The News Journal from Wilmington, Delaware • Page 49

www.delawareonline.com MONDAY, JAN. 15, 2007 THE NEWS JOURNAL E3 'Off we go, into the wild blue yonder 5 Museum's flight simulation exhibit lets everyone fly high The News JoumaiSCOTT NATHAN The Air Mobility Command Museum is housed in a hangar located one half-mile from the intersection of Del. 9 and U.S. 113 south of Dover. i By M.

ELIZABETH FARRELL and JILL FREDEL Special to The News Journal DOVER If becoming a fighter pilot sounds like a far-fetched New Year's resolution, skip the skepticism. It's true. Sort of. The Air Mobility Command Museum's new flight simulation exhibit enables anyone with a will to fly to climb into the cockpit of a C-141 Starlifter plane and "fly" wherever they wish. Museum director Michael Leister said he still marvels when he thinks about a 12-year-old kid who landed an F-15 fighter plane on an aircraft carrier on his second try "We have over 200 airplanes to fly over Dover Air Force Base, or under the Eiffel Tower in France, or under the Delaware Memorial Bridge, for example," he said.

You can consider piloting the last remaining B-17G Flying Fortress aircraft, which was produced too late to see action in World War II but was part of the 1948 flying bomb project. Or, perhaps you'd like to soar at the controls of the CG-4A Hadrian, a World War II cargo glider that is one of about eight in existence. The opportunity to fly these and dozens of other airplanes is just the latest change at a museum, which was born out of a suggestion. Leister created the museum in 1986 after working as an Air Force mechanic. He said he began carting large pieces of aircraft to air shows in 1978 for displays.

Because of the popularity of the exhibitions, his commander at that time recommended that he formalize his idea. "I made a suggestion about starting something to repair old planes for people to be able to see. Being in the military, my commander said, 'You suggested it, you do it," he said. "I've been doing this for almost 30 years and it's the best job there is." Leister's latest innovation is the state-of-the-art simulation booth that he and his crew created. Using a computer and projection screen connected to the cockpit of the C-141, they added in replicas of scenery and real-time flight decisions.

"The experience looks and feels like you are actually out over the Delaware Bay and coming in to land," Leister said. Computer-programmed airplane reproductions and flight plans enable each guest pilot to customize the experience. Because each flight is directed by guests, a wrong move could send one plummeting into the ocean or making a crash landing in a cornfield or even another country, he said. Visitors needn't worry about crashing, thanks to real pilots from Dover Air Force Base and others who serve as volunteer instructors. The pilots give basic flight instruction and serve as copilots.

In light of heightened sensitivities around national security, Leister said the volunteer pilots are trained to look Aircraft such as the BT-1 3 Valiant trainer (hanging from ceiling) are restored using pieces from several planes. The C-131 Samaritan was the museum's first "flyable" airplane. The museum was created in 1986 by its director Michael Leister, a retired Air Force mechanic. for any signs of potential security issues with those receiving the free instruction. Paul George, 71, is one of those volunteers.

He turned a passion for aviation, a love of flying radio-controlled models and an hour on the flight simulator into teaching others how to master the museum's fleet. What has he learned? "Girls are a lot more gentle on the controls and handle landings better" than boys, he said. At least on the first try. Boys are too aggressive with the controls and the planes veer all over, George said. But boys adapt quickly and master it all in no time.

George, who moved to just outside Camden after retiring from New Mexico 3'j years ago, has taught about 100 people in the 2 Vi months he's been volunteering. He said the most popular plane has been the C-47 a replica of the WWII cargo aircraft is on display in the museum. George can change the conditions snow, wind, clear and sunny and guests can land the plane on the simulated Dover Air Force Base runway. George said many he has taught, AIR MOBILITY COMMAND MUSEUM LOCATION: 12 mile from the intersection of Del. 9 and US 113, south of Dover Air Force Base.

Use the Del. 9 entrance. HOURS: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed on federal holidays) ADMISSION: free INFORMATION: 677-5992, www.amc museum.org or museum'p 1 dover.af.mil FLIGHT SIMULATOR: Open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed.

and Sat. and other times based on the availability of volunteer instructors. Schools can make reservations by calling 677-5938, option 2. DETAILS: The museum is housed in a WWII aircraft hangar with a gallery and 1,300 square feet of exhibit rooms. An adjacent building has a theater, museum store, exhibit workshop and offices.

CURRENT EXHIBIT: "Rations It's What's for Dinner" about the history of military food rations. from ages 4 to 83, share the same response to the flight simulator: "It's one of the highlights of their visit here." The flight simulations last about five minutes per person on busy days, Leister said, but can run much longer when the museum is not busy Although he has only one simulator, two or three new ones will be added in coming months, Leister said. Boy Scouts can earn an Aviation Merit Badge if a Scout Master enrolls them in the one-day course that Leister developed. For those who admire airplanes but don't wish to fly, the museum has more to offer. Housed in an aircraft hangar, it has a gallery and 1,300 square feet of exhibit rooms.

