delaplane - Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame

DELAPLANE
Delaware’s first airplane
Official publication of the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
Volume X, No. 2
Spring 2010
DAHF 2010 Inductees How Does
the Inductee
Process Work?
Donald M. Clark, Smyrna, Del., C-47
pilot in France during WW II, 27 combat
missions, in Delaware reserves was training
officer, got civilian pilot ratings and started a
crop dusting business
Edward J. Czarnecki (1922–1955),
Wilmington, USAAF 1942, Pacific Theatre
became an ACE with six victories and one
probable, bailed out and rescued by friendly
natives, later was survival instructor, flight
instructor and investigator
Theodore C. Freeman (1930–1964),
Lewes, U.S. Naval Academy graduate, NASA
space program astronaut, 2,000 jet hours,
died in plane collision with snow goose at
Ellington AFB, Houston
Stanley P. Lawruk, New Castle,
Tech Sergeant, B-17 Flying Fortress flight
engineer and mechanic, top turret gunner, shot
down on his 24th mission over Germany in
1944, POW
Daniel M. Rusk, Jr., Wilmington, during
WW II in Pacific Theatre served on nine
different aircraft carriers, over 100 carrier
landings, retired from U.S. Navy after 20
years, joined Atlantic Aviation Co., became
VP and General Manager
Alfred D. Walker, Jr. (1920–1995),
Marshallton, Army Air Corps 1942, pilot and
instructor heavy bombers, 32 combat missions
Pacific Theatre, 540 combat hours, postwar
civilian flight instructor in Delaware
Al Suber,
Chairman, Selection Committee
The selection of inductees
each year from the list of
nominees is perhaps the most
important activity of the Board
of Trustees of the Delaware
Aviation Hall of Fame.
While there is a backlog of nominations
submitted and not selected for induction up to this
point, new nominations are encouraged because of
the numerous candidates whose contributions to
aviation deserve consideration. As of this writing,
there remain more than 70 persons on the list of
qualified nominations. The Board considers that
the induction of a maximum of no more than six
(6) individuals each year is the only way we can
adequately recognize each of the individuals at the
Annual Honors Banquet.
So, how are the new inductees chosen? The first
step is the appointment of a selection committee
chairman and four trustees to serve on that
committee. The chairman has the responsibility of
carrying out the process. The chair, with the Board
VP, is responsible for receiving and processing
new nominations and maintaining the nominee list.
Included on this list is the name of the nominee,
who nominated them and criteria along with
documentation qualifying the nominee for this
distinction. The VP or other volunteer, writes a
letter of acknowledgement to be delivered to the
nominee by a Board sponsor/facilitator called a
Wingman.
Early March is set for the cut-off date for the
acceptance of new nominations allowing Board
members time to process and circulate information
and documentation for the new nominees.
Once the new nominations are processed, each
member of the selection committee is requested
to carefully study the entire list of
nominees and their documentation
material. Next the committee
prepares their individual lists of 12
qualified nominees as their finalists.
They base their selections on their
individual evaluation of the criteria
established by the bylaws, stressing
the contributions of each individual.
Each committee member assigns a
number from 1 to 12 to their selections
indicating their first to last preference.
After discussion and agreement, a final
list of 12 is determined.
This final list of 12 is then placed on
a ballot alphabetically and e-mailed to
all members of the Board of Trustees.
The trustees are requested to study
this list along with qualifying criteria,
and rank their choices weighted
from 1 to 12. This ballot is then
e-mailed to the nominating committee
chair for tabulation and at the April
meeting. Final discussion on the this
Being an Inductee
Carol Anne Timmons, Col,.DANG
was inducted into DAHF in 2007 in
recognition of her 30 years of varied
military aviation achievements and
contributions including extensive
combat flying in several theatres of
war. She became Commander of
DANG’s 166th Operations group in
2007. An experienced United Airlines
pilot, she has flown 5,000, military
hours and 9,000 civilian hours.
Wow, inducted into the Delaware
Aviation Hall of Fame, what an honor.
