Sunday, October 13, 2013

Ethan Pelfrey, WWII Aircraft Enthusiast

I don't think I would be overstepping any bounds in saying that my little Ethan has become full blown obsessed with WWII aircraft. Let's see, how did it all start...? Eric, who is very interested in WWII history himself, had been reading these WWII encyclopedias that came with these color photographs and spec sheets of WWII planes. Ethan somehow found them and became interested in their designs. (For lego model purposes mostly, I think) But then he realized how much information about fuel tanks, engine size, gunners, wingspan (and I don't know what all) was also on these pages. Well, so then he wanted to know more about certain planes: the Mustang, the Hellcat, the Messerschmitt, the Zero, etc. Well, then we found this show on YouTube called Dogfights about WWII airplane dogfights between Americans and different Axis foes. Ethan was in heaven. He would watch these things all day every day if he could. Unfortunately for him, he can only watch on Friday night and Sat morning. Anyway, at this point, he is reading any library book he can get his hands on that has info on military aircraft and him and dad have special times to conference about...airplane stuff.
BUT, the thing that really gets him going is building these planes (to the best of his ability) out of legos and flying them around the house talking a mile a minute about all the technicalities and what not of the planes. It is out of control. I exaggerate not when I say he talks CONSTANTLY about these planes. One time I found Ethan standing next to my bed at 6 am. Instead of a "good morning" he just started spouting off about Japanese Zero fuel tanks! Wanna talk to Ethan on the phone? Better bone up on Mustang fuel tank capacity! My mother in law arrived 1 day ago and has already been forced through 2 Dogfights episodes and has had her brain stuffed with more than Superfortress specifications than most people care to know. Here are some quotes to back me up:
Natalie (self): "Ethan has forgotten more about WWII aircraft than most tenured history professors ever knew! If I listened to him half the time he was spouting off about this stuff I'd probably be eligible to teach a class on military air tactics."
Eric: "His knowledge is amazing...in both breadth and depth."
Interview with Ethan
Ethan, how do you feel about WWII planes? I feel pretty good. Its probably a little bit more famous because they didn't have as much electricity because WWII was in the 1940s.
What is your favorite WWII plane? Wildcat
What is your favorite enemy plane? The Japanese Oscar. It was a two gun single engine fighter.
If you could name a WWII aircraft what would it be? F18 Pidgeon

2 comments:

Caitlin said...

If you're ever in NE, my dad volunteers at an airplane museum on Saturdays and restores WWII airplanes! I have a few brothers who are slightly obsessed :)

Stephen said...

I have a pretty awesome WWII book I should send Ethan. It has all the planes AND all the guns and tanks and stuff.