Timeless Voices

Abraham, Paul

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:38:58 -0700

Paul Abraham was a B-29 radio operator/mechanic with the 676th Bomb Squadron of the 444th Bomb Group during WWII. He first flew combat missions in the China-Burma-India Theater and then in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

Ackmann, Florenze

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:39:11 -0700

Florenze Ackmann was a B-26 flight engineer and top turret gunner with the 557th Bomb Squadron of the 387th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force. He flew 40 combat missions over Europe during WWII.

Alaimo, Anthony

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:48:00 -0700

Anthony Alaimo was B-26 pilot with the 450th Bomb Squadron of the 322nd Bomb Squadron, 8th Air Force during World War II. He was shot down on his first mission and became a POW in Stalag Luft III.

Allender, Herb

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:39:27 -0700

Herb Allender was an F4U Corsair pilot with Marine Squadron VMF-212 during WWII. He flew combat missions throughout the South Pacific, and became a member of the Caterpillar Club when he bailed out over the Philippines.

Alley, Lawrence

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:37:47 -0700

Lawrence Alley was a USMC dive bomber pilot during World War II, but the war ended before saw combat. Recalled to active duty during the Korean War, he flew 100 combat missions as an AD Skyraider pilot with VMA-121.

Barnhart, Bill

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:49:44 -0700

Bill Barnhart was a U.S. Naval Aviator from 1943 to 1946. He served as an instrument flight instructor before joining a Carrier Air Service Unit until his discharge. After the war he began flying for United Airlines. Bill passed away in 2003.

Beatty, Sam

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:50:13 -0700

Sam Beatty was a B-25 pilot with the 69th Bomb Squadron of the 42nd Bomb Group, 13th Air Force during World War II. He flew 62 combat missions in the South Pacific Theater of Operations during the war.

Bergner, William

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:39:38 -0700

William Bergner was a B-17 radar ¿Mickey¿ operator and technician with the 327th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Blackburn, Howard

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:33:40 -0700

Howard Blackburn was a P-38 and P-51 crew chief and assistant line chief with the 383rd Fighter Squadron of the 364th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during World War II.

Bleidner, James

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:31:33 -0700

James Bleidner was a P-47 and P-51 armorer assigned to the 487th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He served as Squadron Commander John C. Meyer's personal armorer during the war.

Bradley, Lyle

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:39:51 -0700

Lyle Bradley was an F4U Corsair pilot with Marine squadron VMF-123 flying off the aircraft carrier USS Bennington during WWII.

Brown, Betty

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:53:12 -0700

Betty Brown was a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Callaghan, John

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:53:33 -0700

John D. Callaghan was a VHF radio communications expert assigned to the 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. After the war he worked on early warning radar systems for RCA.

Carter, William

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:53:59 -0700

William Carter served as a C-46 flight engineer in the Air Transport Command transporting fuel and other supplies over the Hump - the Himalayan Mountains between India and China - during WWII.

Casey, Howard

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:54:21 -0700

Howard Casey was a B-24 ball turret gunner in the 15th Air Force during WWII. He was shot down on his 15th mission in September 1944 and spent the rest of the war as a POW in Germany.

Cheolas, Bill

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:40:37 -0700

Bill Cheolas was a CG-4A glider pilot with the 437th Troop Carrier Group during WWII.

Chilstrom, Kenneth

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:40:53 -0700

Kenneth Chilstrom flew a P-40 off of the USS Ranger before becoming an A-36 pilot with the 27th Fighter Bomber Squadron during WWII. After his combat tour of 80 missions he returned to the U.S. to became one of the Air Corps¿ first test pilots.

Clow, Fred

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:41:07 -0700

Fred Clow served as a C-47 and C-46 pilot with the 68th Air Service Group of the 14th Air Force flying fuel and supplies over the Hump - the Himalayan Mountains between India and China - during WWII.

Clutton, Eric

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:55:12 -0700

Eric Clutton was a RAF air cadet assigned to a bomb disposal unit in England during the end of WWII. He later became an active glider pilot and one of the first homebuilt aircraft designers in the UK.

Cole, Dick

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:34:25 -0700

Dick Cole was copilot for Col. Jimmy Doolittle when Doolittle led a force of 16 B-25 bombers from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to bomb targets in Japan on April 18, 1942 - the first attack on Japanese soil during World War II.

Coleman, Terry

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:41:19 -0700

Terry Coleman was a P-38 fighter pilot with the 96nd Fighter Squadron of the 82nd Fighter Group, 15th Air Force during WWII.

Cooley, Glen

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:55:36 -0700

Glen Cooley was a B-24 instructor pilot for a year in the States before picking up a combat crew and joining the 319th Bomb Squadron of the 90th Bomb Group at Mindanao in the Philippines in May 1945.

Cowan, George

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:41:31 -0700

George Cowan was a B-17 pilot with the 368th Bomb Squadron of the 306th Bomb Group during WWII. After his plane was shot down, he spent the rest of the war as a POW in Germany. He later served as the first president of EAA Chapter 38 in Perry, GA.

Cowden, Vi

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:41:41 -0700

Vi Cowden was a WASP ¿ Womens Air Force Service Pilot ¿ during WWII.

Crane, John

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:41:53 -0700

John Crane served as both a pilot and navigator on PBY-5s and PBMs flying submarine patrols in the Bermuda Triangle area during WWII.

Croner, Howard

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:42:05 -0700

Howard Croner served as a B-17 flight engineer with the 728th Bomb Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He flew 34 combat missions during WWII.

Dees, Anse

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:42:28 -0700

Anse Dees was a P-47 pilot with the 371st Fighter Squadron of the 405th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during WWII. He was shot down over the Cherbourg Penninsula two weeks after D-Day and evaded capture until making it back to friendly territory.

Domski, Ed

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:56:47 -0700

Ed Domski flew 19 combat missions as a B-24 navigator with the 506th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force in the last few months of WWII.

Duecker, Charles

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:57:12 -0700

Charles Duecker was a B-24 pilot with the 829th Bomb Squadron of the 485th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force during World War II. He flew 50 combat missions into southern France, the Balkans, and southern Germany.

Easterwood, Roy Jr.

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:57:29 -0700

Roy Easterwood Jr. was a P-38 pilot with the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during WWII.

Ebbers, Kenneth

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:57:46 -0700

Kenneth Ebbers was a U.S. Navy SB2C pilot aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19) during WWII. He flew combat missions against the Japanese Fleet during the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

Edens, Billy

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:33:52 -0700

Billy Edens was a P-47 pilot with the 62nd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He was an ace with 7 victories, but was shot down on his 89th mission to become a POW in Stalag Luft 1 at Barth, Germany.

