Symposium this Saturday

You only have a few more days to register for the FREE symposium September 29 on the history of the Maryland Air National Guard.  There will be two sessions: a morning panel on early history and an afternoon session on activities of the last decade.

Several past commanders and people who participated in the missions of the "First to Fly" Air National Guard organization will be panelists.

The morning session is 10 AM to 11:30 AM and the afternoon is 1 PM to 2:30 PM.  The symposium will take place at the Warfield Air National Guard Base on the grounds of Martin State Airport.  You MUST register in advance, unless you have a DOD badge.  Enter from Eastern Boulevard and you will be directed to the symposium.  You may leave the base for lunch but must return before the second session begins.

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime event.  The Maryland ANG has been around for nine decades, but the symposium is only one day. Registration closes Wednesday, September 26.

To register and for additional information, visit our webiste: www.wingsovermaryland.org

Work begins on 4-O-4

Volunteers and painters get the 4-O-4 ready for update.

Work to repaint the Martin 4-O-4 has begun.  The airliner has been cleaned, sanded and taping is underway.  The nose cone has been cleaned and is ready for primer and paint.  When the prepping is done, the paint crew will begin applying the primer, weather permitting.

Say tuned for the official unveiling of the refreshed aircraft some time this fall.  Again, thank you to the Middle River MS2 division of Lockheed Martin for providing the funds for this important project.

Neal Amrstrong, 1930-2012

Neal Armstrong, center, was one of several Project Gemini astronauts to visit the Middle River plant to get a closer look at the Titan II rocket that would lift them into space.  Mr. Armstrong had considered an invitation to be part of the Gemini symposium at the museum last fall, but a family commitment prevented him from accepting. The first man to step foot on the moon as part of Apollo 11 died on August 25. 

Farewell and thank you

For the Lockheed Martin celebration, the Pusher became a Martin aircraft, with some graphic touches.

The museum is richer for the visit of the 1911 Ely Curtiss Pusher.

The aircraft was the centerpiece of the Martin Company centennial celebration both at the museum and the nearby Lockheed Martin Corporation.

                                                                           

                                                                                                Curtiss pilot and builder Bob Coolbaugh meets member       Harvey Hodgin, who tried on  Bob' flight Jacket.

On Saturday and Sunday people lined up at the museum to see the only flying example of the aircraft that was used as a model by Glenn L. Martin for his flying machines.  Except for some minor differences and the names, only the trained eye could tell the difference in the aircraft built and flown by Navy veteran Bob Coolbaugh.

On Monday, Lockheed Martin marked the centennial with a special program that included several elected officials, including Gov. Martin O'Malley, Sen. Ben Cardin and Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger. Once again the centerpiece was the Curtiss Pusher, converted for the occasion into a Martin plane, and accompanied by the Curtiss crew dressed in period garb.

In honor of Mr. Martin, the local Lockheed Martin division presented the museum with a generous donation to help preserve the legacy of Glenn Martin and his company. Stay tuned for the special project the money will underwrite.

The 1911 Ely Curtiss Pusher gets ready to head home after a successful four-day visit to Baltimore.

Celebrate Martin Company's 100th

Crowds gather to get a closer look at the 1911 Ely Curtiss Pusher on display at the museum.

Saturday the museum celebrates National Aviation Day with an emphasis on the Martin Company's 100th anniversary. An added bonus will be the fly-in of the reproduction 1911 Ely-Curtiss Pusher. Glenn L. Martin used Curtiss aircraft as the models for his first airplanes. People can see this historic biplane and and get a chance to sit in a museum jet fighter or airliner Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM (weather permitting).  Other activities are also planned for the entire family. Also participating will be Rosie the Riveters, members of the Ninety-Nines (the International Organization of Women Pilots) and others. You can also learn about the Berlin Airlift and other topics and hear a musical tribute to the Wright Brothers.

The museum also will be open Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM so you can see the Curtiss Pusher and our planes. However, the cockpits will not be open.

Scott Wycoff of WBAL Radio captured the arrival on video. You can see it at the link here
http://www.wbal.com/article/93141/53/template-story/

The Curtiss Pusher is flying up from Jerry Yagen's Military Aviation Museum in Pungo, Va., and it's appearance is being underwritten by the Lockheed Martin Corp.

Waiting at an airport near you

The B-17 Memphis Belle sits at Martin State Airport.

The Liberty Foundation's "Memphis Belle" is making Martin State Airport its home August 18 and 19 for tours and rides. The bomber usually flies between 10 AM and 3 PM each day with tours offered after the day's flights.  The Curtiss P-40 did not make the trip. See the website to reserve a seat on the B-17. http://www.libertyfoundation.org/index.html

The Museum will be open its regular hours, 11 AM to 3 PM, both Saturday and Sunday.

The 4-O-4 gets a scrubbing

Saturday wash crew takes a break fom giving the Martin 4-O-4 a much needed bath.

The heat and threat of rain didn't deter a dedicated
crew of volunteers who gave the Martin 4-O-4 a wash to take off years of dirt and pollution.  The cleaning was part of a long-range plan to restore the airliner to its former luster.  What's next?  Probably sprucing up the interior.  The 4-O-4 and other planes will be open to the public August 18 as part of the festivities for the centennial of the Martin Company. Also coming in for the event is a Curtiss Pusher, which Mr. Martin used as a model for his own early plane.