I talked with them at the beginning. Before they had ONE sponsor. And we were briefed. And then the producer found some money and made it happen. Not Pat Fries or anyone else got the money. The Producer did. And then the folks squabbled so the T shirt sales and DVD sales could happen. The primere was not going to happen and the producer got m MORE money and the primeir happpened. NONE of it could have happened with out the producer and his connections. LT. General Bud Forester ( he was a cpt back then) and others are good men. I would follow Bud to hell and back.
As for Pat Fries I spoke to him before he had a single sponsor and while he is honest to me he is HOLLYWOOD. He is a good man. BUT the smithsonian will not take anything that has a taint of commercialism. I am not sure of Pat's motives. I am sure of America's Huey 091 and I volunteered to join their program. I am not asking anyone to join us or take sides. BUT I AM. and was known in the old days for being honest and for taking a chance. And I am going with America's Huey. If anyone is offended, do not take it personally but to me it is the right thing to do.