Eisenhart, Lee

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:58:06 -0700

Lee "Dutch" Eisenhart (1918 - 2008) was a P-51 pilot with the 504th Fighter Squadron of the 339th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. Dutch flew combat missions over Europe during the war.

Empey, Roland

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:58:26 -0700

Roland Empey was a fighter pilot with the 339th Fighter Squadron of the 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force during World War II. He started his combat missions flying P-39s, and later transitioned into P-38s.

Fain, David

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:59:40 -0700

David Fain graduated with pilot Class 43-G and became a flight instructor in the Southeast Training Command of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He instructed over 100 students in the AT-6 during the war.

Fairbanks, Charles "Don"

Tue, 19 May 2009 09:36:57 -0700

Charles "Don" Fairbanks was a B-24 tail gunner assigned to the clandestine 492nd Bomb Group "Carpetbaggers" of the 8th Air Force during WWII. The group flew top-secret night missions for the OSS. After the war Don became a flight instructor.

Faulkner, Leroy

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:59:58 -0700

Leroy Faulkner was a B-17 waist gunner and togglier with the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Feik, Mary

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:00:15 -0700

Mary Feik was an aviation mechanic and restoration specialist. During WWII she was a maintenance instructor for the US Army Air Corps, and later became the first woman engineer in R&D for the USAF Air Technical Service Command.

Finley, Ethel

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:00:34 -0700

Ethel Finley was a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.

Fisher, Julius

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:00:48 -0700

Julius Fisher served as a B-25 pilot with the 501st Bomb Squadron of the 345th Bomb Group "Air Apaches" in the 5th Air Force during WWII.

Fitz, Elwood

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:02:24 -0700

Elwood Fitz was a B-24 pilot with the 722nd Bomb Squadron of the 450th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force during World War II.

Gaines, George

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:02:46 -0700

George Gaines was a B-24 pilot with the 781st BS, 465th BG, 15th AF. He was shot down over Poland on his 26th mission and evaded German infantry and escaped into Russia with the help of partisans.

Garris, Benjamin

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:03:05 -0700

Benjamin Garris was a P-38 pilot with the 48th Fighter Squadron of the 14th Fighter Group, 12th Air Force during World War II. He was shot down over Salerno, Italy on his 14th mission.

Goodrum, Jeannette

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:03:27 -0700

Jeannette Goodrum Served as a WASP - Womens Airforce Service Pilot during WWII. Graduating with Class 43-8 in December 1943, she was involved in production line maintenance and aircraft testing before the WASPs were disbanded in December 1944.

Griffin, Thomas

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:04:42 -0700

Thomas Griffin was a B-25 navigator on the #9 plane of the Doolittle Raid attack on Japan in April 1942. After the raid he was assigned to B-26s with the 319th Bomb Group in N. Africa, where he was shot down and spent 22 months as a POW.

Gyidik, Frank

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:05:47 -0700

Frank Gyidik was a P-47 crew chief with the 63rd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group "Zemke's Wolfpack" of the 8th Air Force during WWII.

Hall, Jim

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:06:13 -0700

Jim Hall was a P-47 fighter pilot with the 366th Fighter Squadron of the 358th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during WWII.

Harris, Theodore

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:06:36 -0700

Theodore Harris was a B-24 ball turret gunner with the 489th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. On his 22nd mission his B-24 exploded upon landing leaving him the sole survivor of the accident.

Hartshorn, William

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:59:54 -0700

William Hartshorn was a P-47 pilot with the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group - the famed "Zemke's Wolfpack." He was shot down on his 26th mission on Sept. 18, 1944 during Operation Market Garden.

Haydu, Bee

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:36:25 -0800

Bernice "Bee" Haydu was a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) during World War II. Graduating with WASP Class 44-7, Bee served for five months as an engineering test pilot in the Training Command based a Pecos, Texas until December 1944.

Heim, Hank

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:07:33 -0700

Hank Heim was a B-18 armorer/gunner with the 31st Bomb Squadron based at Hickam Field bordering Pearl Harbor when Japan attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. After surviving the attack, he became a B-17 pilot and flew 78 combat missions during World War II.

Heitkotter, James

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:07:54 -0700

James Heitkotter was a P-38 pilot with the 449th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Group, 14th Air Force during WWII. He flew combat missions in China and Burma, and was severely wounded in the leg during a mission on January 5, 1945.

Hill, David Lee "Tex"

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:08:15 -0700

This EAA Timeless Voices of Aviation interview with David Lee "Tex" Hill was recorded during AirVenture 2002. A long-time EAA member, Tex passed away on October 11, 2007. He will be greatly missed.

Hollingsworth, Charles

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Charles Hollingsworth was a deckhand on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) during WWII. He pulled the chocks on each of the B-25s during the Doolittle Raid, and was aboard the Hornet until it was sunk after a Japanese attack in October 1942.

Holman, Deke

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:08:55 -0700

Donald "Deke" Holman initially trained as a CG-4A glider pilot, but transitioned to C-47s with the 314th Troop Carrier Group and participated in the March 1945 airborne crossing of the Rhine. He later transferred to P-47s in the 86th Fighter Group.

Hoover, Bob

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:11:12 -0700

Bob Hoover is an aviation legend. During his long aviation career he has been a fighter pilot, test pilot, and world-reknowned aerobatic performer. In this interview Bob talks about learning to fly and joining the service during WWII.

Horowitz, Jules

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:09:23 -0700

Jules Horowitz flew 50 combat missions as a B-17 pilot with the 348th Bomb Squadron, 99th Bomb Group during WWII.

Hovious, Nat

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:09:40 -0700

Nat Hovious was a B-25 pilot with the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance Bomb Squadron of the 71st Tactical Reconnaissance Group, 5th Air Force during WWII. He flew close air support missions in New Guinea and the Philippines.

Ison, Wayne

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:20:05 -0700

Wayne Ison was a C-47 radio operator during WWII, and later became the president and CEO of TEAM Aircraft. He is the creator of the Mini-MAX, Hi-MAX, Z-MAX, EROS, V-MAX, AirBike and Tandem Airbike aircraft.

Jansen, Leon

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:10:02 -0700

Leon Jansen was a P-47 pilot with the 66th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group during WWII.

Johnson, Henry

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:10:26 -0700

Henry Johnson was a B-17 pilot with the 493rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force based at Debach, England during World War II.

Johnson, Kenneth

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:10:44 -0700

Kenneth Johnson was a B-17 crew chief with the 709th Bomb Squadron, 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Johnson, Maurice

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:11:04 -0700

Maurice Johnson flew 50 combat missions as a B-24 pilot with the 515th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force during WWII.