An adjacent building has a theater, shop, exhibit workshop and offices. Visitors can view photographs, historical documents, films, drawings, audio and videotapes, and scrapbooks. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its significance as the site of the U.S. Army Air Forces rocket test center during WWII. This story first appeared in Midstate Living, a bi-wee kty magazine published by The News journal.

It covers the state from Middletovm to Dover. Free copies are available at restaurants and other locations in those areas. Contact Jill Fredel at 3.14-2859 or jfredeldelawareonline.com --xJHU- Sir, Volunteer instructor Paul George guides Ed Moulin of Great Neck, N.Y., as he lands an aircraft in the museum's flight simulator. Four generations of Doubets uphold tradition of service established by the 'Dapper Jeweler ft 1 yt "--c 1 -J- tE h- LI Mark O'Banks spent a decade and $20,000 creating "Nybelwyck Hall," which is on display in New York's Hudson River Museum. Dying wish of (tollhouse mansion creator fulfilled its in a museum Hendry.

Doubet posted a Closed by Love sign in the store's window. Nola was recognized as a graduate gemologist by the Gemological Institute of America. She also was named "Diamond Salesperson of the Year" by leading diamond jewelers De Beers. Nola and Frank's son, Carl Doubet Hendry, grew up burying himself in packing peanuts and hiding in huge boxes in the store's basement. When it was time to pick a major at the University of Delaware, he chose art and photography As part of his coursework, he spent a lot of time sketching.

"I found myself drawing jewelry designs," he said. He put toepther a series of desipns that impressed New York designer Michael Schwerd. "Carl's designs are way beyond industry standards," he said. "It's not the kind of thing you can go to school for. It's what you're born with." In 2003, Hendry began an intensive course of study with the Gemological Institute of America.

He earned the title graduate gemologist and realized his family's business dovetailed perfectly with his love of art. He also found he enjoys working with his parents. "It's a great team," he said. "My father does the financials. My mom is one of the world's greatest experts on gems, and I do the design work.

We have a lot of fun together." This story first appeared in Sitiafurp BranaWme, a quarterly magazine produced by The News Journal. Story by LAURIE S.M0IS0N Special to The News Journal The voice on the phone was faint. "I have this ring," she said. "It's been on my hand for a long time. It's too small for me now, and I can't get it off.

Can you help me?" Carl Doubet Hendry doesn't normally make house calls, but that was what was needed. Arriving at the 95-year-old woman's home, he spent 45 minutes talking with her about life and how rings wear into your fingers the same way love wears into your soul. Then, he carefully cut off the ring and took it to Carl Doubet Jr. Jewelers, the Greenville store he co-owns with his parents, Nola and Frank Hendry. When Hendry returned with the resized engagement ring, the woman's eyes welled up.

"I now have two men I love," she said. "My husband and you because you enabled me to wear this ring again. It's been such a part of my life." Hendry, 30, pauses as he tells the story. He tries to find a way to put into words what four generations of the Doubet family have intuitively known about customer service. "My grandfather taught me that being in business is about developing a relationship versus making a sale," he said.

Since 1895, when Hendry's greatgrandfather, Carl A. Doubet, became a jeweler, the Doubet family has been living that business ethic. Known as the Dapper Jeweler for his three-piece suits, "Nybelwyck Hall," a name O'Banks said he divined using a Ouija board, was appraised at $160,000 and given to New York's Hudson River Museum (www.hrm.org), where it is on display through April. Its 900 interior objects include teensy furnishings bought from the now-closed Washington Dolls' House and Toy Museum, needlepoint rugs that O'Banks crafted and pictures he framed with molding found on the street. By ANNIE GROER The Washington Post Mark O'Banks spent 10 years and $20,000 building and furnishing an elaborate dollhouse in his Washington apartment before he died of AIDS in 2002.

His hope was that the 26-room mansion, with 19th-century architectural elements suggested by homes in Washington and the Hudson River Valley, would end up in a museum, he said in a 2001 interview. And so it has. News Journal file BOB HERBERT Carl Doubet Hendry puts his passion for art and design and his gemologist's training to work in the family business. spats, top hat and cane, Doubet built his business by building relationships. In 1938, Doubet's son, Carl Doubet and Alice Maemanaman spent their honeymoon in New York City with $19 to buy merchandise for a new store at 10th and Orange streets in Wilmington.

Soon, daughter Nola was born. The day Nola married Army Capt. Frank T..