Aeronca Museum

The Aeronca Museum is an online museum that hosts a collection of artifacts and aircraft produced by Aeronca (the Aeronautical Corporation of America) (a.k.a. Aeronca, Inc. or Aeronca Aircraft, now Magellan Aerospace Corp.) -- a prominent U.S. light aircraft manufacturer from 1928 to 1951. The museum is instituted to "preserve the knowledge and history of Aeronca aircraft in the public trust" and keep it "available for future generations," with the objective "to be the premier research library for all things Aeronca."[1][2][3] [4] [5]

History

The museum began its development under President and Executive Director Todd Trainor, an aircraft restoration specialist, long involved with Aeronca planes, [6] [7] [8]—and son of late Aeronca restoration expert Tom Trainor. [9]

A board was formed and the organization applied for 501(C)3 non-profit certification in early 2011; it holds that status, now, and is currently operating as a public information service.[2]

At present, the artifacts are at the Museum's offices in Brighton, Michigan, and in hangars at the Brighton Airport, some undergoing restoration and preparation for presentation.[2][3]

Currently, the Museum largely serves as an archive of thousands of documents, drawings and blueprints, technical manuals and other research references related to Aeronca aircraft, and presents these online through its website, both commercially and as free-distribution information for Aeronca aircraft operators and enthusiasts.[2]

Exhibits and Artifacts

The Museum is home to "three complete Aeronca K projects (including one seaplane), one flyable Aeronca TAC, a C-3 basket case, and a KCA basket case," some in restoration—and over 10,000 other Aeronca artifacts and papers.[2]

The Museum has collected many documents, drawings, blueprints, manuals and other references from Aeronca, and from its successor, Magellan Aerospace, and from Aeronca enthusiasts, particularly those affiliated with the National Aeronca Association and the Fearless Aeronca Aviators, and makes the available through its website, at aeroncamuseum.org.

See also

References
  1. Aeronca Museum, HOME page, Aeronca Museum website
  2. Trainor, Todd, Director, Aeronca Museum, letter Archived July 16, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, June, 2011 on Aeronca.com
  3. Totten, Jim, "Rescuing a WWII bomber in Alaska, Livingston [Mich.] Daily Argus & Reporter", 4-21-2013, PDF retrieved 2/27/2016.
  4. Harris, Richard, "Aeronca: Birth of the Personal Plane," AAHS Journal, Summer 2007, vol.52, #2, American Aviation Historical Society
  5. Harris, Richard, "Aeronca/Champion History: Beyond the Bathtub -- Chiefs, Champs & Citabrias," from articles first appearing in In Flight USA, 2003-2004, condensed on author's website.
  6. EAA, "Todd Trainor, presenter" EAA AirVenture 2014 Presenters, Airventure 2014 website Experimental Aircraft Association, retrieved February 27, 2016.
  7. "Todd Trainor's Aeronca K Seaplane", July 19, 2010, Antique Airfield website of Antique Airplane Association and the Airpower Museum, retrieved February 27, 2016.
  8. Cole, Dermot, "Michigan men hope to recover WWII bomber southeast of Fairbanks", 4/4/2013, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Fairbanks, Alaska, retrieved February 27, 2016.
  9. Trainor, Thomas Edison, obituary, 2006-02-21, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press, retrieved 2016-02-28


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