Highlights from this episode: We talk about John Slemp’s new book, Bomber Boys and the many, amazing stories behind these iconic leather jackets and the men who wore them. We also discuss a B-17 that Mark got to climb into at the Mid-Atlantic Airshow recently, and the Gregory Peck movie, Twelve O’Clock High. Radio Commentator: And seated in the copilot’s seat, the favorite of servicemen everywhere, Bing Crosby. [music playing] Paula Williams: Welcome to Contrails and Cocktails. This episode is going to be a very special one because our guests just finished a book about the WWII Bomber Boys, the jackets that they wore, the entire language and the entire culture, and everything else around these particular items of clothing. So, John Slemp was born in Japan and was a world traveler before he was a teen. After attending college on an academic scholarship, he served in the US Army stationed in Germany and out of curiosity, spent many hours visiting well-known museums throughout Europe. Little did he know that he was preparing for a life in commercial photography, with the world’s best art being a spell-binding tutor. Fast-forward twenty-plus years and his extensive photography experience allow him to create a wide variety of images, including environmental still life, portraits, and lifestyle images. Light, shape, and composition are all tools used to create images for a wide variety of editorial corporate, and advertising clients worldwide. His goal is to produce the best images possible for each assignment. He’s got a great sense of humor, and he is a big fan of dogs, fly fishing, and a good cheeseburger. So, John and I are joined by Mark Perry, who is the president of Global Aircraft Group. Global Aircraft Group sponsors this podcast. They offer desktop appraisals, expert witness, and pre-buy inspections. The founder is located in New England, and he travels free of charge for anyone with a situation that needs his services. That might be an aircraft appraisal, an aircraft transaction, an estate settlement, a divorce, a legal situation, or an insurance situation. Whatever it is, if you’ve got a problem, involving aircraft values, Mark can solve it. So, president and founder Mark Perry have over thirty years of experience in corporate aviation, he has unparalleled access to professional resources and helps the organization achieve positive returns on client investments in capital. Prior to Global Aircraft Group, Mark worked for Bombardier in numerous capacities, including sales, maintenance completion, and pre-purchase inspections. He worked at one time for the Skunk Works under Kelly Johnson, that’s the luck key to advanced development programs. And he holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Management. He’s a certified aircraft appraiser and a licensed airframe and power plant mechanic. Perry also attended the Massachusetts School of Law in Andover. So, this is going to be a great conversation and I’m really looking forward to hearing all about the bomber boys. So, let’s get started. [music playing] Lyrics: Oh, we sing, as we wing through the air, Look below, there’s our field over there. With our full crew of all, Then I trust in the Lord Coming in on a wing and a prayer. Paula: John Slemp just recently published a book on World War II Bomber Boys which is I’m sure a fabulous book. I need to buy my copy so that I can go through it in detail. I’ve been seeing pictures of it from it, and I’ve always followed John’s work. It’s amazing and he does great, great photos. So, I’m just happy. Excited to have you guys in the same room. Mark Perry: Nice to be here. John Slemp: Nice to be here. Creating the book in and of itself was a story. I started in 2014, basically, as a lark. You know, I knew… I-I’m an army veteran and I’ve known about the jackets for years, but I had never seen one. And so, I put the word out through [inaudible] asking if anybody had one, I’d like to see it. Of course, somebody had their uncle’s jacket and they brought it in, and it was spectacular. And so, I photographed it and one of my clients is a woman in Aviation International and I have photographed their Board. One of their board members is Dorothy Cochran, who’s on… she’s a curator at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. So just for fun, I sent it to her, you know, in an email, “Hey Dorothy, this is something I’m working on.” And 58 minutes later, I got a separate email from the curator of the Aviation Clothing Collection, Dr. Alex Spencer. And he said, “We have fifteen jackets out of work for your project. When can you be here?” I was shocked, pleased, and amazed, all the things you might imagine. A few months later, we made arrangements, and I went up there and I shot thirteen jackets, and we were off to the races. Initially, it was just about the artwork. I didn’t really have much in the way of understanding the stories and the aerial ...
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Dec 24 202334 min
44 min