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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Dorothy W. Lippincott

Winfield H. Lippincott began flying in his teens in a WACO 9 (1930). An early barnstormer, he grew with aviation progressing to a WACO 10, Monocoup, Aeronca, Curtis Robin, Taylor Cub, Piper Cub, and WACO cabin.

He attended Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania majoring in engineering until he switched to the School of Aeronautics which he completed. He then became a mapping pilot working for local firms that photographed and surveyed the land to develop maps.

Much of his early experience was in the West during the late '30's in a Fairchild Photographer while he flew and then surveyed the terrain. One of the early instrument pilots, he was accepted by United Air Lines in 1940 to fly the Boeing 247, DC 3, 4, 6, 7, Boeing 720 and DC 8. His career there spanned propeller planes as well as jets.

At the outbreak of World War II, he entered military service as a second lieutenant and flew for the Ferry Command delivering planes and ammunition. His service included northern Africa, Europe, Bermuda and Arctic flying. He was also sent on rescue missions to find downed aircraft - he found a plane that was not yet known to be down.

He trained pilots in instrument flying and also assisted in the planning of several early airports. Leaving the military as a Major, he had flown the B17 (Flying Fortress), B24, B25 and also the first B26 (Martin Marauder). Back at United Air Lines, his first assignment was to bring back the troops as fast as possible. He then flew the first parcel post from Denver to Philadelphia.

Captain Lippincott completed his career at United in 1972 after 32 years of flying. He flew the stretched DC8 during the last year of his flying from New York to Honolulu, Hawaii, which at that time was the longest flight in the world.