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Society for Aviation History

P.O. Box 5344, Petaluma, CA. 94955

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SAH General Meetings and Educational Programs

Note: Our tours are now on their own page - click TOURS

Mark your calendar

Click on this link to see our  Policies and Procedures Page

Our Dec. 7, 2024 meeting

Masters Of the Air

Join us on Saturday, Dec. 7, for a presentation on the 2024 TV mini-series "Masters of the Air" by Taigh Ramey who spent nine months in England as the World War II and B-17 technical advisor. He taught the actors how to be World War II airmen, how to operate the equipment from starting the bombers to dropping bombs, how to shoot the guns and talk on the radio. His behind-the-scenes photography is amazing.

You may know Ramey from our previous meetings at the Stockton Field Air Museum, or seen him flying the museum's fully restored PV-2D Harpoon and A-26 Invader. Ramey also hosts "Bomber Camp," where participants are fully immersed in becoming a bomber crew member learning how to operate the gun turrets, drop bombs using a Norden Bomb Sight, and so much more. (Bomber Camp is slated for May 2, 2025 - details at the meeting.)

Join us in Mountain View for a fantastic afternoon of World War II aviation history. Be sure to bring a friend!

Date/Time: Dec. 7, 2024

11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Mountain View, CA (not Moffett Field)

Cost: Member - $40 per person.

Non-Member - $45 per person.

ENTREE

Please choose One:


Penne con Pomodoro e Melenzane:
Tube Pasta with fresh diced tomatoes and eggplant.


or

Ravioli di Ricotta e Spinach: Homemade ravioli stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese in a light tomato sauce.


or

Spaghetti Bolognese: Spaghetti pasta in our rich, hearty meat sauce.


or

Chicken Marsala: Chicken breast in Marsala wine and mushrooms, served with mashed potato and seasonal vegetables.

Included with all meals: SALAD: Verde Mista: A mixed green salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette and Gelato for dessert.

Select from the small arrows on the right near the price and click on the "Add to Cart" button below to make reservations via PayPal or see below for check instructions.

               Penne con Pomodoro e Melenzane
               Ravioli di Ricotta e Spinach
                  Spaghetti Bolognese
                  Chicken Marsala

Pay online with PayPal or make checks payable to: Society for Aviation History (not SAH please). Please send your check to: SAH, P.O. Box 5344, Petaluma, CA. 94955

RSVP: Reservations must be received by Tuesday, Dec. 3. If you require a vegetarian meal, please contact Nick Veronico.

Note: If you can't make it and have already placed your reservation, we must receive notice by Dec. 3 or we will be unable to give you a refund. Reservations made after Dec. 3, or arriving without a reservation will cost $75. You must pay to attend.

Click on this link to see our Policies and Procedures Page

Our October 5, 2024 meeting

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) by Rita Lucas

The Society for Aviation History's most recent meeting was held at Wagon Wheel Barbeque in Mountain View, California.

Speaker Rita Lucas shared the astounding accomplishments and history of the Airforce Service Pilots of WWII, known as the WASP. They were little known for over 35 years, yet they were crucial to the efforts of WWII. They were a civilian women pilots' organization founded by Jacqueline Cochran, the famous aviatrix. They ferried aircraft across the US, flew every military plane, flew targets and tracking missions, and tested aircraft which then freed up male pilots for combat during the war. Of the 25,000 applicants, only 1,074 earned their wings as WASP. They trained for 5 months at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX and later were stationed at various army bases across the U.S. They were finally granted military status in 1977 by President Carter. They received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009 awarded to persons "who have performed an achievement that has an impact on American history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient's field long after the achievement."

Remember that if you could not attend this (or any other) SAH meeting, you can borrow or purchase a DVD recording of it by contacting Byron May (Click on his name and take out the word "REMOVE" from his email address) to send him an email.

Our June 1, 2024 meeting

Oakland Aviation Museum Aircraft and Happenings

Speaker John Horton and VP Dave Osgood

Our June meeting was held at Don Giovanni in Mountain View and our speaker was John Horton, president of the board of directors of the Oakland Aviation Museum. Known as OAM, this is one of the best kept aviation secrets in the Bay Area. The museum is home to an ex-NASA two-seat TAV-8A Harrier, an Ercoupe 415C, a super rare Hiller Ten99 (1099) helicopter, a MiG-15bis, and the Short Solent Mk.III four-engine flying boat.

