"We're Having A Good Year"

by ANN Correspondent Aleta Vinas

As ANN reported as part of our pre-Oshkosh coverage, Timeless Voices of Aviation is an oral history program, run solely on donations... aimed at seeking out for posterity the stories of any and all contributors to the aviation and aerospace world.

The Timeless Voices crew have been mostly busy this week. According to Zack Baughman Timeless Voices Program Coordinator, "Business has been good.”

The three interview sites are being kept busy, including Mel Smith’s Traveling Studio (shown below) . Baughman’s office was serving as a fourth overflow studio. “It hasn’t been that busy, it would be if I had more interviewers.“ Monday Timeless Voices had six interviews. Baughman admits Mondays are slow -- “people are here to see things, they’re not here to be interviewed.”

The other days, Baughman and his volunteers were pretty much maxing out. Anywhere from 10 to 12 interviews each day have been recorded. “Twelve is about as much as we can handle.“ At around 90 minutes per interview, that’s just about a whole day.

“We’re having a good year,” says Baughman.

Interviews are running about 80% men, which is understandable since the Timeless Voices tent is located in the warbird area, across from war birds in review, traditionally a more male traversed area. The age range has been early 20’s to late 80’s.

One of the more notable interviewees has been Retired Colonel Gail Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber. Halvorsen dropped candy for the kids between 1948 and 1949 over Berlin. Another notable interviewed this week was Gunther Rall. Rall is the third highest scoring ace in history with 275 kills. This entailed flying multiple missions each day for five years. Baughman generally has the volunteers perform the interviews but at times, rank has its privilege. Baughman interviewed Rall himself.

Others that have stopped by include a border patrol pilot who flies at 10’ tracking foot prints through the desert. Another was a powered parachute pilot who flew his chute across the US. Some Vietnam Vets have also stopped by to share their stories.

Timeless Voices points out that notoriety does not play a part in someone being eligible for an interview. ANY person that has been involved in aviation has a worthy story to tell. The schedule is filling up for the remaining time slots but fear not, anyone can perform an interview. Kits are available through Timeless Voices to assist. EAA members around the country are available to film, the Traveling Studio attends aviation events around the country as well. Interviews are also filmed in the EAA Museum.

Visitors to the museum can head to the Wilson Timeless Voices of Aviation Theater where the theater will be showcasing 23 of the first 48 stories that Timeless Voices recorded. Music and archival footage have been added to the edited interviews.

There is always a chance to share your story with Timeless Voices.

FMI: www.timelessvoices.org