Vimy April 17

After saying our fond farewells at the Farm House we went over to the Lens Aerodrome for the team to finish sorting the equipment to be loaded onto the C-17 for the journey home.  Some stuff to go to Greenwood, N.S. with the Nieuports, and the remainder to remain with the Sopwith Pups and the SE-5, which will eventually make it back to Langley and the Canadian Museum of Flight.

We were then hosted for a grand lunch at the Hurricane Bar (at the Lens Aerodrome) by Regis and the Meeting Aérien de Lens.  There were wonderful speeches, and a slide-show from the landing of the C-17 in Lille, to the transport of the planes to Lens, and of course hundreds of pictures of the planes and pilots - in flight and on the ground.  After lunch Dominique and Cathie came over with a video that Dominique made for the team.  We were all in tears, it was so heartwarming.    

One of the members brought her mascot with a flying suit covered in aviation pins - hmmm - I think we need a mascot!