King Hamilton was born to fly fixed wing.
Everything flying fascinated him since he was a kid, from paper and balsa wood airplanes and models to that first flight on board a DC-3 from Memphis, TN to Minneapolis, MN. Then the Lockheed Electra prop-jet in '62... Wow, what a flight!
Enthralled by images of navigating by the sun and stars in the stories written by Dad - the real hero in his eyes and honored namesake.
For you see, Captain Roger G Hamilton flew in those real wings, those war birds, the A20, C46 and C47's, B17 and B25 and moved them where they needed to go during WWII. From January 1943 to September 1945, Dad was navigator for Air Transport Command operations. His first missions were with the Army Air Forces Ferrying Command, 4th Ferrying Group. His flights took him all over the globe and Roger was honored to receive the Air Medal in August of 1945, shortly before King was born and family life began.
Although life's journey was not destined to put King behind the yoke of real wings for a living as he dreamed, he did the next best thing. He spent days and days building exquisite scale models, decals and airbrushed to perfection, and then donated them to retired airmen for their continued enjoyment.
If there was an air show anywhere close by, King was there, eyes to the sky and static craft to explore for hours on end.
When La Crosse, Wisconsin was blessed to sponsor its own Air Fest for many years, King volunteered his time as Media Director and spent countless hours coordinating the advertising and media relations for the air show. He had the pleasure of working with and meeting some wonderful people like the Blue Angels, the Thunderbirds and pilots from around the globe. Times he will treasure and it didn't hurt having the Media Pass - all access to the air field!
La Crosse doesn't have Air Fest anymore, so nowadays King flies all the time from his home. Yes home is FlightSim Central and King can fly any aircraft he chooses with all the semi-professional equipment, minus the actual cockpit. Amazing what realism can come from computers that train actual pilots! Next best thing to the real thing...but if he hears a plane overhead, better watch out, he will be heading for the door, eyes to the sky.