Roger E. Bilstein

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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Dr. Roger Bilstein completed the PhD degree at Ohio State University in 1965, and his dissertation analyzed the progress of aviation during the 1920s. His interest in aviation stemmed from boyhood fascination, especially the role of general aviation in western Nebraska, where he grew up.

As a university history professor, he taught history courses in twentieth century US history, but also offered courses in the history of technology and the history of aviation and space. During 1970-71, he was contracted by NASA to write the official history of the Apollo-Saturn launch vehicles, which won an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) history award. Among his eight books are "Flight in America" and "The American Aerospace Industry;" he also wrote several dozen articles as well as numerous encyclopedia entries on aviation and space. In 1977-78, he was a Visiting Scholar at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM); in 1992-93, he was named as the Charles Lindbergh Fellow at NASM.