GREENFIELD, IOWA – As a way to celebrate its 25th year in existence, the Iowa Aviation Museum in Greenfield recently hosted its annual “Wings” fly-in breakfast with a special ceremony. This ceremony honored the fixed base operators, pilots, and mechanics in Iowa, whose hard work and long hours continued to mold general aviation in Iowa into what aviators enjoy today. Twenty-seven names were chosen to represent the “2nd Generation.” Their names are now on a commemorative plaque in the Iowa Aviation Museum.
Of those recognized as part of the “2nd Generation” are Jim Bartholomew, Larry Berens, Steve Black, Willard Carson, Jim Connell, Mike Connell, Robert Dahl, Ed Doyle, Richard Drake, Paul Elmegreen, Charles Hawley, Russ Knock, Bill Kyle, Ernie LeClaire, Gary and Janet Lewis, John Lowe, Ivan McBride, Bob Mosley, Bob Neiderhauser, Dale Neiderhauser, Lee Nichols, Ron Remmers, Hazel Sigafoose, Dan C.B. Smith, Bill Smothers, J.B. Straley, Jerry Strunk, John Tibben, Dick Westbrook and Russell Zangger.
As Iowa’s only non-era aviation museum, the Iowa Aviation Museum in Greenfield is working toward storing and telling the history of Iowa’s rich aviation heritage.