I was truly shocked and surprised
when Mr. Hugh Horning, a board
member for DAHF, met with me and
told me the news. The additional
surprise was that a member of the
public nominated me. She had heard
me speak to a group at the Delaware
Veteran’s Administration for Women’s
History Month. This fact made the
nomination very special. You never
know how you are perceived by the
everyday American who is not a
member of the military. I have always
wondered what kind of impression I
leave behind when I speak to groups.
This nomination confirms my belief in
my fellow Americans and their support
for our military.
I have attended several dinners and
I have always felt the bar was set
high by previous inductees. We have
pioneers, combat veterans and general
tabulation is held and barring any new
information, the six highest-graded
individuals are declared inductees
for that year. This time frame allows
for new inductees to be introduced
to the public and that individual’s
“Wingman” to work with the inductee
or his/her family to gather any
additional background information
or photos for publicity and final
preparations for the Honors Banquet in
the Fall.
aviation aviators who persevered and
made significant contributions. Do
I really have the “right stuff?” As I
helped Hugh write my introduction,
I had the opportunity to reflect upon
my career. I do have the “right stuff.”
I have been successful because my
family believed in me and fully
supported my career choices. They
recognized my passion and belief in
what I was doing. Without my fellow
Guardsmen and women I would not
be the aviator I am today. We are a
team and cannot complete the mission
alone; we all have the “right stuff;”
especially as volunteers during these
days of war.
I am very proud and honored to be
an inductee into the Delaware Aviation
Hall of Fame and carry on my family
heritage of military aviation. I am
a second generation aviator in my
family; three uncles flew during World
War II and Korea.
Wawaset Homecoming for Aviation History
Dave Moffitt,
Founding President
In a televised
White House
ceremony in
summer 2001, the
President draped
the Congressional Medal of Honor on
two American heroes saying, “It is an
honor to be in their presence.”
The DAHF adopted this White
House tribute for the cover of its
dinner table program in October, as it
pertained to our honorees too.
2 Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
Thus was born the DAHF practice
of creating a distinctive theme for each
year. The year 2002 theme was created
by Deborah Haskell, then a member
of the Board of Trustees. Serving
refreshments following a DAHF event
and overwhelmed by the heroics of the
year’s candidates, she adorned the cake
with the words, “Thank you, Brave
Pilots.”
Governor Ruth Ann Minner coined
our 2005 theme. Addressing our
induction dinner, she referred to the First
State’s service men and women, past and
present, as “Protectors of the World.”
A Women Airforce Service Pilots
(WASP) memorial statue at an airport
in the Southwest inspired the DAHF
2007 theme: “We flew in the sun and
the clouds; we lived in the wind and the
sand. And our eyes were on the stars.”
A favorite theme was developed by
Matt Pulcinella, designer at Southwest
Graphics, Ridley Park, Penn. The
objective was to link childhood aviation
dreams to careers in adulthood. “My
six-year-old son Matthew yearns to fly,”
said Matt the Sr. “He lives airplanes,
sleeps airplanes. He scans the sky when
he hears a plane; he sails model gliders,”
So Matt took a photo of his son thrusting
a glider skyward and the 2008 table
program cover it adorned also filled the
pair of jumbo video screens at dinner:
“Dreams with Wings.”
R. Larry Alfree, a Delaware native,
is a retired
Wilmington
Fire Department
Officer
and retired
Insurance
Company
(CNA)
Corporate
Underwriting (Risk Management)
Officer. Upon his retirement in
1998, he pursued pilot training. He
achieved his private certificate in
1999 and immediately purchased
a Cessna 172M. Currently, Larry
is an instrument rated commercial
pilot and flying his aircraft out of
Summit Aviation in Middletown,
Del. In addition to his DAHF Board of
Trustees responsibilities Larry is the
DAHF Membership Committee Chair.
Please see Larry’s article below.
Bill Fitch was born and raised in
southern New
Jersey and
moved to
Delaware at the
age of 12.
His interest
in flying began
as a photo
assignment.
Immediately after, he started taking
lessons & got his license in 1989,
following up 2 years later with an
instrument rating. After getting his
license, he learned that his grandfather
was a WWI pilot/bomber in France.
As a Board member and website
chair, Bill hopes to support the efforts
of the DAHF with his technical talents
as a photographer and multimedia
producer. In addition, he’s learning a
lot about the rich history of Delaware
aviators, airports, and organizations.
How fitting the 2010 DAHF theme
comes home to Wawaset Park,
Wilmington, the site of Delaware’s first
airplane built and flown 100 years ago.
It is also the home of America’s first air
hero of World War II, George S. Welch,
the Delaware pilot who shot down four
Japanese airplanes at Pearl Harbor.
DAHF Adds Three New Board Members
DAHF Invites New Members
R. Larry Alfree, Chairman, Membership Committee
The Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame Corporate Sponsor.................... $1,000
(Includes four tickets to Honors Banquet)
(DAHF) welcomes new members.
Membership will help support the
Gold Corporate Sponsor........... $2,500
goals and activities of DAHF, as it
(Includes table for eight at the Honors Banquet and
honors our state’s aviation greats
recognition in the Program)
and celebrates the role of aviation
As a member, you will receive a
in our lives. Contributions to this
membership certificate, a lapel pin,
non-profit Delaware organization are
our newsletters, invitations to special
tax-deductible. A person need not be
events and a ten percent discount on
a resident of Delaware to become a
tickets to the Annual Honors Banquet.
member.
To join as a new member, please
Our membership categories are:
complete the application contained
Individual Member......................... $25 within this newsletter and send it to
the address listed on the application.
Individual Patron.......................... $250
(Includes two tickets to Honors Banquet)
Should you have questions about
Rachel Anderson was born in
Cumberland
Maryland and
has been around
airplanes all her
life. From when
she was a child
and her father
took her to the
airport to watch
the planes land
and take off to later marrying a husband
who is a pilot.
She began taking flying lessons and
earned her pilot’s license in August,
2002. She is currently chairman of the
Delaware Chapter of the Ninety-nines,
an international organization to support
and promote women pilots, and recently
was awarded a scholarship to continue
work on her instrument rating.
In addition to her aviation endeavors,
she is an accomplished musician and
cyclist and is currently serving as
wingman to DAHF Inductee Theodore
Freeman.
DAHF membership, please contact the
Membership Committee chair, Larry
Alfree at 302-741-2051.
Membership information also
appears on our website: www.dahf.org
Membership renewal for 2010
was due in January. If you
have renewed your 2010 annual
membership, THANK YOU. If you
have not renewed your 2010 annual
membership, please send your check
to:
R. Larry Alfree
148 Stonewater Way
Dover, DE 19904
www.dahf.org 3
Double Celebration for DAHF Inductees
Bob Veazey
Joe Barkley
While we
are meeting on
September 25
to celebrate the
induction of new
members into the
Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame,
another celebration will be taking
place in Honolulu,
HI that has connections to the
State of Delaware
and the DAHF.
Former members of the USAF
6594th Test Group will be meeting to
mark the 50th anniversary of the first
aerial recovery of a capsule ejected
from an orbiting satellite. The Delaware connection is that the equipment
installed in the C-119 recovery aircraft
was designed and manufactured by All
American Engineering Company, in
Wilmington and tested in Georgetown.
The follow-on equipment mounted in
the C-130 aircraft used by the Group
until it was deactivated in 1986 was
also designed, manufactured and
supported by All American. A further connection also exists since two
inductees to the DAHF performed
significant roles in the highly secret
Message From The President:
DAHF Annual Report to Members
Hugh Horning,
President, DAHF
Greetings! This report covers the period
May 2009 through
April 2010 during
which the Board of
Trustees held monthly meetings except
for December. For most of the period,
the Board consisted of 15 trustees. Ten
committees met as needed. This report
highlights the many types of activities
and actions taken by the Board.
On May 7, 2009, we held our sixth annual educational “Spring Event” at the
UD Wilmington campus titled “Flying
for Fun.” There were four Power Point
guest speakers (each representing a
different facet of recreational flying),
complimentary refreshments, an aviation art exhibit and two raffles. Admission was free.
In May- June, 2009, a comprehensive
press kit, announcing the 2009 honorees, was distributed to the media. The
Spring Newsletter was also issued.
