Foil: 3 Panel: 2 Column: 4 Line: 33

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Jack Hudspeth

During the Second World War, Dan worked as a welder in the Portland Oregon shipyards to add his considerable welding expertise to the war effort. He took flying lessons and earned his pilot's license shortly after the war ended. He owned several general aviation aircraft. One of them, a Piper, was purchased primarily so his son, Jack could solo and earn his pilot's license. Jack became an air force fighter pilot and retired as a B7474 Captain.
Dan supported model aviation with his activities in the Chrysler Corporation in helping sponsor the state regional and international contests. He was never much for entering contests himself but took great pleasure in helping his friends and family and was a patient instructor with his two grandkids. He was an accomplished free flighter and U-control pilot and was one of the first to use the new radio controlled equipment. The gear was bulky and consisted of escapements that would give left-center-right-center control with every push of the transmitter button. When proportional radios hit the market, one of the choices was to build your owns from a Tandy kit. Many nights were spent with soldering gun in hand putting together servos and transmitters. Dan continued flying even in his twilight years, compensating for failing eyesight with slightly larger models. Even when he could no longer fly he spent time building and improving airplane and car models for his great-grandson who continues in the tradition of loving aviation.