Kraft, Frank

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:11:41 -0700

Frank Kraft ( 1917 - 2005) was a tranport pilot in the Air Transport Command during World War II. After the war he flew for leisure, and built a Quickie 2 experimental airplane.

Kuehner, Bob

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:12:04 -0700

Bob Kuehner was a B-17 tailgunner with the 366th Bomb Squadron of the 305th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. Bob was credited with shooting down three enemy aircraft during the course of his 35-mission combat tour.

Kuhnz, Arthur

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:12:21 -0700

Arthur Kuhnz was a B-17 crew chief with the 709th Bomb Squadron, 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Kyler, Russell

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:12:52 -0700

Russell Kyler was a P-47 pilot with the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He flew 57 combat missions between September 1944 and May 1945.

Lamar, Lee

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:03:46 -0800

Lee Lamar was a B-24 copilot with the 760th Bomb Squadron of the 460th Bomb Group based at Spinazzola, Italy during World War II. He was shot down on his 21st combat mission on November 18, 1944, and became a POW at Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany.

Landon, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:13:09 -0700

Robert Landon was a B-26 flight engineer and tail gunner with the 2nd Bomb Squadron of the 22nd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force during WWII. He was taken out of action after being hit by fire from a Japanese Zero on his 10th mission in May 1942.

Levinson, Howard

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:13:28 -0700

Howard Levinson was a B-24 pilot during WWII. He now flies injured children for the Chicago Shriners Hospital.

Lewis, Dorothy

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:13:45 -0700

Dorothy Lewis was a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.

MacFarland, Bruce

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Bruce MacFarland was a ball turret gunner with the 487th BG, 8th AF during World War II. He flew 26 combat missions in the B-24 and 4 combat missions in the B-17.

Martin, Bill

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:14:18 -0700

Scotsman Bill Martin enlisted in the Royal Air Force during WWII and was trained as a flight engineer. When he joined a Lancaster crew assigned to 57 Squadron, 5 Group Bomber Command, he had never flown on an airplane!

Martin, Louie

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:14:35 -0700

Louie Martin was a P-40 pilot with the 7th Fighter Squadron of the 49th Fighter Group based in New Guinea during WWII. He flew combat missions for 18 months, shooting down one Japanese Betty bomber and one Zero fighter.

Martin, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:14:48 -0700

Tuskegee Airman Robert Martin was a P-51 pilot with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group during WWII. On his 64th mission he was shot down over Yugoslavia. Yugoslav partisans picked him up and helped him evade capture.

McCreery, Jean

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:15:13 -0700

Jean McCreery was a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. She graduated with WASP Class 44-W-10 and was a WASP for only ten days before the program was cancelled.

McLaughlin, Dennis

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:18:33 -0700

Dennis McLaughlin was a C-47 pilot with the 72nd Squadron of the 434th Troop Carrier Group of the Army Air Corps during World War II.

McLaughlin, John

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:18:52 -0700

John McLaughlin was a B-17 pilot with the 418th Bomb Squadron of the infamous "Bloody Hundredth" 100th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. The 100th Bomb Group had heavy losses on 8 missions, earning the nickname "The Bloody Hundredth."

Miller, Sam

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:19:14 -0700

Sam Miller was a B-26 bombardier with the 2nd Bomb Squadron of the 22nd Bomb Group during World War II. He was shot down on his 14th mission in the South Pacific and rescued by an Australian boat.

Mirr, Helen

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:19:36 -0700

Helen Mirr served in the WAC ¿ Womens Army Corps - during WWII. Trained as a radio operator, she trained aviation cadets on radio operation and Morse Code, and was one of only a handful of WACs assigned as aircrew on stateside B-17s.

Moore, Virgil

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:21:09 -0700

Virgil Moore was a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 366th Bomb Squadron of the 305th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. His plane was shot down and he spent 13 months as a POW.

Nafus, Don

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:21:25 -0700

Don Nafus was a B-17 crew chief with the 709th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II.

Newton, Bill

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:21:41 -0700

Bill Newton was a B-24 pilot with the 491st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He was shot down on his 5th mission on July 21, 1944, and spent 303 days as a POW in a German prison camp.

Nielsen, Carl

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:14:54 -0700

Carl Nielsen was a B-17 navigator with the 359th Bomb Squadron of the 303rd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. He flew 31 combat missions and was shot down on his 32nd, ending up as a POW in Stalag Luft 1 until the end of the war.

Nordgren, Lee

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:22:05 -0700

Lee Nordgren was a U.S. Navy F6F Hellcat pilot flying off of the USS Cowpens (CVL-25) during World War II. His story was recorded during AirVenture on Friday July 27, 2007.

Noyes, Les

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:22:23 -0700

Les Noyes was a P-47 mechanic with the 62nd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group "Zemke's Wolfpack", 8th Air Force during WWII.

Nunemacher, George

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:22:48 -0700

George Nunemacher was a P-47 armament man with the 61st Figher Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force and later with the 352nd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Oberbeck, Norman

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:23:11 -0700

Norman Oberbeck was a B-25 armorer/mechanic with the 77th Bomb Squadron of the 28th Composite Group, 11th Air Force during World War II.

Ohnemus, Roman

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:23:31 -0700

Roman Ohnemus was a B-25 pilot with the 501st Bomb Squadron of the 345th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force during WWII. He flew low-level bombing and strafing missions against Japanese targets in the South Pacific.

Olds, Robin

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:23:52 -0700

This EAA Timeless Voices of Aviation interview with General Olds was recorded at AirVenture 2002. General Olds died on June 14, 2007, one month short of his 85th birthday. His presence at AirVenture 2007 will be greatly missed.

Olsen, Harold

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:24:10 -0700

Harold Olsen was a B-17 copilot with the 95th BG, 8th AF during WWII. His plane was shot down on his very first mission, and he become a POW in Stalag Luft III the day after the Great Escape attempt.

Pagel, Wilfred

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:25:04 -0700

Wilfred Pagel was a P-38 pilot with the 67th Fighter Squadron, 347th Fighter Group, 13th Air Force during WWII. He flew combat missions throughout the Phillipines and South Pacific.

Parsons, John

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:25:24 -0700

John Parsons was a C-47 navigator with the 374th Troop Carrier Group flying cargo missions in the Pacific Theater of Operations during WWII.

Peek, Chet

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:25:49 -0700

During WWII Chet Peek served as the engineering officer of the 412th Bomb Squadron of the 95th Bomb Group in England. After the war he made a hobby of restoring antique and classice aircraft. He is the author of seven aviation books.

Powell, Robert "Punchy"

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:26:11 -0700

During World War II Robert "Punchy" Powell flew P-47s and P-51s with the 328th Fighter Squadron of the 352nd Fighter Group - the infamous Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney. Punchy flew two combat tours consisting of 87 combat missions over Europe.

