Aero-TV: Profiles in Aviation – Ed Scott, Keeping Old Traditions Alive | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Mon, Mar 22, 2010

Aero-TV: Profiles in Aviation – Ed Scott, Keeping Old Traditions Alive

KAM Restoration Expert, Ed Scott, Explains His Interest in Antique  

The Kansas Aviation Museum is more than just a showcase for Wichita’s rich aviation history; it is history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum is housed in Wichita’s original municipal airport terminal. Dedicated on March 31st, 1935, the Wichita Municipal Airport served as a major mid-continent stopover for commercial operations as the last stop before crossing the Rockies to Denver or Los Angeles. At its peak in 1944, the airport was one of the busiest in the nation with take-offs or landings occurring every 90 seconds. Wandering the museum, visitors are immediately transported back to the glory days of aviation, surrounded by grand terrazzo halls and art-deco design. Nearly every aviation and entertainment legend of the era roamed the buildings halls, from Howard Hughes and Fred Astaire to Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

With the United States entry into World War II, an explosion in aviation manufacturing in Wichita altered the fate of the building. Tens of thousands of aircraft were built in Wichita for the War effort and the airport became a central location for flight-testing and military supervision. On September 16th, 1947, the government established the United States Air Force as a separate element of the United States armed forces; by 1951, the USAF took over the Wichita Municipal Airport for pilot training on B-47s, B-36s, and eventually B-52s. For the next 30 years, the USAF and the Kansas Air National Guard used the location as Building One of the McConnell Air Force Base. In 1984, however, the USAF abandoned the building.
 

For six years, the historical location sat empty and partially gutted; after being leased by the City of Wichita to the Wichita Aeronautical Historical Association in the late 1980s, volunteers painstakingly began restoration efforts that continue to this day. On April 19th, 1991, the Kansas Aviation Museum officially opened to the public displaying an extraordinary collection of Kansas and national aviation history.

The museum houses a world-class collection of rare aircraft, aircraft engines, and archive documents including the entirety of the original FAA identification cards from 1927 until 1994. In addition, volunteers have successfully restored such one-of-a-kind aircraft as a 1934 Stearman Model 73/Navy NS-1 Trainer and 1927 Swallow. Restoration continues through the astonishing efforts of the museums dedicated staff and generous donations from historical and aviation enthusiasts alike.

FMI: www.kansasaviationmuseum.org/index.php, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Final Report: Aviat A1

Airplane Bounced About 3 Ft Then Touched Back Down And Then, With No Brakes Applied, The Airplane Began Veering To The Left Analysis: The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.08.25)

Aero Linx: British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA) The primary focus within all aviation activity is SAFETY. In all aspects of our sport SAFETY must come first, whether it b>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Fly Corvair’s Reliable Engine Alternative

From SnF25 (YouTube Edition): William Wynne Builds Practical Aircraft Engines on the Corvair Platform Seeking an affordable alternative to the traditional aircraft engine options, >[...]

ANN FAQ: Contributing To Aero-TV

How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: CiES Fuel-Quantity and e-Throttle Systems Praised

From 2023 (YouTube Edition): Bridge of CiES CiES Inc. is a Bend, Oregon-based designer and manufacturer of modular embedded aircraft systems and sensors. The company’s fuel-l>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC