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By PEGGY "DOMINO" TAYLOR (Published 7/03)
The Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston is a must-see attraction. This family-friendly venue is a treat to young ones as well as those who remember the Glenn Miller music when it was new on the charts. This 100,000-square-foot facility also houses the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. When the museum out-grew its initial Houston-based hanger space, it moved to Galveston International Airport at Scholes Field. From 1986, when Lone Star Flight Museum chartered and earned its not-for-profit 501(c)3 status to current hanger additions, it grew in phases of construction to house memorabilia, recruitment of volunteers and educational programs. With the rapid growth of the aircraft collection, the last hanger addition was completed in 1991. The 74th Texas Legislature, designated the museum to be "The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame," signed by then-Governor George W. Bush. Phase III kicked in to house the education center of exhibits of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Inductees. Completed in 1998, the Fondren Center for Aviation Studies and the Jessie H. Jones Research Center Library houses the Museum's extensive collection of books, manuscripts, oral histories and aviation history. Researchers worldwide use this library.
The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors pioneers who have made lasting contributions to aviation in Texas. Each exhibit is looking in on history while leaning more about our heroes through some of their personal effects and journals. There are 39 inductees in the Hall of Fame with newly announced five more to be inducted November 8, 2003. The new Hall of Famers will take their place in the exhibit halls along with peers who have made outstanding contributions to the development, growth or preservation of aviation. The 2003 inductees are Gordon M. Bethune, Chairman and CEO Continental Airlines, Inc.; Archie G. Donahue, a World War fighter pilot with 215 combat missions and 14 aerial victories; Deborah Jean Rihn-Harvey, the longest standing member of the of the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team, currently in her 21st season; Dr. Leo Windecker, developer of the world's first FAA certified all-composite airplane, The Windecker Eagle; and John W. Young, the first person to fly six times in space, working aboard missions from Gemini III in 1965 to the first Spacelab flight in 1983. In 1972, Young flew to the moon on Apollo XVI. A sample of previous inductees who the Museum exhibits includes Dr. "Red" Duke, founder of Herman Life Flight; Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines; Brigadier General David Lee "Tex" Hill, commander of the Panda Bear Squadron of the Flying Tigers; astronauts Alan Bean and Gene Cernan; Bessie Coleman, the first woman to earn an International Aviation License and the world's first licensed black aviator; Howard Hughes, aircraft designer and aviation pioneer and the Thirteen Texans of Doolittles' Tokyo Raiders. There are more than 11,000 artifacts in this museum.
Following the inductee ceremony and gala the Lone Star Flight Museum will host an end of season Fly Day on Sunday November 9, 2003. The informal flying event will feature vintage aircraft from the museum collection and other aircraft from the area. A tribute will be observed for our veterans. This day is typically the last flight of the season by the warbirds before heavy winter maintenance begins. The museum hanger houses more than 35 aircraft.
The award-winning collection of these historically significant aircraft include a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, F 4U Corsair, P-38 Lightning, SBD Dauntless and a British MkXVI Spitfire. The newest addition is the Gruman F8F-2 Bearcat. The aircraft is displayed with show room pride. One walks from one plane to another with cars, military jeeps, bicycles and even a Harley Davidson motorcycle of the same year are mingled in with these vintage aircraft. The warbirds are surrounded by nose art of wars past to current pictures of present pilots whom fly these aircraft in vintage flight suits and gear. As one hanger leads to another the background music of the Big Band Era evoke pure nostalgia as the overhead lights shine on the likes of the B-25. The aircraft in the museum are maintained to flying condition since they are in constant demand on the airshow circuit. The aircraft and museum is a regular act and a strong supporter of Wings Over Houston Airshow at Ellington Field every October. Lone Star had its biggest airshow in Galveston this last spring. They had the privilege and luck in timing to have had the Canadian Forces Snowbirds. This show drew in 15,000 people celebrating the Spirit of Flight in Galveston. The ASAF F-15, F-16, and T-611 Demo Team flew and USMC AV-8-B Harrier, Army Apache Helo and aerobatics performances were included in this annual event. The Lone Star aircraft appeal to all generations at more than 40 aviation events all across the country each year.
The earlier aviation displays have reproductions with mounted pieces of historical tidbits and quotes. The entrance to the Hall of Fame is arched with a replica of the Otto Lilienthal 1893 glider. Lilienthal's philosophy was summarized in his own words, "To design a flying machine is nothing, To test it is everything!" That summed it up for him after building two biplanes before the turn of the 20th century.
As you leave the museum heading toward the gift shop, you look back yet again at the incredible entrance display of Orville and Wilbur Wright and while viewing their silhouettes, you take in all the history that took place in your previous steps of the aviation tour. The archive photos of that December 14, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, N.C., are wall size along with prints of the accounts of events leading to that day and reviews and comments from the recorders of history. Orville Wright's diary of that famous day read, "Will had no problem in control over the machine and made a difficult glide over a course of 280 feet." Seabrook resident Jim Harris built the 1903 flyer replica displayed at half scale. This dedicated exhibit to the Spirit of Flight starts with Wilbur Wright's quote, "When the wind rose to 20 miles an hour, gliding was a real sport."
The real sports around the Lone Star Museum are its volunteers. The museum proudly boasts of 1,250 members who contribute over 32,000 volunteer man-hours per year. The membership program was implemented in 1991. The museum has gained national and international attention ranking as one of the top flying aviation history museums in the United States. The staff contributes their success of the organization to the volunteer and member. These dedicated volunteers are not just confined to this area, but statewide volunteers.
But they are always looking for more volunteers. No experience is necessary. Training and instruction are given. The mission statement reflects the programs available from Community Ambassadors, exhibit preparation, maintenance teams, to gift shop, historical programs and educational projects. Membership categories are varied as the volunteer operations. Since there is such a small entrance fee, donations are always appreciated of over 61,000 annual museum visitors; almost 20 percent are school-aged children viewing aviation history for the first time. To borrow a quote from Darrell Collins from the U.S. Park Service, observing that historical day a hundred years ago at Kitty Hawk, "Before the Wright Brothers, no one in aviation did anything fundamentally right, since the Wright Brothers no one has done anything fundamentally different."
The Lone Star Museum and Texas Aviation Hall of Fame is located on Galveston's west end between Moody Gardens and The Galveston International Airport at Scholes Field. They are open every day 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Christmas Day. For more information, visit their website, www.lsfm.org or call 409-740-7722. Take a visit over there and bring a group to pay homage to the Spirit of Flight. You will be so glad you did.
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