Provost, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:26:14 -0700

Robert Provost was a TBM Avenger pilot with Navy composite squadron VC-88 aboard the USS Saginaw Bay during WWII. He experienced the horrible storm known as Halsey's Typhoon and flew combat missions over Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Pytko, Stanley

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:26:31 -0700

Stanley Pytko was a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 414th Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force based in Italy during WWII.

Rall, Gunther

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:05:28 -0700

Gunther Rall

Rankin, Robert "Shorty"

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:26:52 -0700

Robert "Shorty" Rankin was an Army Air Corps P-47 fighter pilot with the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group during World War II. On May 12, 1944 he shot down five enemy aircraft during one mission, earning "Ace in a Day" status.

Reagan, Penrose

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:27:11 -0700

Penrose Reagan was a B-17 flight engineer/gunner with the 401st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. He was shot down and held as a POW from July 1944 to April 1945.

Rechlicz, Ralph

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:27:33 -0700

Ralph Rechlicz (1923 - 2008) was a B-17 waist gunner with the 708th Bomb Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII.

Reed, Betty Jo

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:27:47 -0700

Betty Jo Reed served as a WASP - Women Airforce Service Pilot - during World War II.

Rippinger, Joe & Helen

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:28:11 -0700

Joe Rippinger was a B-24 pilot with the 374th Bomb Squadron of the 308th Bomb Group, 14th Air Force during WWII. He met wife Helen at March Army Air Field, where she was working as an Air Corps nurse.

Roddy, Ed

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:47:43 -0700

Ed Roddy (1919-2009) was a P-47 pilot with the 348th Fighter Group during WWII. He later commanded the 58th Fighter Group, and in that capacity supervised the 201st Fighter Squadron, featuring the only Mexican pilots to see combat during WWII.

Roecker, William

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:28:36 -0700

William Roecker was a B-25 pilot with the 83rd Bomb Squadron of the 12th Bomb Group during World War II. He flew 59 combat missions out of Sicily and India.

Ruck, Richard

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:28:52 -0700

Richard Ruck (1926-2004) was a U.S. Army Air Force radio operator/mechanic assigned to the 21st Bomber Command on Saipan and Okinawa during WWII.

Saari, Clifford

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:29:13 -0700

Clifford Saari was a P-47 pilot with the 378th Fighter Squadron of the 362nd Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during World War II. He flew 80 ground attack missions and was credited with one enemy aircraft destroyed and two probables in aerial combat.

Salter, Cary

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:29:31 -0700

Cary Salter was a P-51 pilot with the 353rd Fighter Squadron of the 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during World War II.

Savides, Phil

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:29:52 -0700

Phil Savides (1920-2007) was a P-47 pilot with the 313th Fighter Squadron of the 50th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during WWII. He flew 101 combat missions and is credited with 1 ME-109 shot down in aerial combat while flying his P-47 ¿Juicy Lucy¿.

Seitz, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:30:18 -0700

Robert Seitz was a B-24 pilot with the 830th Bomb Squadron of the 485th Bomb Group based in Cherignola, Italy during World War II. He was shot down on his 20th mission and spent nine months as POW.

Smith, Les

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:28:28 -0700

Les Smith enlisted in the Army Air Corps in November 1941. He joined the 61st Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group as one of the group's original P-47 pilots. He flew 138 combat missions during WWII and was credited with 7 aerial victories.

Sommers, Alfred

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:30:40 -0700

Alfred Sommers was a scout in the U.S. Army fighting in the South Pacific during World War II. He had the unique experience of driving through the city of Nagasaki, Japan two weeks after it had been hit with an atomic bomb.

Spencer, Chauncey

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:31:04 -0700

In 1939, pilot Chauncey Spencer (1906-2002) and copilot Dale White flew to Washington, DC to convince Congress to allow African-Americans to join the Air Corps. Their efforts paved the way for the Tuskegee Airmen.

Sprowls, Raymond

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:31:24 -0700

Raymond Sprowls was a B-17 flight engineer and top turret gunner with the 407th Bomb Squadron of the 92nd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II.

Stouffer, Richard "Dick"

Tue, 19 May 2009 08:50:43 -0700

Richard "Dick" Stouffer (1923-2003) was a B-17 copilot with the 7th Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. After the war he became a pilot with United Airlines, and was a volunteer photographer for EAA for many years.

Stracka, Carl

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:31:42 -0700

Carl Stracka was a B-24 copilot with the 455th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force during World War II.

Streblow, Howard

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:10:47 -0700

Howard Streblow was a B-24 navigator with the 834th Bomb Squadron of the 484th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force during World War II. He flew 26 combat missions.

Strehlow, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:11:08 -0700

Robert Strehlow was a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 728th Bomb Squadron of the 452nd Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. He completed 27 combat missions.

Stroud, Roy

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:11:28 -0700

Roy Stroud was a B-17 navigator with the 306th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII. He flew only one combat mission before the war ended. He was recalled during the Korean War and served as a navigator on an RB-29 flying reconnaissance missions.

Tamraz, Tom

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:11:49 -0700

Tom Tamraz (1919-2006) was a B-17 gunner with the 831st BS, 485th BG, 8th AF in England. He transferred to B-24s in the 67th BS, 44th BG, 15th AF in Italy, and later bailed out over Yugoslavia on December 26, 1944 and walked for 44 days to freedom.

Tanner, Ted

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:12:23 -0700

Theodore "Ted" Tanner was a P-40 pilot on 6 missions out of Australia and New Guinea before tranferring to A-20s with the 312th Bomb Group. He flew 72 combat missions during WWII.

Thies, Hank

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:26:50 -0700

Hank Thies served in the U.S. Navy as an OS2U Kingfisher pilot for 9 months aboard the battleship USS California before transitioning into Scouting Squadron VS-50 flying the SBD divebomber during WWII. He flew combat missions in the South Pacific.

Thompson, Robert & Frances

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:12:42 -0700

Robert Thompson was in the U.S. Army during WWII. His wife Frances worked as an administrative assistant for the United Aircraft Modification Center at Cheyenne, Wyoming and saw many aircraft undergo wartime modification there.

Thomton, Cleon

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:12:59 -0700

Cleon Thomton was a member of the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division when he was accepted into the Army Air Corps for pilot training. Trained as a P-47 pilot, he flew 87 combat missions with the 56th Fighter Group during World War II.

Tibbets, Paul

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:13:19 -0700

Paul Tibbets, Jr. made history as the pilot of Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. This 2004 interview covers his first experiences with aviation and how he joined the military.

