? I haven't spoken with her in days.
Regards,
Vicky

[ccjlld]

71. Try airshow.com

They had lots of different types of stuff that could be used as party favors. Didn't see much P-51 Mustang stuff. They did have some cool P-38 Lightning inflatables though.

[AlienGirl]

72. Sounds perfectly normal to me!

I used to babysit a four-year-old who would talk about "his" Zero all the time. He could tell you exactly where everything on the control panel was and how to fly it, and he *would* tell you, over and over. :D

Tucker