In July, a modest grant of funds from
the state of Delaware was requested
and received and the Youth Aviation
Achievement Award (YAA) committee, consisting of representatives of five
local aviation organizations, met and
4 Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
selected the 2009 recipient.
In August, a press release was issued
announcing the Honors Banquet at the
UD Clayton Hall on October 3, 2009,
the honorees and the YAA recipient.
In August and September, final planning for the Honors Banquet and
program took place…a myriad of
details and arrangements too numerous to enumerate here. Invitations were
mailed to some 1,000 individuals, the
comprehensive printed table program
was completed and inductee medallions
and plaques personalized for each recipient. The Fall issue of the Newsletter
was issued and flyers and posters were
produced and distributed.
On October 3, six individuals were
inducted at the Honors Banquet and
a young lady received the YAA along
with a cash award, courtesy of Delaware Aviation Support, Inc. Founding
president for five years Dave Moffitt,
and active ongoing Board member,
was awarded a plaque expressing appreciation for his continuing dedication
and contributions to DAHF.
At the October Board meeting, five
year president Harry Van Den Heuvel stepped down and the writer was
subsequently voted to succeed him
beginning with the November Board
meeting during which major objectives
program called “Corona”. Inductee the
late Joe Barkley, AAE Test Pilot and
Technical Representative trained and
flew with the C-130 Test Crews for
several years following the introduction of the C-130 aircraft, and Inductee
and DAHF Vice President Bob Veazey
was a member of the original design
team and later (1960 to 1986) Program
Manager for AAE.
Over the course of its service, the
6594th Test Group was awarded seven
(7) “Outstanding Unit Awards”, while
achieving over a 99% successful recovery record.
for the year 2010 were defined and action plans were initiated. The theme for
2010 was established as “Onward and
Upward” - - be at least as good as we
have been (onward) and become even
better where possible (upward).
In February 2010, the Winter issue of
the Newsletter was issued and a press
release seeking inductee nominations
for 2010 was sent to the media. Three
Board members reluctantly resigned
because of health issues and job or personal demands. Since then, three trustee
replacements have been added to the
Board. The website was also redesigned
and updated with new features.
In April, the Inductee selection Committee met, made recommendations to
the full Board and six inductees were
voted for the year 2010. Wingmen
were assigned to each who contacted
the selectees and their nominators with
the news. They will be announced publicly in May.
Last, all of these things were made
possible by the support of DAHF members, individual donors and attendees
at the annual Honors Banquet and
especially by the dedication, talents and
hard work of the Board of Trustees.
Onward and Upward!
Hugh B. Horning, President
DAHF Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting, May 20. Left to Right: Derald Wentzien; Sharon Forbes; Rachel Anderson; Bob Veazey;
Jim Hickin; Hugh Horning; Mike Brock; Dave Moffitt; Al Suber; R. Larry Alfree; Bill Fitch. Missing: Bruce Marvel; Frank Ianni;
Ron Mehan
DAHF Conferred Annual Youth Award
drag for a science fair project. She did
this by using a homemade water tunnel
to simulate airspeed by using water
flow. Her science project won 1st place
at the Delaware Valley Science Fair
(DVSF) 10th grade division. The same
year, Ariel was towed in her hang glider
to 5000 feet in altitude and released to
glide earthward, a truly impressive feat
for a hang glider pilot of any age.
Ms. Evans’s many and diverse
achievements and awards in the fields
of aviation, scholastics, engineering and
art are extremely impressive, considering her age. One teacher described her
as “intelligent, responsible and dedicated, meeting adversity head on and
successfully overcoming obstacles.”
Her parents, William and Linda Evans,
confirm that observation.
Ariel’s father took her hang gliding to
help her overcome the fear of heights.
Ariel went on to become the youngest
hang glider pilot in the U.S. At the age
of 14, she competed in the Kitty Hawk
Kites Hang Gliding Spectacular (the
oldest continuing hang gliding event in
the world) where she won 1st place in
the novice division of the tactical dune
flying competition. She was the first
person under the age of 18 to win and
first woman ever to win. Shortly after,
Ariel started thinking about aerodynamics in relation to her hang glider.
