Way back in the 90s I inherited a Graflex 4x5 press camera from my future wife’s late father. Her family was going to throw it away before I saw it and its suitcase in their family’s basement.

If you are a fan of the Godfather, you will recognize a Graflex from the wedding scene. If you are a Star Wars fan, the Graflex flash bulb battery pack was used as a lightsaber.
It is a great camera and it is fun to use, but time has made it difficult to use. I did find a Polaroid back that allowed me to use out dated Polaroid film that is no longer being made. For a while, I was even able to find flash bulbs on Ebay.

My wife and I used to visit country fairs and dirt race tracks pulling a small red wagon of film cartridges, flash bulbs and snapping cool photos.

In 2004 my wife and I made an impromptu visit to Ypsilanti Michigan’s Yankee Air-Museum. The air museum has a wonderful collection of vintage aircraft and war memorabilia. My plan was to take some photos of the wonderful planes using both my new digital camera and the vintage Graflex.

That was my plan. While I had usually kept my Graflex suitcase in the trunk of my car. I never kept flash bulbs in my car. I always kept my flash bulbs in a steel box on the concrete floor of my studio to prevent static electric discharge. Alas, we arrived at the Air-Museum prepared to take only outdoor shots with the Graflex and indoor digital shots.

Outdoors, I went plane to plane. Indoors I took some action digital shots with my wife. It was while I was taking my wife’s photo standing next to a B-17, a veteran walked up asking about the Graflex in my wagon. I told him that couldn’t use it indoors because I forgot my flash bulbs.

“We have cases of flash bulbs upstairs, I’ll get you some” He chirped

He disappeared and came back with 2 small ancient boxes of 12 flash bulbs. I shook his hand, thanking him. I used every bulb he gave me shooting indoor shots. It was a fun Saturday.

Exactly one week later, the Yankee Air Museum burnt to the ground. Late at night I tell myself the fire was not started by a case of 50 year old flash bulbs falling off a shelf. All the news articles state that the fire did start near the ceiling, but the guys were welding that day. Regardless, using the Graflex wasn’t as much fun after that Saturday. I still have the camera packed away, but I have safely disposed of all the flash bulbs.

https://www.wemu.org/wemu-news/2014-10-08/10-years-after-the-yankee-air-museum-hangar-fire

nothing like walking into a stranger's house and calling it a shit-hole that needs a new coat of paint and new furniture

Let's all simmer down, I'm new here too and Oppo can be a little hard to navigate and for the yungins who need to be looked at it can feel a little cold without the warm spot light. That being said, lets see if Jerry bird can make things all better.

Jerry and Ginger

2 years of a mid century modern down to the studds reno....

I have a fond memory of dressing like Pooh for halloween, then getting a stern lecture for not wearing pants.

I was 22 at the time and had to have security escort me out of the office....good times

A real American Hero..God Bless and Godspeed

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/tuskegee-airman-charles-mcgee-dies-at-102/

@Gabriella Hey keep it up. I had to give up running years ago because it would cause the bourbon in my glass to splash out.

@ForSweden I blame Don Cherry

Why the hell am I just finding this now in my mid 50s? Had I known I could have made a muthafukin flamethrowin' rubber band plane that would fukin melt every rubber band plane in the air.

Well, Star Wars once taught us that, regret is a dish served with brussels sprouts grilled in duck fat with a double bourbon in the rocks.

@AkioOhtori such a sweet pup...congrats.

@Snakesm13 Jack and Meg used to bartend Wednesday nights at St. Andrews Hall's $16 all you can drink in Detroit.

Good Times that I will never remember fully

@aremmes
"She's gone, she's gone
Oh I, oh I
I better learn how to face it
She's gone, she's gone
Oh I, oh I
I'd pay the devil to replace her
She's gone, and she's gone
Oh why, what went wrong?"

She's Gone. Mr Hall and Mr Oats

In New York, Evil Kowalski attempts to jump 83 motorcycles..

Seriously, could these not have been auctioned off for some worthy cause or parted out for profit?

@Zaphod-s-Heart-of-Gold Let the burning bridges light your path...good luck and walk easy!

@Ad-absurdum-per-aspera Fix A Flat is the lying cackling whore from the darkest realms of The Auto Zone... her cousins are the stick on fake Buick port holes

@WilliamsSW Yea, after they passed me a cop passed by. I think they got a talking to. There is a big car show in Muskegon today and saturday...That ElCamino though, I took the photo from its 'better' side. There are quite a few ripples and bumps. But it would be a cool driver.

@HFV
PULL MY FINGER