Biography
In 1964 a small group of aviation enthusiasts realized that important and historic artifacts representing the evolution of flight were being lost or destroyed at an incredible rate. To aid in the preservation of these artifacts, the Pacific Northwest Aviation Historical Foundation was established with the goal of saving significant aircraft and related artifacts to educate the public about their importance.
It soon became clear that a place to store and exhibit these artifacts was needed, and in 1965 the first official Museum of Flight exhibits were put on display in a 10,000 square-foot space at the Seattle Center, the location of the 1962 World’s Fair.
The concept for The Museum of Flight complex began to take in 1975 when the Port of Seattle leased the land on which the Boeing Red Barn now sits to the Museum for 99 years. The Red Barn, the birthplace of The Boeing Company, was saved from demolition in its original location on the Duwamish River and floated by river barge to its current location. The Red Barn was restored in 1983 and became the first permanent location for The Museum of Flight.
The Red Barn was eventually joined by the Great Gallery in 1987, the Library and Archives Building in 2002 and the J. Elroy McCaw Personal Courage Wing and Airpark in 2004. The Museum of Flight continues to expand our exhibits, our experiences and our educational programs—paying homage to the history of flight and inspiring the entertainment and education of generations to come.
Found in 11 Collections and/or Records:
Interview Summary
Engineer Sydney Baker is interviewed about his life and his decade-spanning career in the aviation industry. He discusses his work at Vickers-Armstrongs in the 1940s and 1950s and his subsequent engineering jobs with Canadair and the Boeing Company. Projects discussed include the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) program, the AOA (Airborne Optical Adjunct) program, and guided missile development. He also shares his experiences as a Museum of Flight docent and his restoration work...
Dates:
2019 August 29
Collection
Identifier: 2019-00-00-102
Contents of the Collection
The Margaret E. (Wolfe) Berry Collection largely documents Margaret Berry's volunteer work with three aircraft restoration projects during the 1980s-1990s with visual and textual components. A small amount of material is personal in nature. The collection is arranged into two series: Aircraft Restoration materials and Personal materials.Series I: Aircraft Restoration materials makes up the bulk of the collection and has been further divided into three...
Dates:
1942, 1985-2006; Majority of material found within 1985-2006
Collection — Box 1
Identifier: 2023-00-00-54
Contents of the Collection
The Robert R. and and Canadette Museum of Flight Scrapbook is a single-item collection, created by Robert R. and Canadette Dickson and documents their involvement with The Museum of Flight and related restoration projects from 1978-1987. The scrapbook includes clippings, printed ephemera, and photographs. Topics include the Boeing Model 80A restoration, Pathfinder Awards, and Red Barn. Some pages and materials are quite loose and/or fragile.
Dates:
1978-1987
Collection
Identifier: 2019-00-00-100
Abstract
The Museum of Flight Oral Interview Collection contains recordings and transcripts of oral interviews conducted by Museum staff with people connected to the aviation and aerospace fields. The project began in 2013 and is ongoing.
Dates:
2013-2020
Collection
Identifier: 2020-09-17
Contents of the Collection
The Brien S. Wygle Collection is a small collection primarily consisting of logbooks and certificates, licenses, and awards documenting Wygle's service in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II through his career at the Boeing Company as a test pilot. The logbooks span 1943 to 2008 and document his military service, his time flying as a commercial pilot with Queen Charlotte Airlines in 1950, and his Boeing career beginning in May 1951. There is a gap in the logs from...
Dates:
1939-1990
Interview Summary
Museum of Flight trustee Michael R. “Mike” Hallman is interviewed about his life and experiences in the computer, aviation, and nonprofit fields. He discusses his career with International Business Machines (IBM) during the 1960s through the late 1980s and his subsequent careers with Boeing Computer Services and Microsoft. He also discusses his involvement with The Museum of Flight as a trustee, interim CEO, and (along with his wife, Mary Kay) co-founder of the Museum’s Oral History...
Dates:
2021 October 25
File
Identifier: OH_Olsson_Thomas
Interview Summary
Vietnam War veteran Thomas W. “Tom” Olsson is interviewed about his military service as a helicopter pilot with the United States Army. He discusses his combat tours in Southeast Asia flying the Bell AH-1 Cobra gunship and describes his later assignments as a flight instructor for the Cobra and the Hughes AH-64 Apache. He also touches on his post-military careers with Rockwell Collins and the Boeing Company and on his volunteer work at The Museum of Flight.
Dates:
2018 October 24
Interview Summary
In this two-part oral history, Paul L. Weaver is interviewed about his decade-spanning career as an aircraft mechanic and pilot. In part one, he describes his military service with the U.S. Navy; his career with the Boeing Company during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s; and his involvement in the Pacific Northwest aviation scene. He also shares stories about other aviation enthusiasts and the early days of the Pacific Northwest Aviation Historical Foundation (PNAHF), the predecessor of The...
Dates:
2019 March 11
Interview Summary
In this two-part oral history, Paul L. Weaver is interviewed about his decade-spanning career as an aircraft mechanic and pilot. In part two, he continues to discuss his involvement in the Pacific Northwest aviation scene during the 1950s and beyond. Topics discussed include his aircraft restoration work; his experiences with homebuilt aircraft and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA); his memories of other aviation enthusiasts and notable events and locations; and his work with the...
Dates:
2019 May 24
Interview Summary
Retired airline captain and Museum of Flight Trustee Anne Simpson is interviewed about her 37-year career in the commercial airline industry. She discusses her experiences as a pilot for Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, where she flew the Boeing 727, Airbus A320, and Boeing 747-400. She also discusses her status as one of the first women pilots to be hired by a major American airline and describes challenges and accomplishments from her career. The interview concludes with an overview...
Dates:
2016 January 13