Titre, Mike

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:13:35 -0700

Mike Titre (1923-2007) was a P-47 pilot with the 405th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force during World War II. He flew 58 dive-bombing missions during the war. Mike was a longtime EAA ¿KidVenture¿ volunteer, and his presense will be greatly missed.

Todd, Wes

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:13:50 -0700

Wes Todd was an F4U Corsair pilot with Marine Squadron VMF-213 during World War II.

Truluck, John

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:14:08 -0700

John Truluck was a P-47 pilot with the 63rd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group "Zemke's Wolfpack" of the 8th Air Force during WWII. John flew 71 combat missions and achieved "ace" status with 7 aerial victories.

Turner, David

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:51:56 -0700

David Turner enlisted in the Army in December of 1940. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he became a B-17 copilot and flew 8 combat missions with the 333rd Bomb Squadron of the 94th Bomb Group. He was shot down on his 9th mission on July 14, 1943.

Van Abel, Wilfred

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:14:33 -0700

Wilfred "Wil" Van Abel (1919-2002) was a P-47 pilot with the 63rd Fighter Squadron of the 56th Fighter Group ¿Zemke¿s Wolfpack¿ during WWII. He was shot down September 2, 1943 and became a POW at Stalag Luft III for the rest of the war.

Ward, Douglas

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:14:54 -0700

Douglas Ward was a B-17 ball turret gunner with the 15th Air Force flying 18 missions out of Italy before transferring to the 8th Air Force and flying another 25 missions out of England during World War II.

Weekley, Hal

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:15:13 -0700

Harold "Hal" Weekley was a B-17 pilot with the 601st Bomb Squadron of the 398th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during WWII, and the last of the WWII combat pilots to actively fly a B-17, retiring from flying EAA's B-17 Aluminum Overcast in 2001.

Welborn, Harold

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Harold Welborn was a B-24 navigator with the 758th Bomb Squadron of the 495th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force flying out of Italy during WWII. Nearly shot down on only his second mission, Harold would go on to have some very harrowing experiences.

Whalen, Mike

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:15:46 -0700

Mike Whalen was an Aviation Cadet pilot trainee when he washed out and became a B-24 radio operator/gunner with the 506th Bomb Squadron of the 44th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He flew 43 combat missions during the war.

Zauner, William

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:16:04 -0700

William Zauner was a B-17 radio operator/gunner with the 323rd Bomb Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force during World War II. He flew 37 combat missions during the war.

Zepp, Eugene

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:50:37 -0800

Eugene Zepp flew DC-3 and DC-4 transports with the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) during World War II. After the war he was recalled to service in 1952 to fly DC-4s and Super Constellations. He later became the chief pilot for General Motors.

Alexander, Ron

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:46:39 -0700

Ron Alexander served as a C-30 pilot in the Military Air Transport Service (MATS) before being assigned as a C-7A Caribou pilot during the Vietnam War.

Basta, Jim

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:58:45 -0700

Jim Basta flew three combat tours during the Vietnam War. The first was as an observation pilot with the 219th Aviation Company (Recon). The second was with the 7th Squadron, 17th Air Cavalry Regiment, and the third was with the 34th GS Group.

Campbell, Dick

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:49:38 -0700

Dick Campbell was a KC-97 pilot with the 71st Aerial Refueling Squadron, USAF from 1956 to 1957.

Crichton, Ted

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:48:33 -0700

Ted Crichton flew C-130s during the Vietnam War.

Crosby, Robert

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 06:42:14 -0700

Robert Crosby served in the U.S. Navy briefly during WWII before joining the U.S. Air Force and serving as a supply officer for the 67th Bomb Squadron, a B-29 squadron in the 44th Bomb Wing, during the Korean War.

Dyke, John

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:40 -0700

John Dyke is best known as the designer of the Dyke Delta homebuilt airplane. He also served as a U.S. Navy mechanic during the Korean War and was a civilian aeronautical engineer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base for many years.

Ernst, Larry

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:14:33 -0700

Capt. Larry Ernst (USN Ret.) flew two F-4 combat tours during the Vietnam War, was in one of the first TOPGUN classes to learn advanced air combat maneuvers, served as a test pilot, and was the last captain of the aircraft carrier USS Midway.

Faust, Bernie

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:45:44 -0700

Bernie Faust served in the U.S. Navy during the 1950s. Now retired, he is a regular volunteer for EAA's Warbirds division during AirVenture.

Finkler, Thomas

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:51:31 -0700

Thomas Finkler (1947-2006) was a C-7A Caribou Air Cargo Specialist with the 15th Aerial Port Squadron, which provided Dedicated Airlift Support to Detachment A, of the 459th Tactical Airlift Squadron during the Vietnam War.

Fischer, Harold "Hal"

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:59:26 -0700

Hal Fischer (1925-2009) flew 105 missions in the F-80 with the 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron during the Korean War prior to joining the 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron flying F-86s. He was an ace with 10 victories prior to becoming a POW in China.

Flatley, James III

Mon, 19 May 2008 09:29:09 -0700

Rear Admiral James Flatley III was a U.S. Naval Aviator from 1956 until his retirement from service in 1987. He had numerous sea duty assignments, including flying F-4 combat missions during the Vietnam War.

Friesel, Earl

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:42:56 -0700

Earl Friesel spent 23 years in the USAF. To his great disappointment he became a flight instructor after graduating from flight school, but was eventually able to get a fighter assignment flying F-4E Wild Weasels during the Vietnam War.

Greenhut, Richard

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:20:31 -0700

Richard Greenhut was commander of the Civil Air Patrol's Northeast Region on September 11, 2001. He was instrumental in leading the CAP's relief efforts after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Hawkins, Ralph

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:34:36 -0700

Ralph Hawkins was a C-46 combat cargo pilot during the Korean War. He has owned several general aviation aircraft, and has served as a Civil Air Patrol Mission Pilot and Check Pilot qualified for DEA and Customs missions.

Kalisch, Paul

Mon, 19 May 2008 09:32:25 -0700

Paul Kalisch was a KC-97 pilot in an aerial refueling squadron of the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1965. He later flew for Continental Airlines after his Air Force service.

Kiernan, Kristy

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:57:41 -0700

Kristy Kiernan was a HU-25 "Guardian" Falcon Jet pilot with the United States Coast Guard from 1992 to 2002. She flew search and rescue, drug interdiction, marine environmental protection, and military readiness missions during her service.

Kittinger, Joe

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:01:03 -0700

Joe Kittinger is best known for the high-altitude balloon flights and record-setting parachute jumps that he made while heading the U.S. Air Force's "Project Manhigh" and "Project Excelsior" in the 1950s and 1960s.

