What exciting times here at the WAAAM air and auto museum! We are geared up for the first ever WAAAM Traffic Jam - Car Show over the Second Saturday of October... just 12 days to go. Since this is our first we are guessing on the number of antique, classic and vintage vehicles that will show. Could be 50--- could be 300! I am betting on 300.      

If you have an operating treasure in the shop, shed, barn or garage and it is 30 years old or older, come share it with us. We love seeing what you love working on! Please see the article below for more info and our plan for that day.

Judy Newman Museum Director

 

The 2012 Fly-In was our largest and a huge success.

Pilots who took to the skies came from many different states. We thank you the pilots for sharing your stories, enthusiasm and planes with us. We thank the public for being interested and intrigued with the museum and the fly in.

 

We have started an expansion fund thanks to the Walker L Bean Foundations donation of $25,000.  

The plans are in the pipeline to start construction in the spring. Currently those plans include adding 20,000 square feet to the north of the M2 hangar that will house mostly automobiles, a wing off of the Kids Area to expand that part of the mission, and two wings off the gift shop for a future café and theater/meeting room. We are very proud of the support for this museum in the Pacific Northwest. If you would like to be involved in moving this museum forward with funds, donations or volunteering please give us a call. It takes a village to raise a museum. Thanks for being a part of the village.

 

Clear skies,

Judy Newman
Museum Director

               New Arrivals!

 

The total visitor count for the weekend was around 3000. The Eyeopener Lions served their pancake breakfast and by 10 AM Saturday they'd sold out of the food they'd  planned for both Saturday and Sunday. They reported that on Saturday they'd served 714 meals.

 

Several special events and observances were held. Friday was the fifth anniversary of the opening of the museum so on Saturday afternoon we served visitors birthday cake decorated with images of the museum. We opened the doors to Hangar H1, the restoration hangar, to introduce Tom Murphy's final project as the museum's Director of Restorations, the Stearman Model 70 one-of-a-kind prototype of the Boeing Model 75 Kaydet series. Our thanks go out to the West Side Fire Department for Saturday evening's dinner. After dinner the documentary film One Six Right, about the importance of local airports, was shown on the Hangar H3 door. On Sunday afternoon a retirement observance was held for Tom Murphy. The WAAAM/Hood River Fly-in is, perhaps, the only fly-in in the country with an official bagpiper. Volunteer Mark Stanfield provided fanfares and entertainment throughout the weekend.

Grand Champion Antique - Lockheed 12A, Ruth Holden & Curt Walters

Best Antique - Fairchild 24, Wendy & Werner Griesbeck

Best Biplane - WACO ATO, Rich & Linda Melhoff

Best Classic - Piper J3 Cub, Norm Des Jardins & Jack Barnes

Best Home Built - WACO CTO, Robert Patrick

Best Warbird - Boeing Stearman E75, Doug DeVries

Peoples Choice - Lockheed 12A, Ruth Holden & Curt Walters