This began her “engineering phase.”
At 15, Ariel researched the effects of
hang glider winglet design on induced
Since receiving his award in 2007,
Mike Shaw continued his aviation
endeavors by attending the Air Force
Academy. Most recently, he was named
the Wing Commander of the Air Force
Academy beginning this August in his
senior year. The Wing Commander
is the highest ranking cadet and is in
charge of the entire wing of cadets
totaling approximately 4,400 cadets.
Prior to his appointment as Wing
Commander, he has also held leadership positions at the academy, such as
Squadron Superintendent and Chief
Clerk. He is also on the Superintendent’s List, meaning he has a high
standing in all three areas of the Academy’s curriculum - academics, military
training and physical fitness.
Mike was also selected to travel to
China as part of federal grant program
in the summer of 2009 and he has been
selected to be deployed to Kuwait for 6
weeks this summer as part of his operations training. Mike has also received a
pilot slot upon his graduation.
Ariel Evans, 17, of Georgetown Del.
and student at Sussex Central High
School, received the Delaware Aviation
Hall of Fame (DAHF) Youth Aviation
Achievement Award on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at the DAHF annual honors
banquet at UD’s Clayton Hall.
From spring of 2008 through the
spring of 2009, Ariel entered several
national science and engineering competitions. Her development of several
prototype winglets to counter induced
drag on the wing won her 1st place in
the DSVF 11th grade devision and a
full scholarship to Drexel University in
Philadelphia.
As a high school senior with a 4.0
gpa, she will attend Drexel in the fall.
To read more about Ariel and her numerous achievements, please go to the
DAHF website at www.dahf.org.
What is the 2007 YAA recipient doing now?
The DAHF wishes Mike the best on
his pursuit in aviation excellence.
www.dahf.org 5
What is the Delaplane?
Mike Brock, Chairman
Delaplane Art
Competition
This year marks the
100th anniversary of
the first airplane designed, built and flown
in Delaware. “The Delaplane” flew at
the city’s Wawaset Park on October 21,
1910.
The Delaplane, constructed of spruce
and outfitted with metal fittings and
wires was built by Wilmington-native
Robbie Seidelinger. The wings and
control surfaces were covered with
cotton fabric and painted with dope for
strength and tension. The flying club
engaged Eddie Bloomfield to pilot the
maiden hop. The Delaplane rose smartly, and spectators jumped with joy.
In mid-1911, the Delaplane was
destroyed by fire when its “hangar” was
struck by lightning, and the flying club
disbanded.
Seventeen years later, Giuseppe
Bellanca reversed Delaware aviation
history: he set up shop in New Castle
and became one of the world’s leading
aircraft manufacturers.
Delaplane at Wawaset Park in 1910.
Photo courtesy of Historical Society of Delaware.
Art Contest Celebrates Delaware’s
First Airplane
The flight of the Delaplane will be
celebrated this year with an art competition sponsored by the Delaware
Aviation Hall of Fame (DAHF). Cash
prizes will be awarded for original
concepts of the Delaplane in two
categories:
• Two-dimensional painting and
drawing
• Three-dimensional models and
sculpture in any medium.
Maximum size: 36 inches
The three prize categories are
6 Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
• Youths under age 18
• Adult
• Grand Prize best-of-show
Two (2) prizes will be awarded in
the youth and adult category and one
(1) grand prize will be awarded for
best-of-show.
Deadline for submission of entries is
September 2, 2010. Entries should be
delivered to Hardcastle’s Gallery, 622
Newark Shopping Center, Newark,
Delaware. Judging will be performed
by panels of DAHF trustees.
Winning entries will be displayed
September 25 at the annual honors
banquet of the DAHF in Clayton Hall
at the University of Delaware in Newark. Participation is limited to residents of the First State. DAHF trustees
and family members are not eligible.
For more information about the
historic Delaplane and the art contest,
please go to the DAHF’s website at
www.dahf.org.
