HAGERSTOWN, MD - Many visiting the open airplane afternoon in Hagerstown have a personal connection to the planes sitting before them.
"A lot of my relatives, plus my Mother who's recently deceased, worked here during the Second World War," says Lynn Edwin Hull, a retired member of the U.S. Military.
Hagerstown is a pioneer in building aircraft like this Fairchild model, which trained the most U.S. pilots in World War II.
"What's unique about the Hagerstown Aviation Museum is that most of the aircraft in the Museum were actually built here in Hagerstown--either at the old Fairchild Factory which is now Pop Flights, which still stands on the airport," says John Seburn, President of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.
At one time, back in the 1940's and 1950s, more than 10,000 people worked at Fairchild building airplanes.
"The oldest one is a 1928 Kreider Reisner plane, that was built here in Hagerstown. We have several other trainers from World War II, Fairchild PT-19's they were called, that were also built here, and the two large planes are the Fairchild C-82 and C-119 Flying Box Cars," says Seburn.
The Flying Box Cars were one of many models used in the U.S. Military.
"It was used mostly for re-supply, a little bit of parachute work as far as delivering para-troopers and so on. It's hay day was in Korea and in Vietnam," says Hull.
The Aviation Museum has over 15 aircraft thanks to local donors. Now, Seburn says the challenge is finding a place to house and regularly showcase them.
The next "Open Airplane Afternoon" will be held August 19, 2012, just before the larger Wings and Wheels event held September 22-23, 2012.
"A lot of my relatives, plus my Mother who's recently deceased, worked here during the Second World War," says Lynn Edwin Hull, a retired member of the U.S. Military.
Hagerstown is a pioneer in building aircraft like this Fairchild model, which trained the most U.S. pilots in World War II.
"What's unique about the Hagerstown Aviation Museum is that most of the aircraft in the Museum were actually built here in Hagerstown--either at the old Fairchild Factory which is now Pop Flights, which still stands on the airport," says John Seburn, President of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum.
At one time, back in the 1940's and 1950s, more than 10,000 people worked at Fairchild building airplanes.
"The oldest one is a 1928 Kreider Reisner plane, that was built here in Hagerstown. We have several other trainers from World War II, Fairchild PT-19's they were called, that were also built here, and the two large planes are the Fairchild C-82 and C-119 Flying Box Cars," says Seburn.
The Flying Box Cars were one of many models used in the U.S. Military.
"It was used mostly for re-supply, a little bit of parachute work as far as delivering para-troopers and so on. It's hay day was in Korea and in Vietnam," says Hull.
The Aviation Museum has over 15 aircraft thanks to local donors. Now, Seburn says the challenge is finding a place to house and regularly showcase them.
The next "Open Airplane Afternoon" will be held August 19, 2012, just before the larger Wings and Wheels event held September 22-23, 2012.
Comments
My God! Who would've thought Hagerstown had such a proud history of aviation manufacturing. How sad to see the best that it can now offer are bail bonds and hooka bars.
Shawn B.
July 17, 2012 at 5:30 pm