Koltes, Jason

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:17:48 -0700

Jason "Buzzer" Koltes is an F-16 pilot in the United States Air Force. He is assigned to the Viper East F-16 demonstration team and is one of the few qualified Air Combat Command Heritage Flight pilots.

Linch, Edward III

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:52:05 -0700

Lt. Col. Edward Linch III is an F-16 fight pilot in the United States Air Force. Lt. Col. Linch was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor for a 2003 combat mission in Iraq. His story was recorded on July 25th during AirVenture 2007.

Long, Jill

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:58:26 -0700

Jill Long is an A-10 pilot serving in the United States Air Force. Jill will be participating in Women Soar at AirVenture 2007.

Moorhouse, Barbie

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:45:22 -0700

Barbie Moorhouse is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent and pilot.

Purifoy, George

Tue, 26 May 2009 12:50:02 -0700

George Purifoy was an F-84 pilot with the 310th Fighter Bomber Squadron, USAF based at Kimpo Air Base during the Korean War. He flew 25 combat missions before the war ended.

Redemann, Paul

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:43:19 -0700

Paul Redemann was a UH-1 Huey helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. After starting out flying transports, he transferred into gunships.

Ritchie, Steve

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 11:29:05 -0700

Steve Ritchie made history as the only United States Air Force pilot ace of the Vietnam War, flying an F-4 Phantom II and shooting down five MiG-21 fighers between May and August of 1972.

Sachs, Rusty

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:43:31 -0700

Rusty Sachs was an H-34 medivac pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 362 from August of 1966 to September of 1967 during the Vietnam War. He later served as Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors.

Slyfield, Jack

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:01:45 -0700

Jack Slyfield flew F2H-2 Banshees and later the F9F-8B Cougars off of the USS Lake Champlain (CVS-39) during the Korean War and A-4s off of the USS Ticonderoga during the Vietnam War.

Smith, Brad

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Brad Smith was an A-4C pilot with Navy Attack Squadron VA-76 during the Vietnam War. He was shot down during a strike mission over North Vietnam and spent 6 years 11 months as a POW in the Hao Lo Prisoner Camp, infamously known as the Hanoi Hilton.

Therianos, Janet

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:07:17 -0700

Brig. Gen. Janet Therianos was one of the first women to enter the USAF Academy in the Class of 1980. She became a tanker pilot and eventually squadron commander. Today she is the Director of Intelligence for the USAF Air Mobility Command.

Thompson, Terry

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:41:36 -0700

Terry Thompson served as a T-38 instructor and C-130 pilot in the USAF. He finished his career as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Joint Task Force Six, and now volunteers as a mission pilot for the Civil Air Patrol.

Thorsness, Leo

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:10:28 -0700

Medal of Honor recipient Leo Thorsness was a USAF F-105 fighter pilot with the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron during the Vietnam War. He spent six years as a POW in North Vietnam.

Tomlinson, Tom

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 08:20:35 -0700

Tom Tomlinson was a UH-1 Huey pilot with the 282nd Assault Helicopter Company during the Vietnam War. He had nearly 1300 combat flight hours flying air assault, medivac, and recon missions.

Tribbett, Karen Fuller

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:54:35 -0700

On October 17, 1997, Karen Fuller Tribbett became the U.S. Marine Corps' first female jet fighter pilot. In her 13 years of service, she served in two F/A-18 Hornet squadrons and finished her USMC career flying Gulfstream G550's.

Vincent, Harley

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:45:40 -0700

Harley Vincent was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot from 1958 to 1980. He served with Company B of the 25th Aviation Battalion during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Bronze Star for Merit in 1967.

Aaron, Chuck

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:37:14 -0700

When he was a child, Chuck Aaron dreamed of flying on his own magic carpet. Today that dream has come true as pilot of the Red Bull Bo-105 CBS Helicopter. Chuck is the only FAA-certified aerobatic helicopter pilot in the world.

Applebay, George

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:40:44 -0700

George Applebay enlisted in the Army Air Force during WWII and served as a B-17 and B-29 flight engineer and mechanic. After the war he worked for Boeing, Cessna, and defense contractor EG&G, before starting his own company building the Zuni glider.

Austin, Gary

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:02:06 -0700

Gary Austin (1970-2009) began working on warbird restorations for Ezell Aviation in 1996, and in 2001 opened his own restoration/maintenance shop called Retro Aviation. In 2004 he became crew chief on the Commemorative Air Force's B-29 and B-24.

Chabrian, Peggy

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:28:18 -0800

Dr. Peggy Chabrian is the President and Founder of Women In Aviation, International - a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests.

Chapman, Kenny

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:30:37 -0700

Kenny Chapman began his aviation career as a lineboy for Hemet Valley Flying Service, and in 1967 began flying aerial firefighting missions as a copilot on a PBY fire bomber. Today he is the Senior Firefighting Pilot for Erickson Air-Crane.

Charles, Michael Maya

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:17:14 -0700

Michael Maya Charles is a commercial pilot, aviation journalist, and author of the book ARTFUL FLYING.

Clark, Joe

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:59:50 -0700

Aviation entrepreneur Joe Clark founded Jet Air - the first Learjet dealership in the Northwest - in 1966, and has been heavily involved in corporate and commercial aviation ever since.

Collins, Robert Douglas

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:44:56 -0700

Dr. R. Douglas Collins is the author of three flying manuals: "Solo", "Pass Your IFR Checkride", and "Planning & Flying Your Cross-Countries".

Curtis, Brenda

Wed, 27 May 2009 13:44:42 -0700

Brenda Curtis took her first airplane ride at the age of 8, and at age 22 decided to make flying her career. She worked as a flight instructor and corporate and charter pilot before landing her dream job 11 years later with Southwest Airlines.

Darcy-Hennemann, Suzanna

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:48:11 -0700

Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann joined Boeing in 1974 as an aeronautical engineer. In 1981 she became a 757/767 ground school instructor. In 1985 she became Boeing¿s first woman Production Test Pilot.

Dietrich, Carl

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Carl Dietrich is the co-founder, chief executive officer, and chief technical officer of Terrafugia, Inc., a new aviation company developing a roadable Light Sport Aircraft called the Transition.

Doyle, Chuck

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:58:26 -0700

Chuck Doyle (1916-2008) started his aviation career as a daredevil performing at the Minnesota State Fair in the 1930s. He became a Captain for Northwest Airlines and flew under contract with the Air Transport Command during WWII.

Fujino, Michimasa

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:17:39 -0700

Michimasa Fujino is the lead engineer, founding president & CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., the Honda subsidiary responsible for development, sales promotion and production of HondaJet very light jet.

