Sean D. Tucker greets family and friends as he takes the stage to be inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
By Mike Ullery
Enshrinement weekend 2008 at the National Aviation Hall of Fame saw legends of yesteryear honored alongside living legends at ceremonies held July 17-19. Hundreds of aviators, friends, family and fans came to Dayton, Ohio, the birthplace of aviation, to enshrine four new members in the hallowed halls of the NAHF.
Those honored at the induction ceremony on Saturday evening were William A. Moffett, known as the “father of naval aviation”; Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, World War II triple ace and famed U.S. Air Force test pilot; Herbert D. Kelleher, founder and retired chairman of Southwest Airlines; and Sean D. Tucker, aerobatic champion, air show performer and flight instructor; joined the ranks of legends who came before them at the “Oscar Night of Aviation.”
Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Engle took the stage to introduce Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, who welcomed everyone on behalf of the state of Ohio. Following dinner, Engle welcomed the enshrinees and their presenters to the stage. Anderson, Kelleher and Tucker accepted their medals, while Moffett’s grandson, William A. Moffett III, accepted the honor for his grandfather.
L to R: Kathy Robinson and retired Air Force Col. Garald K. “Robbie” Robinson, NAHF chairman of the board, flank 2008 enshrinee Herb Kelleher.
The weekend began with the annual hangar party at Moraine Airpark hosted by Alan Hoeweler. The buffet dinner held in Hoeweler’s hangar gave many of the guests the opportunity to ride in historic WACO aircraft. Guests also received a surprise visit by several U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters based out of Ft. Knox, Ky.
On Friday, the National Aviation Hall of Fame and National Museum of the U. S. Air Force held the annual President’s Dinner. This annual event, begun by NAHF enshrinee Jacqueline Cochran during the 1960s, gives enshrinees, sponsors and guests the chance to mingle and renew acquaintances within the aviation community prior to Saturday evening’s formal event. This year, the three living members of the Class of 2008 shared hangar stories with guests following dinner. During the dinner, the X Prize Foundation received the 2008 Milton Caniff Spirit of Flight award for its endeavors in launching the first non-governmentally funded space “race.” The foundation’s offer of a $10 million dollar award for the accomplishment of putting travelers into space sparked interest in new private aviation goals not seen since Charles Lindbergh’s flight in The Spirit of St. Louis in 1927.
For more information about the National Aviation Hall of Fame, visit [http://www.nationalaviation.org].
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- Sean Tucker’s Oracle Challenger and Old Crow fly over Dayton during enshrinement weekend. During the enshrinement weekend, Tucker performed in the Dayton Air Show.
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- Jim Hagedorn pilots Old Crow over rural Montgomery County, Ohio. Painted to honor Bud Anderson, the P-51D was originally restored and flown by Jack Roush and is now owned and flown by Jim Hagedorn, CEO of Scott’s Miracle-Gro and a former F-16 pilot.
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- An Army Apache attack helicopter lands at Moraine Air Park during the annual hangar party.
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- Many guests of the annual hangar party at Moraine Airpark, hosted by Alan Hoeweler, had the opportunity to ride in historic WACO aircraft.
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- Bud Anderson, smiles during the annual Hangar Party at Moraine Air Park.
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- Gen. Duncan McNabb, USAF vice chief of staff, chats with warbird collector Rod Lewis of San Antonio after the enshrinement dinner. McNabb earlier co-presented the medal of enshrinement with Ollie Crawford to Herb Kelleher.
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- Cliff Robertson closes the night with his traditional reading of “High Flight.”
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- 2001 enshrinee and retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Joe Engle served as the emcee for the 47th Annual NAHF Enshrinement Ceremony and had his own cheering section at the Gold Table of Rolls-Royce North America.
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- Shown with his wife, Jeannie, master of ceremonies Maj. Gen. Joe Engle is a former fighter and test pilot and Apollo backup and shuttle astronaut. He was enshrined in the NAHF in 2001.
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- L to R: Jennifer Kaplan, wife of NAHF Executive Director Ron Kaplan, warbird collector Rod Lewis, and Connie and Ed Bowlin of the EAA’s Warbirds Division enjoy the pre-ceremony reception held in the atrium of the Dayton Convention Center on July 19.
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- NAHF Executive Director Ron Kaplan (left) & Bill Shira, Gulfstream VP of marketing & sales support, show off the 1903 Wright Flyer kiosk, one of the NAHF Learning Center’s many interactive exhibits, after dedicating Gulfstream’s sponsorship for next year.
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- Enshrinee Paul Poberezny and his wife, Audrey, acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell and Stan “Goldie” Goldstein gather at a pre-ceremony reception hosted by the NBAA and the NAHF.
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- Dayton Air Show trustees presented the Zoe Dell Nutter Award to John Bosch at the NAHF President’s Dinner. A former NAHF chairman & trustee & current National Aviation Heritage Alliance chair, he’s CEO of Commander Aero at Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport.
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- Bill and Jane Patterson, parents of well-known aviation photographer Dan Patterson, celebrated their 62nd anniversary during the NAHF President’s Dinner on July 18.
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- Shown with George Gumbert (left) and Sean D. Tucker at the annual NAHF President’s Dinner, Betty Mosely will be inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Museum this fall.
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- Ken Perich greets NAHF enshrinee Joe Kittinger, center, and his wife, Sherry, at the President’s Dinner at the National Aviation Hall of Fame Learning Center.
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- Bud Anderson speaks during the annual NAHF President’s Dinner.
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- L to R: Connie Tobias, a US Airways captain and member of the NAHF Board of Nominations, with Joan Mace, former director of Ohio University’s Aviation Department. Mace is an NAHF nominee and a 2008 inductee into the Flight Instructors Hall Fame.
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- Herb Kelleher shares a story with guests at the NAHF President’s Dinner.
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- Jack Roush of NASCAR fame (left) chats with 2008 NAHF enshrinee Bud Anderson.
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- Jeannie Engle straightens the enshrinement medal of NAHF enshrinee Bob Hoover.
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- L to R: Enshrinee Joe Kittinger, incoming enshrinee Sean D. Tucker, Charlie “Hong Kong” Wilson and Ollie Crawford, who served as the presenter of Herb Kelleher’s induction later that evening.
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- Bud Anderson, WWII triple ace and acclaimed fighter test pilot, visits with Harry Robertson at the annual NAHF enshrinement ceremony.
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- The Dayton Convention Center was the site of the NAHF’s 47th Annual Enshrinement Dinner & Ceremony.
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- Chantelle Marie Rose (left) accepts the 2008 A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Educator of the Year Award from Joe Kittinger & Sally Crossfield Farley, daughter of Scott Crossfield. A teacher at Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio, Rose received $1,500
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- Hartzell Propeller CEO Jim Brown (right) congratulates Sean D. Tucker on his NAHF induction.
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- Academy Award winner and NAHF enshrinee Cliff Robertson with NASA employee Jeanie Engle, wife of NAHF enshrinee Joe Engle.
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- L to R: William R. Harris Jr., executive dir, American Association of Army Aviation, & publisher of Army Aviation Magazine, with RADM Bill Goodwin, Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet commander, who presented for the enshrinement of late Adm. William Moffett.
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- L to R: As the audience cheers, Jim Anderson proudly shares the stage with his father, Col. Clarence “Bud” Anderson, USAF (ret), moments after presenting the NAHF medal of enshrinement to him.