904 (Lake Chapala-Mexico) Wing

Air Force Association of Canada

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Last updated
July 7, 2008
Wing Executive

September 2005

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Hola 904 Wingers from your newly elected executive. Since our assumption of office in July we have had a few TGIF's at the Old Posada, an Executive Council meeting, and a great visit with our Mexican counterparts, the A.E.M.A.,A.C. My first duty now is to thank Bill Watt, our charter president, for the superb leadership and organization skills he has applied to get us airborne. He has set in place a firm foundation on which we can continue to build an active and vibrant organization here in the Chapala area from which we can all benefit. I would also like to thank our Newsletter scribe Bob Rowlatt for his contribution towards keeping us informed about the Wing and other military/ aviation related topics. We on the executive have been working on a program for next year and have included our proposal for you to peruse later in this letter. We would also like to solicit your ideas for inclusion in the program to myself or Bob Rowlatt. We look forward to the arrival of our "snowbirds" in a month or so, without your membership we would probably cease to exist. The first major event will be the BBQ at the LCS, which is now planned for the 18th of November, just before the mass exodus of local ex-pats to the beach to avoid the local invasion of rockets and music traditional about the time of the American Thanksgiving. For my part I look forward to working in your interest to provide an aviation related ambiance that we can all share and enjoy.

904 Wing Program
Date	Theme	Venue
9 Sep 05	Aviation, Battle of Britain	La Nueva Posada
14 Oct 05	Games Night	“Old” Posada
11 Nov 05	Remembrance Day	Chapala Cemetery
18 Nov 05	BBQ, Welcome Back Snowbirds	Lake Chapala Society
04 Dec 05	Air Show	Guadalajara Airport
09 Dec 05	Presentation on the Canadian War Museum	La Nueva Posada
13 Jan 06	Nostalgia Night	La Nueva Posada
10 Feb 06	Panel Discussion on Medical Issues	La Nueva Posada
17 Mar 06	Annual Dinner Dance (Note 2)	La Nueva Posada

Wing Program Notes:
Regular meetings are normally held on the second Friday of the month, but may be adjusted for convenience sake. Also, additional beer calls may be added on the last Friday of the month at the Old Posada when members desire. Special events such as our meetings with the AEMA, AC and an Air Show in December will be announced, as we know about them. An attempt will be made to keep business sessions short and confined to the meetings at La Nuevo Posada. Overall responsibility for the program and venues lies with the First VP Jim Wamboldt, assisted by the Second VP Ron Hudson.

VISIT TO ZAPOPAN AIRBASE FOR 29TH NATIONAL CONVENTION

The 904 Wing's visit to the airbase in Zapopan took place in July, thanks to our Mexican Air Force Association friends. Peter De Tracey, Jim Wamboldt, Don Slimman and Ron Harrington toured the base, accompanied by Victor Rojas from the Asociación de la Escuela Militar de Aviación, Asociación Civil (A.E.M.A., A.C.). The tour involved meeting the Base Commander, visiting the flight line and the flying school. We viewed all the training aircraft and watched an air show put on by a model aircraft biplane with a wingspan of about five feet. She did maneuvers that were gut wrenching and fun to watch. Just think of what they were saving in fuel and flight safety! We also witnessed a parade of the cadets in full dress uniform with their band and falcon mascots. The cadets marched past in honour of their alumni and vice versa. We were impressed at how the senior pilots kept in step; not bad for an Air Force parade. On the next day we attended the memorial service for the 5 pilots killed in action during WWII in the Pacific campaign. The memorial is located on the site of the original flying school at the corner of Chapultapec and Pedro Moreno, on the boulevard. This was a moving ceremony with the cadet band on site, a memorial speech by our friend Enrique Guerrero Osuna and laying of a wreath.

Bill and Jane Singlehurst joined Jim and Rhoda Wamboldt and Peter and Leith De Tracey at the Malibu hotel for the festivities Saturday evening. The dinner dance started at 2200 hours with the dinner arriving about 2330. After many shots of tequila, we dined and danced and had a great time. The Mexicans were gracious hosts and the General in charge of the flying school and his charming wife joined us at our table. There was a change in the executive; a new national president was chosen along with several other members of the executive including the president of the local club in Guadalajara.

Peter De Tracey presented an AFAC plaque to the retiring president, Victor Rojas, in appreciation of his friendship and support of 904 Wing. The dancing continued into the early hours of the morning. We had a great time and a few good contacts were made that will foster closer relations with the Mexican Air Force Association in the future. It was decided that the 2006 national convention would be held again in Guadalajara, which presents us with a good opportunity to participate again, hopefully in larger numbers. This was truly a worthwhile experience and something unique, in which our Wing can take part.

Smart Logic

Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Photo from the memorial service on Chapultapec Blvd.
The gentleman in the foreground is Jaime Zenizo Rojas, the sole surviving pilot of 201 Squadron.

Photo of the old Stearman biplane, which was used previously as the Mexican Air Force initial flight trainer.

904 (Lake Chapala-Mexico) Wing Executive Council
President	Pete De Tracey
Past President	Bill Watt
1st Vice-President	James Wamboldt
2nd Vice-President	Ron Hudson
Secretary	Jack Girard
Treasurer	Tombo Thomlinson

Editor's Comments

This is the first issue of the fall session and I hope that you find it to you liking. If you don't let us know and we'll see what we can do to solve the problem.

Take a good look at the program on the first page and mark your calendar now so you don't miss any of the big events planned for the year. Snow birds who are still in Canada might want to bring something for show-and-tell on Nostalgia Night planned for 13 January 2006.

One of the things that we would like to do this year is select a name for our bulletin/newsletter that clearly labels it as a unique newsletter of the only Wing of the Air Force Association in Mexico. I'm sure that you already know we're a bit different! To assist us take a minute and pass your suggestion for a new name for the bulletin. There is a gift Air Force Association pen and maybe a beer for the person with the best suggestion for a newsletter name!

Please pass any comments or letters to the editor's to Bob or Mario, thanks.

Last Posting
Robert Malcolm (Mac) McNicol passed away peacefully at home with his family. The members of the 904 Wing extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family. All his Lakeside friends will miss him.