Researching Airport History -- Help, please!

Thanks, Rick.

Ann Pelegrino's name sure comes up often in these parts. Whenever aviation
history comes up in Iowa, I hear her name mentioned.

I appreciate the suggestions -- thanks!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
om...

As many of you know, I have been working on a comprehensive history of
the Iowa City Airport. This task was thrust upon me as a required
adjunct to our project of saving our Boeing/United hangar -- one of
just seven original air mail hangars still standing nationwide.

While researching this incredible hangar it became painfully obvious
that no comprehensive history of the building -- or the airport --
existed. Since "Step One" of placing a building on the National
Register of Historic Places is to document its historic importance,
you can see how this endeavor quickly expanded.

Thanks to some generous donations, I have recently added many new
photos and historic tidbits (see the entire history at
www.alexisparkinn.com/the_iowa_city_airport.htm).

However, I am still in search of the following:

1. Pilots Who Flew United Airlines Into Iowa City.
Airline service was continuous from the early 1920s until 1972. Until
around 1950, airline passengers embarked from the historic
Boeing/United Hangar, a truly unique piece of aviation history.

I have been unable to find any pilot who actually used that facility
for what it was intended (It was designed so that you could taxi in
one side, close the gigantic doors, unload in climate-controlled
comfort -- and then taxi out the other side.) Pilots who may have
flown into Iowa City during that time are at least 75 or 80 years old
now, so time is running out on finding them.

Please, if you know any old, retired United Air Lines pilots, please
ask them if they ever flew into Iowa City. If they say "yes" --
please let me know ASAP!

2. Passengers Who Flew United Airlines Into Iowa City.
I have been unable to find anyone who actually flew into the
Boeing/United hangar facility. Again, if you know anyone who flew
into Iowa City prior to 1950, please let me know.

3. Pilots/Passengers Who Flew Ozark Airlines Into Iowa City.
After 1959, Ozark took over airline service from United. Although
this post-dates the use of the Boeing/United hangar (a new terminal
was in use by then), it would still be great to interview someone who
flew into or out of Iowa City during this era.


I suggest you contact Buck Hilbert. He became a United pilot in 1952, flew
DC-3s, DC-4s, the Convair twins, etc. He may very well have flown trips to
IOW, perhaps even used that old hangar. He still writes a column for EAA's
"Vintage Airplane" magazine, so he's certainly interested in aviation
history.

You can write to him at:

PO Box 424
Union, IL 60180

You can write to him at:

Thanks, Steven!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:vI_8d.133631$wV.99656@attbi_s54...

Thanks, Steven!


There is a Retired United Pilots Association. They have a website.

http://www.rupa.org/

There is a Retired United Pilots Association. They have a website.

http://www.rupa.org/

Cool! I have just sent them an email.

Thanks again, Steven.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Rick Durden" wrote in message
m...

It's been several years since I dealt with them, but the historical
society in Des Moines (museum is near the capitol) has some aviation
materials. Also Ann Peligrino (sp?)


Ann Pellegrino



who was the head of Iowa
Aeronautics and retraced Amelia Earhart's round the world flight (Ann
completed it successfully) in a twin Lockheed in the '60s, was reputed
to have collected a lot of Iowa aviation history material. I don't
know if she is still alive, but it might be worth a phone call to Iowa
Aeronautics in Des Moines.


She used a Lockheed 10A Electra and wrote a book about her flight, "World
Flight: The Earhart Trail", it was published in 1971 by The Iowa State
University Press. I believe it's still available, I get flyers from them
periodically.

On 10/6/04 10:50 AM, in article 9DT8d.197622$D%.62176@attbi_s51, "Jay
Honeck" wrote:

Oh dear... does this mean we have to salute him, now?


Jay Honeck
1st Lt. CAP, Hawkeye Squadron

Nah.

A crisp bow at the waist will suffice....

;-)

You won't mind if we face away from you to salute in your general direction
do you?
--
Jeff 'The Wizard of Draws' Bucchino
Cartoons with a Touch of Magic�
http://www.wizardofdraws.com
http://www.cartoonclipart.com

Steven,

Thanks for the correction on spelling.

Ms. Pellegrino spoke to our CAP squadron when I was in high school and
was very impressive. Her round the world flight was quite something.
Later, she and her husband owned some very rare aircraft. I recall
seeing one at OSH that was the prototype of the airplane that lost the
competition to the T-28, largely because it was a tailwheel airplane
and the Air Force and Navy wanted a nosewheel trainer.

All the best,
Rick

"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message ink.net...
"Rick Durden" wrote in message
m...

It's been several years since I dealt with them, but the historical
society in Des Moines (museum is near the capitol) has some aviation
materials. Also Ann Peligrino (sp?)


Ann Pellegrino



who was the head of Iowa
Aeronautics and retraced Amelia Earhart's round the world flight (Ann
completed it successfully) in a twin Lockheed in the '60s, was reputed
to have collected a lot of Iowa aviation history material. I don't
know if she is still alive, but it might be worth a phone call to Iowa
Aeronautics in Des Moines.


She used a Lockheed 10A Electra and wrote a book about her flight, "World
Flight: The Earhart Trail", it was published in 1971 by The Iowa State
University Press. I believe it's still available, I get flyers from them
periodically.

You won't mind if we face away from you to salute in your general
direction
do you?

As in: "I fart in your general direction!" ??

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
om...

As many of you know, I have been working on a comprehensive history of
the Iowa City Airport. This task was thrust upon me as a required
adjunct to our project of saving our Boeing/United hangar -- one of
just seven original air mail hangars still standing nationwide.


I have uploaded a few Iowa City Municipal Airport images to
alt.binaries.pictures.aviation