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5 Pilots Elected to the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame
Publish Date: Aug/Sept 2007 | |
Five pilots have been elected to the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame (DAHV). The induction, which begins with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by a dinner at 6:30 p.m., will be held at Clayton Hall at the University of Delaware in Newark on Saturday, October 6. The public is invited.
The selectees, all living, include Virginia “Scotty” Bradley Gough, William F. Hutchison, Elinor P. Smith, Douglas W. Thompson, and Colonel Carol A. Timmons.
Gough joined the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) organization at the age of 21 and took on a dangerous assignment: flight testing. Later, Gough, along with fellow WASP Ethel Meyer, established the WASP exhibit at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base. Gough turns age 85 on October 28, 2007 and when asked how she'd like to celebrate the occasion, she responded, “With a parachute jump.”
Hutchison served in the Delaware Air National Guard (DANG) for more than three decades and flew combat in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was air commander of the DANG from 1972 through 1983. Though Hutchison retired from the Guard after 33 years, he continued to fly commercial jets for another 8,000 hours, stretching his total flight time to 18,000 hours in 14 different aircraft types. He also worked 22 years as an instructor and examiner for FlightSafety International at New Castle Airport and still flies Westwind and Astra jet aircraft.
Smith was a teen sensation! In 1926, at the age of 15, Smith was the youngest female in the world to fly solo; in 1927 she was the youngest licensed pilot on record; when she was 17, Smith set a solo endurance record for women; in 1928 she flew under all four bridges spanning New York's East River, the only person to ever do so; in 1929 Smith set four world records, including speed: 190.8 mph! In 1930 she set a light plane altitude record of 11,889 feet and an endurance record of 26 hours and 21 minutes in a Bellanca CH. In 1930 she was selected “U.S. Aviatrix of the Year.” Now 95 years old, Smith lives in Santa Cruz, California.
Thompson flew combat in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. In addition to being the three-time winner of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Thompson also earned four Air Medals and 20 other decorations for both his British and American service. In 1964, after 22 years, Thompson retired from the Air Force. He had qualified in 22 aircraft types and was a certified instructor in nine. He also holds a commercial multi-engine pilot's license.
After enlisting in DANG and finding the military did not want women to fly combat missions, Timmons switched to the Delaware Army National Guard to fly helicopters. Determined to fly jets, Lt. Timmons transferred to the Air Force Reserve where she flew the non-combat mission of C-141 transports. When the Air Force finally allowed women to fly combat, she returned to DANG and began flying C-130s. She flew as an aircraft commander, accumulating more than 400 hours of combat time. In November 2005, after 32 months of activation, Lt. Col. Timmons returned to her civilian job as a first officer flying Boeing 757s and 767s for United Airlines. In April of this year Timmons was promoted to full colonel and appointed commander of DANG's 166th operations group.
For more information and reservations, visit www.DAHF.org or call 302-674-2868.
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Written by Ghost Writer |
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