Inclement weather

In the event of wintry weather, please call the museum at 410-682-6122 to make sure we are open.
The Museum follows the Baltimore County Schools snow closing policy.

Hats off to exemplary aviator

Joe Toskes, right, accepts FAA award.

 Museum member Joe Toskes has received a Federal Aviation Administration certificate for 50 years of flying without an accident.  Joe began flying as a youngster at Harbor Field and thanked those who helped him over the years. Joe has been very generous with his time and resources while taking on several projects for the museum. When not flying, Joe can be found working on a restoration project.

Family members and several people who knew Joe over his aviation career showed up at a reception held at the museum to applaud his special honor.

Last rockets to the moon

Mike Stanford answers questions after his talk.

Dr. Michael Stanford enthused about the importance of the Saturn V rocket at the Monday Speaker Series event at the Lockheed Martin auditorium. Mike, who worked for the space program for several years, showed a video and explained why the giant rocket was such a technological marvel.  The booster that last took man to the moon was discontinued as the Apollo Space Program completed its successful mission of getting men to the moon and returning them safely to earth.  He lamented the Saturn V abandonment and explained that its lifting capability probably could have assembled a space station in as little as two flights.

Rosies visit the museum

Several Rosies stopped to admire custom car decorated in their honor.

Several Rosie the Riveters stopped by the Museum for their annual get-together on Saturday.  It was a chance for them to catch up  and share memories and stories about the years when they helped the war effort at the Martin Company and other aviation manufacturers.  Visitors at the Museum were also caught up in the enthusiasm of the group and the tales they told.

Several honored at Wings dinner

Several of the people who help found the museum were honored at the dinner. They were (from left) John Bartkowiak, Jim Jurkowski, Gene DiGennaro Jr., Bryan Wiliman and Stan Piet.  They were each given a Purple Martin award, which was the highest honor presented to Martin Company employees.

 Over 100 people packed the Sparrows Point Country Club for the Museum's annual dinner and silent auction.
Several people were honored at the event and Jim Smith Jr., former Baltimore County executive and now state transportation chief, was given the inaugural "Friend of the Museum" award for his support.
The Museum also presented a check to the Maryland Air National Guard Chiefs Airman Relief Fund that helps Guard members and their families.
Also honored were some of the original backers of the museum: John Bartkpwiak, Jim Jurkowski, Gene DiGennaro, Bryan Wiliman and Stan Piet.

The museum presented a check to the Maryland Air National Guard Chiefs Airman Relief Fund at the dinner. Presenting the check was Karen Armacost, Museum chair, while accepting it for the ANG was Sgt. Jeff Morse.  Also pictured are Stacie Morse and retired Gen. Guy Walsh.

Jim Smith Jr. is presented with the first "Friend of the Museum" award for his outstanding support over the years. Makingthe presentation is Bob Byrnes, executive director of the Museum.

Building update

Volunteers get ready to add another piece to the structure of the new building.

The front and rear walls of the temporary structure at Strawberry Point are being worked on and it won't be long before the cover is ready to be lifted into place. The building will be the first structure owned by the museum.  Some restoration work will be moved to the building when it is completed this fall.  Space is at a premium for the museum and any added square footage is quickly being claimed.

End of the season

Visitors walk the Flight Line.

Nearly 200 people took advantage of the beautiful weather to attend the final Open Cockpit Saturday for the season.  People got a chance to sit in the 4-O-4 Mainliner or a number of military aircraft. Although the T-34C was open for display, it is not ready yet for people to climb in the cockpit.  It should be by next season.
When not outdoors, people could visit with a contingent of Rosie the Riveters, or ask aviation questions of the Ninety-Nines, an organization of women pilots. Children also got a chance to perfect their aeronautics knowledge by building their own planes.

Rosies and Ninety-Nines talk to Debi Wynn, who coordinated the activities.

Painting donated to museum

Artist Robert L. Hunt has generously donated a painting of an RB-57 and F-104 flying over mountains in Alaska.  Bob is well-know for his depictions of railroads and historic subjects and his work hangs in many collections.  He wanted to start painting airplanes and his first work now hangs in the museum.  If you would like to bid on a signed print of the beautiful picture, there will be one offered in the Silent Auction on September 28.

Museum awards scholarship

Karen Armacost, Museum board chair, greets Ashley Reinhardt, scholarship winner.

The  Museum is pleased to announce that Ashley Reinhardt, a recent graduate of Chesapeake High School in Baltimore County, has been awarded the museum’s first annual scholarship of $1,000.

Ashley lives in the Fullerton area of Baltimore County with her parents and twin sister, Sara. Ashley plans to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in the Fall and will major in photography. Faculty members describe Ashley as
outgoing, friendly, positive, determined, and a great role model for other students.

The museum initiated the scholarship in 2013 to demonstrate support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in the community.
Chesapeake High School has been designated a STEM academy. Ashley will be honored during the museum’s annual dinner and silent auction on Saturday, September 28, 2013 at the Sparrows Point Country Club.

The aviation museum plans to offer the scholarship again next year. During the selection process, preference will be given to a high school senior who has volunteered at the museum for six months or more.

CAF Squadron arrives at Martin State

The Commemorative Air Force brought its B-29 FiFi, P-51, C-45 and Navy Helldrver torpedo aircraft to Martin State Airport on June 3-5.  Hundreds of people turned out to see the World War II vintage aircraft and some purchased rides on the planes.  Fifi made one flight on Wednesday and people were thrilled just to see the last flying B-29 takeoff and land.  The other craft flew all three days and the sounds of rotary engines often filled the air.

Work starting on new structure

First, you start with the footers.

Work has begun on the temporary structure at Strawberry Point that eventually will replace the trailers that have held tools and material for years.  The footers have been dug and, after a state inspection, the anchors will be placed. The 40-by-60 foot fabric-covered structure eventually will be used for storage and  some restoration work

Museum members visit museum

Tour group listens to docent Jane Michael talk about the C Building at Lockheed Martin Corporation.

About 50 members of the Baltimore Museum of Industry and their children got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum as part of an area exchange program.
Visitors got a personal tour of the main museum and those interested got a peek into the Museum archives, which contain over 100,000 images, a large collection of aviation books and numerous artifacts from the Glenn Martin Co. and Maryland aviation history.
Activities kept the children busy while adults got a chance to see the Museum's Gallery and Restoration Center in the basement of C Building at the Lockheed Martin Corporation. There they saw historic aircraft and two of the long-term project being undertaken: a full-size replica of the Martin MS-1 submarine sea plane and a World War II training glider being built by EAA Chapter 143.  Among the aircraft on display was "The Spirit of Maryland."
Everyone got a chance to visit the Strawberry Point flight line and look inside the Museum's TA-4J fighter and RB-57A bomber.
GLM members will get a chance to see the BMI when a members-only tour is scheduled for Sunday June 30.  If you're a GLM Museum member and want to go, contact the museum at 410-682-6122 or send  us an email at martinmuseum@gmail.com.  There is  no cost, but you have to provide you own transportation.

Museum takes program to Harford County

Harford County third graders have questions after presentation.

Thanks to support from the Dresher Foundation, the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum is offering its outreach education program “From Sand Dunes to the Moon” to third-grade classes at Harford County elementary schools at a discounted fee of only $1 per student. This interactive activity celebrating flight and Maryland's contribution to the pioneering days of manned space exploration is designed to inspire students to explore the future of aviation while they discover and learn to appreciate the technological wonders of the past. With rising gas prices often bringing bus transportation costs higher than Museum program fees, making field trip costs often unaffordable for students, the generosity of the Dresher Foundation has enabled the Museum to take aviation education into Harford County classrooms.

If you are a Harford County third-grade teacher who would like us to visit your school, click here. 

Scouts visit museum

Volunteer Richard Steinert tells Scout group about the Museum's T-33 at Strawberry Point.

Scouts and adults get pointers on night-vision goggles
 used by County Police Aviation unit.

Over 300 Scouts, adult leaders and parents spent Saturday at the Museum to explore several aspects of aviation.  Some worked toward their Merit Badges in aviation, while others just enjoyed seeing airplanes up close.  Scouts got a chance to see history, build rockets, learn to read maps (thanks to the work of Jane Toskes) and experience a real flight simular, provided by Kevin Walsh at Middle River Aviation.  The Baltimore City Aviation Unit brought a helicopter to Strawberry Point for an up-close look, and the Baltimore County Police Aviation Unit opened its facility for a tour. The local Civil Air Patrol Squadron brought its latest airplane to show and answered the questions of Scouts and adults and helped with traffic.
As an added bonus, some got a chance to tour the C Basement gallery with the support from Middle River Aircraft Systems.

Civil Air Patrol cadets and leaders wrap up
their day at the Flight Line.

Despite the biting wind, everyone seemed to enjoy the adventure-filled day and went home with more knowledge of flight, Martin State Airport and Glenn L. Martin.   People already were talking about coming back next year.

Meet the authors

As part of National Reading Month, the Museum hosted several authors on March 9.

The lineup included Jane Gardner Birch with her book They Flew Proud, Linda Martinak and Angela Martinak Sutherland with their book Essex and Middle River: Then and Now, Vincent dePaul Gisriel, Jr. and his book Hearts Away, Bombs Away and Stan Piet with his book Martin P6M SeaMaster.

If you missed the event, several of the books are available for sale in the Museum's gift shop.

Bob Dorr talks about B-29 raids

Bob Dorr met B-29 crewman John Swoboda after the meeting.

Bob Dorr, well known aviation author, visited the Museum February 4 to talk about the 1945 raids on  Japan covered in his new book, Mission to Tokyo. Bob set the stage by giving some background on the B-29 Superfortresses used in the latter stages of World War II and the war in the Pacific.

He focused his  talk on the firebombing of Tokyo the night of March 9-10 and the use later that year of the two atomic bombs. In dramatic fashion, he tried to recreate what is was like to be there 70 years ago on Tinian in the Mariana Islands as the B-29 crews prepared for their missions. He also reminded the audience that many B-29s, and specifically the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb, the Enola Gay, were built in a Martin Company plant.

In the audience was John Hamilton Swoboda, a B-29 gunner who was on Tinian during the time covered in the book and talk. They compared notes briefly.

Bob's appearance was part of the monthly Monday Speaker Series presented by the Museum at the  Lockheed Martin auditorium, 2323 Eastern Blvd., Middle River. The 7 PM events are free to the public, but you must have a photo ID.  Children must be accompanied by an adult with a photo ID.

The March speaker will be Ron Ball, who will talk about the video he compiled on the history of the Maryland Air National Guard.

Tom Jones speaks at Museum

Tom Jones visited after his talk with World War II veterans (from left) John Swoboda, Henry Benesch and Henry Koenig.

Tom Jones, retired astronaut and Essex native, took part in the Museum's Speaker Series on January 7.  His topic was the battle of the Coral Sea and the used of air power in the South Pacific. He also shared some insights from his recent visit to the area and talked about the differences between now and the ravages of war 70 years ago.

Tom Jones took a photo of the PBM display at the Queensland Air Museum. Several Martin planes were involved  in the South Pacific theater.