Gardner Whyte, Edna

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:51:02 -0700

Edna Gardner Whyte (1902-1992) became a licensed pilot in 1931, and began air racing in 1933, winning over 100 air racing trophies. She started and operated the New Orleans Air College and trained over 5000 pilots for the US Navy during WWII.

Gillespie, Ric

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:35:03 -0700

Ric Gillespie was a commercial pilot and aviation insurance salesman before founding The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR). He is the author of the book Finding Amelia: The True Story of the Earhart Disappearance.

Goin, Jeff

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:14:14 -0700

Jeff Goin is a Captain for Southwest Airlines, and a founder and president of the United States Powered Paragliding Association. He is author of the book "The Powered Paragliding Bible."

Grant, Joe

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:41:33 -0700

Born in 1908, Joe Grant learned to fly in 1930. After barnstorming for two years he became an airline pilot. During WWII he few for the Air Transport Command, and was instrumental in the establishment of Saudi Arabian Airlines.

Hawkins, Kirk

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:47:02 -0700

Kirk Hawkins is the founder and CEO of ICON Aircraft, makers of the Icon A5 amphibian. A graduate from the Stanford Business School, Kirk is an accomplished engineer, former U.S. Air Force F-16 pilot, and long-time motorsport enthusiast.

Hinton, Steve

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:21:35 -0700

Steve Hinton is one of the premier warbird pilots in the world today. As the owner of the restoration shop Fighter Rebuilders, and as president of the Chino Planes of Fame Air Museum, Hinton grew up around warbirds and unlimited air racing.

Lacy, Clay

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:58:01 -0700

Clay Lacy is a modern aviation legend. He began flying with United Airlines in 1952 and was #1 on the senority list when he retired in 1992. He founded Clay Lacy Aviation in 1968 and has logged over 50,000 flight hours.

Larkins, Jamail

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:13:50 -0700

Jamail Larkins had his first airplane flight at age 12 with EAA's Young Eagles program. At age 14 he soloed an airplane in Canada, and has flown ever since. He is an airshow performer, aviation spokesman, and serves as a motivational speaker.

Mace, Joan

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:31:41 -0700

Joan Mace went to work for Curtiss-Wright as an inspector on a SB2C Helldiver line in 1943. She joined the company flying club and learned to fly, and later went on to a long career as a flight instructor at Ohio University from 1946 to 1993.

Martin, Glenn

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

New Zealander Glenn Martin has been fascinated with the idea of owning a jet pack since he was a young boy. While in college he began developing plans for a ducted-fan powered "jet" pack. Today the Martin Jetpack is a reality.

McMinn, Andy

Wed, 28 May 2008 09:34:00 -0700

Andy McMinn is a Senior Air Safety Investigator/Instructor for the Aviation Safety Division of the Transportation Safety Institute, Department of Transportation.

Miller, John

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:13:23 -0700

John Miller taught himself to fly at 18 years-old in a Curtiss Jenny in 1923. He would go on to have an amazing aviation career involving everything from biplanes, to Autogiros, to jets. John was 97 when interviewed for Timeless Voices in 2003.

Monroe, David

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:25:30 -0800

David Monroe is a B-767 Captain for American Airlines, and founder of the three-ship Aerostar formation aerobatic team, flying Yak-52TWs.

Patecell, Ted

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Ted Patecell (1914-2004) had a long career in aviation that took him from working as a welder and engineer at the Howard Aircraft Company, as an engineering test pilot at Monocoupe Aircraft, to flying the Pan Am Clipper flying boats.

Penney, Cathy

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:32:37 -0700

Cathy Penney became New Zealand's first female helicopter pilot in the 1970s, and ran a helicopter flight training center with her husband for 23 years. Today she works for New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority.

Poberezny, Tom

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:57:00 -0700

On July 29, 2009 the Timeless Voices program celebrated a milestone achievement - the program's 1000th interview. To mark the occasion, the program interviewed EAA President and Chairman of the Board Tom Poberezny.

Rundstrom, Daniel

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Daniel Rundstrom served as an aircraft mechanic in Swedish Air Force during World War II. After the war he traveled to Africa in search of adventure - he found it flying everything from freight to animals to Arabian royalty.

Scott, Clayton

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Clayton Scott (1905-2006) was an aviation icon. In 1932 he met Bill Boeing, who hired him to fly for United Air Transport. He became Bill Boeing's personal pilot and in 1940 became the chief production test pilot for Boeing Aircraft.

Shank, William and Virginia

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:47:13 -0800

Husband and wife William (1926-2008) and Virginia (1924-2007) Shank were the owner/operators of the now defunct Shank Airport , founded by William's father Robert near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana.

Shevers, Hal

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:46:55 -0700

Hal Shevers learned to fly while attending Purdue University. In 1963 he pioneered the teaching of 3-day instrument ground school courses. Hal is best known in the aviation world as the founder and CEO of Sporty's Pilot Shop.

Steele, William

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:24:42 -0800

William "Bill" Steele is the inventor of the VirtualHUD - a unique Heads-Up-Display system that projects flight data on the back of an airplane's propeller using a system of lasers.

Stryker, Ward

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:55:15 -0700

Ward Stryker was hired to help build wings at the Swallow Aircraft Co. in 1927. When the Swallow plant shut down in 1929, he went to work as a rib builder at Cessna. In 1939 Ward went to work for Lockheed, where he stayed until 1946.

Taylor, Richard

Tue, 20 May 2008 12:15:29 -0700

Richard Taylor was an aeronautical engineer for the Boeing Aircraft Company for many years. Some of the significant projects he was involved with included the B-47 and B-52 bombers.

Thomas, Shari

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:38:44 -0700

Shari Thomas is an A&P Mechanic and Commercial Pilot. She is currently involved with the American Wings Air Museum where she does maintenance on and flies an OV-1 Mohawk.

Welz Aldrich, Nancy

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:57:44 -0800

Nancy Welz Aldrich was a divorced housewife with two children when she began taking flying lessons at age 31. With determination and perseverance she worked her way up to become a captain for United Airlines.

Baar, Edward

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:51:39 -0700

Edward Baar grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. As a kid he hung around the airport and met such aviation legends as Steve Wittman. In this clip, he relates some of those experiences and tells about his volunteering for the EAA AirVenture Museum.

Brennand, Bill

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:47:41 -0700

Bill Brennand started flying in 1943 with air racing legend Steve Wittman as his instructor. He began racing in 1947 and was soon an air racing legend in his own right. Bill started his own small FBO near Neenah, WI in 1953 and retired in 1993.

Budhabhatti, Chanda

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:48:31 -0700

Chanda Budhabhatti learned to fly in her native India at a time when it was a rarity for women to fly. She was the first woman in India to hold a speed record recognized by the NAA, and is currently very active in the Ninety-Nines.

