William D. Kraengel

Foil: 17 Panel: 3 Column: 1 Line: 12

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Scott D. Robertson

William D. Kraengel learned to fly at Barren Island Airport in Brooklyn, NY at age 29 and earned his Private Pilot License in 1931. He also held Ground Instructor, Aircraft Mechanic and 3rd Class Radio-Telephone Licenses. He later flew out of Floyd Bennett Airport, also in Brooklyn, where he was chief mechanic for Erickson & Remmert, an early aircraft service company. He owned several aircraft, including Fairchild KR-34 and Kitty Hawk biplanes, and a Travelair Speed Wing stunt plane.
Learning to fly was not without its hazards. Although both were seriously injured, Mr. Kraengel and his instructor survived a 1931 crash in Valley Stream, NY that demolished the Waco biplane they were flying. They were on a training flight originating from Curtis-Wright Airport in Valley Stream and Kraengel admits that the crash was his fault because he was stunting too low.
During the World War II years, Mr. Kraengel was principal of the Aviation Trade Centre in Brooklyn, NY where thousands of our wartime aircraft mechanics received their training. In December of 1945, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit from the War Industries Training Program in recognition of his contributions to the war effort. He went on to become Associate Superintendent of Evening Trade Schools for the New York City Board of Education, finally retiring to Arkansas in 1972.