Foil: 13 Panel: 3 Column: 1 Line: 86

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Gary Lotridge

Born on August 16, 1939, Darrel Lotridge has been involved with planes from a very early age. An uncle who was a World War II pilot kindled Darrel's interest in flight and flying that would go on to become a life-long passion. At three, Darrel was photographed in an U.S. Army Air Corps pilot's uniform and at four he was taken on his first airplane ride by a family friend. Unable to get his pilot's license right away, Darrel had to make do with drawing planes and building models. When he was eleven, Darrel received a First Class Boy Scout merit badge for building a flying model of a North American Navion, a plane that he now owns.

In 1954, Darrel joined the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) U.S. Air Force Auxiliary. Ascending through the ranks, he attained the rank of Cadet 1st Lieutenant and was then appointed as Cadet Squadron Commander. Awarded the Civil Air Patrol Flight Scholarship for flight training, Darrel received ground-school and flight orientation. At sixteen, the new pilot soloed in a modified Piper Cub with just 4.3 hours of flight time. During this first solo landing, with the plane's wheels already on the runway, two children and their dog ran out onto the rural grass runway of the airport. Realizing that the brakes would not be able to stop the plane in time to avoid a tragedy, Darrel pushed in the throttle and pulled back on the yoke. The little Cub lifted off again, cleared the startled children, and returned for a second landing just beyond them. Darrel recalls this landing prompting the first-ever compliment from his watching flight instructor. Within the year Darrel became the Cadet Squadron Commander and Training Officer for a new CAP squadron in Rochester, Ml. Darrel always shared his love for flying and was instrumental in persuading several other cadets to join the U.S. Air Force.

In 1957, Darrel received a Congressional Appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. Although he had passed all academic requirements, he was not in the top 10 percent of the graduating class and so was denied admission. Darrel also received a Congressional Appointment to the U.S. Air Force Aviation Cadet Program. Despite 20/20 vision, an old eye injury kept him from being admitted to the program.

Nonetheless, Darrel was determined to serve in the U.S. Air Force and enlisted in June 1959. He went through basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX and basic and advanced electronics at Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, CO. Darrel stayed on at Lowry Air Force Base for an additional fifty-seven weeks and went through Airborne Weapons Training School. While serving at Lowry, Darrel came home on leave and eloped with his long time sweetheart Lois A. Hammond. She joined him soon in Colorado. After graduation, Darrel was transferred to the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Goldsboro, NC. There he worked on the airborne fire control systems for the F-100 Super Sabre and F-105 Thunder Chief fighter aircraft. Seymour Johnson became Darrel's permanent duty station with temporary duties being assigned at other bases. Darrel was honorably discharged from active duty in 1963, but remained in the Air Force Reserves for an additional three years.

The Gl Bill allowed Darrel to take additional flight training. In February 1969 Darrel earned his Private Pilot License. July 1970 saw him earning his Commercial Pilot License, followed by multi-engine rating in August and single-engine seaplane rating in September.

Darrel purchased his first airplane, an Aero Commander, in August 1972 at Lake Havasu, AZ. The plane was flown for approximately 500 hours until 1976 and was only sold to build a new home. From 1976 to 1984 Darrel accumulated another 200 to 300 flying hours in many different types of planes both single engine and twins. These planes were rented, borrowed or belonged to flying clubs.

In July 1984 Darrel purchased a 1951 Ryan (formerly North American) Navion from the original owner in St Cloud, MN. In the fall of that year, Darrel started a three-year complete restoration of the Navion, transforming it to an L-17B liaison airplane as would have been used in the Korean War. Navion L-17B N5382K has been flying in air-shows from New York to Minnesota and from Michigan to Florida, accumulating approximately 1,600 flight hours with over 3,000 landings.

Darrel remained active in CAP, attaining the rank of 1st Lieutenant as a senior member in 1980. He participated in search and rescue missions and cadet training and orientation flights for the Pontiac, Michigan Squadron until 1996.

A member of the Yankee Air Force (YAF) from 1984 to 1998 and as the YAF Museum Aircraft Procurement Officer, Darrel helped obtain twelve aircraft from governmental and private sources. These included a B-52, a B-25, a B-17, an F-101, an F-86, an F-84, a T-33, three Navy planes, one civilian plane, and one Army Helicopter. All these aircraft are either on display or are flying artifacts through the YAF museums and chapters.

Darrel also continues to be an active member of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the EAA Warbirds of America.

By encouraging several individuals to further their interest in flying, Darrel continues to share his love for flying. These individuals have gone on to become flight instructors, corporate pilots, flying business men and plane owners. A first airplane ride with Darrel usually started most of them on their adventures in the air.

-- all because an Uncle introduced a three-year-old to the joy of flying!