1994

No one has been a champion of antique airplane owners like Robert Taylor of Blakesburg. Since he established the Antique Airplane Association in 1953 he has provided a place and a purpose to fly, to preserve, to share and to…

Born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1920, Luther Smith became a WWII hero and an aerospace engineer who made significant advances in aviation. Luther was introduced to flying at the age of 13 while riding in a Ford Tri-Motor. On…

JC Pemberton, a Greenfield, Iowa native, began his aviation career after earning a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University. Like the Wright Brothers, like Charles Yeager, like William Piper, it was a career that influenced,…

Eugene Ely’s daring bravery and love of flying lead him to pioneer the world of flight from a ship. Born in Williamsburg, Iowa in 1886, Eugene became one of the premiere pilots during the early days of flying. Self-trained as…