Horton spent 23 years in the U.S. Navy, earning his Wings of Gold at NAS Pensacola in 1971. He flew A-3 Skywarriors from the deck of USS Constellation (CV-64) during the Vietnam War. In addition to serving as the OAM's board president, he is also on the board of the A-3 Skywarrior Association. Following his career in the Navy, Horton had a successful career in Silicon Valley.

This meeting was very visual in nature with photos of each aircraft accompanying Horon's narrative and would be well worth viewing on DVD for anyone unable to attend in person. Contact DVD lending library coordinator Byron May to obtain a copy. Following the presentation, Society Vice President Dave Osgood closed the event and noting our next meeting will be October 5th in Mountain View.

Our April 6, 2024 meeting

Hexagon: Spies in the Sky, Reconnaissance Technology During the Cold War

The SAH returned to the Moffett Field Museum for April's general meeting. President Nick Veronico opened the meeting with a heartfelt moment of silence honoring the memory of cherished board member, colleague, and friend, Ron Strong (SAH 038). Moffett Museum's executive director, Jeff Wasel, announced the museum's monthly newsletter, which highlights special events, exhibits, and a new speaker series, is available by signing up at Moffett Field Museum, scroll to the bottom of the home page. Wasel also noted SAH members gain free admission (excluding speaker events) to the museum by showing their current badge. Lastly, he mentioned the current estimate for the completion of Hangar One's reskinning and interior work is at least two years out.

Former Air Force officer Rick "Ricky" Deutsch presented "Hexagon: Spies in the Sky, Reconnaissance Technology During the Cold War." His captivating discussion featured declassified material that covered the evolution of U.S. reconnaissance technology, beginning in the mid-1950s through the end of satellite film camera technology in 1986. During the Cold War, the U.S. evolved reconnaissance technology, resulting in today's real-time video capabilities. Initially, film was used in satellites to monitor treaty compliance and intelligence gathering of the Soviet Union and other "denied areas." The vehicle, HEXAGON, was 60-feet long and took pictures from 100 miles up. The program was urgent and required cooperation between the CIA and the Air Force, guided by the National Reconnaissance Office.

Deutsch's unclassified presentation gave us a first-person historical look at how high-resolution images were not only taken, but returned via parachute to be caught in mid-air. Essential to success was the work of the launch team, command and control, tracking stations and the aircrews who made the daring catches of the film buckets. This program was a critical Cold War asset.

Our February Meeting

Hollywood and Aviation: Maddux Airlines

2024 SAH President Nick Veronico & Speaker Ryann Willis

On Feb. 3, the Society for Aviation History held its first meeting of 2024 at Wagon Wheel BBQ in Mountain View. A total of 38 members and guests were in attendance for the first visit to this establishment. Society President Nick Veronico started the meeting off by welcoming everyone to the restaurant and thanking the members for their donations to our annual food drive. Member Dana Lombardi presented the book World War Warriors combining the AeroCatures artwork of Hank Caruso, which adds human features to aircraft and period advertising to tell the story of nearly 50 World War II-era aircraft.

Our speaker was Ryann Willis who is the granddaughter of Jack Maddux, founder of Maddux Airlines, and first cousin to the late Arizona Senator John S. McCain. When her grandmother passed at age 99, Willis received a trove of never-before-seen photos and newspaper clippings associated with Maddux Airlines. Using this material, she has finished a book on the airline and will presented a segment of this information titled "Hollywood and Aviation" at our meeting.

"Hollywood and Aviation" looks at the Roaring 20's relationship between motion picture stars and the fledgling airline business and draws upon the Maddux family photo collection to illustrate the adventure, glamour, romance, and thrills of early commercial air travel. Stars and Hollywood moguls such as Will Rogers, Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Mary Pickford, Wallace Beery, and many other notables are included in the family photo collection.

To see some more of our past meetings, click below

2023 meetings

2020-2022 meetings

2019 meetings

2018 meetings

2017 meetings

2016 meetings

2015 meetings

2014 meetings

2013 meetings

2012 meetings

2011 meetings

2010 meetings

2009 meetings

2008 meetings

2007 meetings

2006 meetings

2005 meetings

2004 meetings

2003 and earlier

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