DAHF Featured at Friends of Bellanca Airfield
Frank Ianni,
DAHF Secretary
A large pictorial display of the 61
DAHF inductees to
date is featured at the
Historical Hangar
and Museum at Bellanca Airfield being
restored by the Friends of Bellanca
Airfield, located on Route 273 next to
Amazon, between the Farmers Market
and the town of New Castle.
The 76 year old hangar, a rare and
unique structure itself, also contains
a growing number of artifacts of the
Bellanca Aircraft Co. which operated the airfield from 1928
to 1954 during which time
some 3,000 record breaking
aircraft were built there.
at 302-762-9057. For information on
“Friends of Bellanca Airfield,” visit:
www.friendsofbellanca.org
The Museum is open to the
public free of charge 11a.m.3p.m. on the second and
fourth Saturdays from May
through October. Groups are
welcome and tours may be
arranged at other times. For
more information on museum visits, call Frank Ianni
Would you like to nominate someone to the
DAHF?
2010 YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
2011 AVIATION HALL OF FAME
This award is given to the young man or woman who
has distinguished himself or herself in aviation training, career development and participation in aviation
community activities. Delaware youths 15 to 21 who
are pursuingcareers in aviation, in the air or on the
ground are eligible as are youths enrolled inaviation
training programs in Delaware. Supporting materials are encouraged. The nomination itself should not
exceed two typewritten pages single-spaced.
June 15, 2010 is the deadline for nominations for the
2010 award.
If you wish to nominate someone just send us a
letter not exceeding two single spaced typed pages.
Please explain why you feel your nominee deserves
induction into the DAHF. Supporting documents,
news articles, citations and photographs are
welcome. Qualifications may come from ANY
aspect of space, air or ground involvement in
flying. The nominations for consideration in 2011
must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2011.
Be sure to include your return address.
Send nominations to Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame P. O. Box 4303 • Greenville, DE 19807-0303
Gone West
In March of this year, two of our
DAHF inductees passed away.
Floyd H. L. Durham, age 92,
inducted in
2000 – on
March 21.
Floyd, a pilot
and instructor,
built an 1800
ft. airstrip in
his backyard
for personal
use. Later, he lengthened it to 3700
ft. added amenities to make it a
functioning commercial airport,
Delaware Airpark. It became the bestequipped airport for public use in Kent
County.
Elinor Patricia Smith, age 98,
inducted in
2007– on
March 19. In
1926 at age
15, Elinor was
the youngest
female pilot in
the world to fly
solo. At 16, she
became the youngest licensed pilot
on record and at 17, she set a solo
endurance record for women. In 1928,
she became the first female test pilot
for the Bellanca Aircraft Co. of New
Castle, Delaware.
Our sincere condolences to their
families.
Individuals who have previously Gone
West since being inducted:
2003 John Hite – 1914-2008
2005 Ralph Minker -1924-2008
2003 Eddie Edwards – 1913-2009
2003 Louisa Spruance Morse – 1912-2009
www.dahf.org 7
2010 Honors Banquet
The 2010 annual awards dinner,
at which inductees are enshrined in
the DAHF, will be held, as in recent
years, at the sumptuous UD Clayton
Hall Conference Center in Newark on
Saturday, September 25. Attended by
some 300 aviation/history enthusiasts,
the reception begins at 5:00P.M. and
the delicious dinner and impressive
program commence at 6:30P.M.
The reception area will be adorned
with aviation memorabilia such as
paintings, aircraft models and the
inductees’exhibits/displays. Music
will be provided by the Delaware
Army National Guard “Stardust
Knights” combo.
Visit the website www.dahf.org for
more details. Mark your calendar
now for this unique and special
aviation/history event.
DAHF Membership Form
Enclosed is my check for $____________ to cover annual membership in the following category (check one).
Individual Member
Individual Patron
$25
$250
Corporate Sponsor
$1000
Gold Corporate Sponsor $2500
Name _ ________________________________________________________________________________
Affiliation_______________________________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________________
City_ _______________________________________ _State____________ Zip_______________________
Date________________________________________
Mail to: Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
P.O. Box 4303
Greenville, DE 19807-0303
DELAPLANE
E-mail_ _____________________________________
Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
P. O. Box 4303
Greenville, DE 19807
Phone_ _____________________________________