TSWM Taking Flight summer2008 - Tri

The Tri-State Warbird Museum...a historic aviation museum dedicated to remembering those who fought
for our freedom, and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
summer 2008 Volume 2 Number 2
The Tri-State Warbird Museum 4th Annual Fundraising Gala
Tri-State Warbird Museum
4021 Borman Drive
Batavia, Ohio 45103
513.735.4500
513.735.4333 fax
www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org
Hours:
Gala Speaker Gerry Izzo and Master of
Ceremonies, Museum Board Member
Joseph Campanella
Wednesday 4pm-7pm
Saturday 10am-3pm
Admission $12
Discounts available for
veterans and students
Annual and lifetime individual and family memberships are available
Donations are needed and
are most appreciated Thank you!
Walk of Veterans Bricks
4th Annual
Gala
pictures
Page 2
Dick Hunt
Page 3
Capital
Page 4
Campaign &
Steve Emery
Photography and article reproduction restricted without permission. ©2008 Tri-State Warbird Museum
The Fourth Annual Gala evening with aircraft on review and the beginning
of a great party...great formation flying with 2 T-6’s and a T-28 flown by
Museum President Paul Redlich and Museum members Todd Winemiller
and Jim Stitt.
The Tri-State Warbird Museum celebrated it’s Fourth Annual Gala Friday evening
May 16, 2008. It was a wonderful, important, fun and moving fundraising Gala for the
Museum. It is amazing to think that we are 4 years old now and already out-growing
our beautiful hangar with 3 fantastic on-going restoration projects. This important
fundraising Gala will help to build toward our Capital Campaign Phase 2 of $6million.
Happily reported was that in December we reached our Phase 1 goal of $6million
and as of today we are already $800,000 toward our Phase 2 goal. We will be expanding our hangar space to house the restorations as they grow into flying aircraft
as well as expending our ever-important Tri-State Warbird Museum Education Program. Our sponsors, contributors, volunteers and guests are amazing in their understanding of this significant effort to bring the history and pride in our country to the
forefront for Americans, in particular our younger generations who need to know
about how our country was in it’s greatest effort and time. Our volunteers are amazing for their time, talent and commitment to the high standard and pride here at the
Museum. The pilots for the airshow are amazing because well, you should see them
fly formation. The speakers David O’Maley and Joe Campanella are amazing in their
committed, fun, succinct, well-spoken and moving way. The guest speaker was Chief
continued on page 2...
As a 501(c)3 organization the Tri-State Warbird Museum is supported primarily through membership dues and the
contributions of individuals and businesses that share in the desire to preserve our country’s rich aviation legacy.
Page 2
...continued from page 1
...Tri-State Warbird Museum Gala...
Warrant Officer (Ret.) Gerry Izzo and he is amazing in the “Black Hawk Down” story he lived through and
tells, letting you follow along and live the moments, action, sadness and overwhelming pride he experienced in those 20 hours of intense life-changing conflict. The Contribution to Freedom 2008 Award winner is Richard A. Pandorf who was a WWII photo-gunner on the B-25 flying in India and China, and a
very charming guy who we love to see visiting us every week. An appreciation award was presented to
major contributor, friend and Museum Advisor Dr. Tom Summer who recently donated the precious and
rare German Focke-Wulf Fw-190 aircraft. Great people, a great Museum, great airplanes, a great reason...a great Gala. Plan to attend next year’s Fifth Annual Fundraising Gala May 15, 2009.
David, Megan, Katherine and Karen O’Maley
Jim Stitt, Todd Winemiller, Paul Redlich, Tad
Lawrence, Tim Maloney and Chet Fuller
Lori and Tom Summer
T-6 flier Tad Lawrence
David O’Maley presents Contribution to Freedom Award 2008 to Dick Pandorf
Page 3
Dick Hunt...The Making of a Fighter Pilot
The Tri-State Warbird Museum super-volunteers have created a not-to-be-missed display entitled “The Making of a
Fighter Pilot”. This colorful display depicts the series of aircraft involved in the training of a WWII Naval fighter pilot as it
follows the history of our own Honored Veteran Dick Hunt. There is a good chance that you will be able to meet Dick
when you come to visit the Museum since we are lucky enough to have frequent visits from this interesting and generous WWII veteran and gentleman. A little bit about Dick Hunt…
Dick Hunt is originally from the Washington DC area where his father was a dentist. The family had a 36 foot boat
“Scout” (in the family for 54 years) kept in Chesapeake Bay which influenced Dick’s decision to study mechanical engineering at Cornell University. At Cornell Dick enlisted in the US Army Enlisted Reserve Corps and ROTC until the
Navy visited in 1943 and he decided to instead join the Navy V5 program. Called to active duty in August 1943 Dick
began his initial pilot training in J-3 Cubs at Blacksburg, Virginia, then transitioned to the Navy-version Stearman called
an N3N. Continuing his flight training in Pensacola, Florida at Whiting Field Dick flew fixed gear BT-17’s and then on to
Baron Field to master the retractable gear SNJ (Navy T-6 Texan). In May 1945 as a Naval Aviator and Commissioned
Officer, Dick began operational training in the Corsair accumulating over 150 hours in a three month period including a
successful dead stick landing during field carrier practice. Carrier qualification was achieved aboard the USS Guadalcanal just 3 days before “V-J Day”.
In 1956 Dick moved to Cincinnati with General Electric in the jet engine marketing department where he was a military
and industrial contract negotiator for 30 years. In addition to his interest in WWII aircraft, general aviation flying, the TriState Warbird Museum, his 3 sons, and boats, Dick also is a collector of antique fire engine models, loves hunting and
fishing, the Flying Neutrons, and plays many keyboards. Be sure to say “Hi!” to Dick when you see him at the Museum.
Tri-State Warbird Museum
4021 Borman Drive
Batavia, OH 45103
513.735.4500
513.735.4333 fax
www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org
Hours:
Wednesday 4pm-7pm
Saturday 10am-3pm
Admission $12
Discounted admission for veterans and students $7
Admission for World War II veterans is complimentary
Group tours are a great way to
spend some time learning about
World War II aviation history
Memberships:
Annual individual and family
Lifetime individual and family
Bricks can be engraved into the
Walk of Veterans—a great way to
honor someone
Donations are needed and are
most appreciated - Thank you!
Tri-State Warbird Museum Phase I campaign a success! On to Phase II!
We are excited to announce that the second phase of our $12 million campaign was kicked off in May 2008. The money raised in the broad based donor
campaign will be used to develop our educational program, expand our historical exhibits and to build a second hangar.
The first phase goal of $6 million was reached in December 2007. The funds
for this section were used for land acquisition, to build and open the museum,
to purchase and restore aircraft and to support museum operations.
Please consider supporting the museum by making a contribution to the campaign. For more information or questions please call Tri-State Warbird Museum Development Director Denise Eldridge at 513-735-4500.
Introducing Steve Emery
The Tri-State Warbird Museum is pleased to announce the addition of
Steve Emery to our team
of Restoration Technicians.
Steve has relocated to our
area from Atlanta, Georgia
where he was Director of
Maintenance for The CocaCola Company Aviation
Department and has over
30 years flying and maintaining corporate aircraft. Steve loves World War II aircraft and has extensive
knowledge and talent for the details of restoration. He has built airplanes including the complete rebuild of a South African T-6 meticulously restored to
the beautiful Diet Coke #20 race T-6 that Paul Redlich raced at the Reno Air
Races in 2004 and 2006 and flew in formation during the Gala. Steve has undertaken the restoration completion of the Focke- Wulf Fw-190 and is really
enjoying rebuilding such an important aircraft.