Clark, Julie

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:02:23 -0700

Julie Clark is best known for her graceful aerobatic performances flying her MOPAR T-34. She was also the first woman pilot for Golden West Airlines and Hughes Air West Airlines, and retired as a Captain from Northwest Airlines in 2003.

Cox, Jessica

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:22:04 -0700

Jessica Cox was born without arms. She has learned to overcome this by using her feet and toes as if they were hands. In 2008 she became the first person in history to be certified to fly an airplane with only her feet.

Dueck, Jean

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:30:28 -0700

Jean Dueck had always been an airplane passenger until learning to fly after her children were old enough to leave home. Today she is not only flying on a regular basis, but also building her own RV-9A.

Farrand, Lowell

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Lowell Farrand was the test pilot of the first powered parachute flights during testing of ram air parachutes at the University of Notre Dame in 1963. Since then he has served as the test pilot for the Mini-Max line of homebuilt aircraft.

Garratt, Carol Ann

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Carol Ann Garratt was the General Manager of a Fortune 500 company when she was laid off in October 2001. Carol Ann saw her time off as an opportunity for adventure, and flew her Mooney in a 7-month long trip around the world in 2003.

Hinckley, Harry

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 07:49:55 -0700

Harry Hinckley is a private pilot involved in the Sport Air Racing League. He is currently working on a modified SX-300.

Keech, Andy

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Andy Keech was a pioneering skydiver in Australia, and one of the first Australians to do relative work. Today he is better known as the record-setting pilot of Woodstock, a modified Little Wing autogyro that holds 29 world flying records.

Keefe, Howie

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Howie Keefe served in the U.S. Navy as a flight instructor and flew PBYs and PV2s on antisubmarine patrols during World War II. He is best known for owning and racing the P-51 "Miss America."

Marquart, Ed

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:50:42 -0700

This interview with Edwin E. ¿Ed¿ Marquart (EAA #198) was recorded in February 2005. A prominent designer during the early homebuilt aircraft movement, Ed passed away on July 4, 2007. His presence throughout sport aviation will be sorely missed.

O'Brien, Tom

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:33:49 -0700

Tom O’Brien and some friends formed a treasure-hunting dive company in search of a sunken plane in the Gulf of Mexico that was carrying gold bullion. What they found was a WWII B-26 with six MIAs.

Oliver, Bruce

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Bruce Oliver started flying while in college in the 1950s. After college he attended Baptist Seminary and became a pastor in west Texas. Bruce spent 15 years as a missionary pilot in the interior of Brazil.

Payton, Sophia

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Sophia Payton performed a glider routine throughout the Midwest in the Bill Sweet Airshow. She later became active as a competitive pilot in women's cross-country air racing.

Pitcairn, Stephen

Tue, 13 May 2008 09:59:11 -0700

In this 1992 interview, EAA Vintage Aircraft Association Director Charlie Harris interviews Steve Pitcairn about his award winning 1930 Pitcairn PA-7 Mailwing. This airplane is now on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum.

Richter Holden, Ruth

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:52:36 -0800

Ruth Richter Holden is the daughter of Paul Richter, one of the founders of TWA and the company's Executive Vice President for many years. Ruth learned to fly at age 54 and owns a Lockheed Electra 12A used by TWA as a flying test bed in the '40s.

Rutan, George "Pop"

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:23:55 -0700

George A. "Pop" Rutan, Jr. (1916-2009) learned to fly at the urging of his oldest son, Dick Rutan. He owned a Beech Bonanza for a number of years, and encouraged his sons Dick and Burt, and daughter Nellie to pursue their own interests in aviation.

Standring, Charles

Tue, 20 May 2008 11:52:24 -0700

Charles Standring lived near Cleveland, Ohio growing up and as a boy his father would take him to see the Cleveland National Air Races. He began flying in 1946 and has owned a number of small planes over the years.

Steward, Lewis

Tue, 20 May 2008 11:57:20 -0700

After World War II Lewis Steward used his G.I. Bill to go to school and take flying lessons. He worked for a number of different aviation related companies on the West Coast after WWII and took advantage of a flying club while working for Boeing.

Wittman, Steve

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:55:14 -0700

Steve Wittman (1904 - 1995) was a legendary air racer and one of the founders of the homebuilt aircraft movement. This interview was recorded by the Antique/Classic Division of the EAA during the 1988 EAA Oshkosh Convention.

Woods, Jessie

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:54:20 -0700

Jessie Woods (1909-2001) was co-founder of the Flying Aces Air Circus with her husband Jimmy Woods in 1929. Jessie was a daredevil wingwalker for the Flying Aces, performing parachute drops, wingwalking, and rope-ladder stunts.

Wright, Jim

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:50:21 -0700

Jim Wright (1950-2003) was a self-taught engineer and private pilot. Fascinated with the H-1Racer built and flown by Howard Hughes, Wright put together a team and reverse engineered an exact replica of the airplane.

Ansari, Anousheh

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:44:35 -0700

Anousheh Ansari was a title sponsor of the $10 million Ansari X-Prize, won by SpaceShipOne in 2004. In 2006 she became the first female space tourist after traveling aboard a Russian Soyuz mission to the International Space Station.

Apt, Jay

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:36:29 -0700

NASA astronaut Dr. Jay Apt flew aboard four Space Shuttle missions during his career: STS-37 in 1991, STS-47 in 1992, STS-59 in 1994, and STS-79 in 1996. He logged 847 hours (35 days) in space, including 10 hours 49 minutes on two spacewalks.

Borman, Frank

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Frank Borman joined NASA with the second group of astronauts in 1962. He served as Commander of the Gemini 7 mission in December 1965, and was Commander of the Apollo 8 mission making the first manned orbit of the moon in December 1968.

Funk, Wally

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:54:44 -0700

Wally Funk was a member of the Mercury 13 - a little known program in which 13 women were selected to undergo astronaut training during NASA's Mercury space program. She has been a flight instructor, FAA inspector, and NTSB accident investigator.

Manley, Richard

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:22:46 -0700

Richard Manley worked at North American Aviation from 1962 to 1970. He was a test technician on inertial guidance systems for the first three years before joining the Space Division and working on the Apollo space capsules.

Molzahn, Leslie

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:28:24 -0800

Leslie Molzahn is a NASA Operations and Flight Test Engineer at Dryden Space Flight Center in Edwards, California.

Ratley, Sarah Lee

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:47:30 -0700

Sarah Lee Ratley was a member of the Mercury 13 ¿ a little known program in which 13 women were selected to undergo astronaut training during NASA¿s Mercury space program.