Contents Association News 4 Update! Wisconsin Centennial of Flight 6 Announcing our 2009 WAHF Inductees AirDoc’s Medical Matters 8 Aero-Medical Quiz Number 2 Dr. Tom Voelker, AME Mondovi’s WWII Heroes People, Planes, & Places 10 Too Young A Hero Mondovi’s Chris Hansemann Fred Beseler Check Six Air-to-Air Refueling— 14 Air Refueling From two perspectives! The receiver’s view Gary Dikkers 17 Air Refueling The tanker’s view Tom Thomas Wisconsin Airports 18 From Hayfield to Vibrant Airpark Waunakee Airport Waunakee Airpark Duane Esse Still Going Strong From the Archives 22 From Circus Performer to Props Fred Leidel’s love of aviation remains Michael Goc 24 Member Spotlight 26 Pireps 28 From the Airways Leidel’s P-51 Props 30 Member’s Logbook Forward in Flight On the cover: Sharing Wisconsin aviation stories—past and present Rose Dorcey, Editor A collection of photographs depicts the significant aviation 3980 Sharratt Drive achievements of just a few of our state’s many aviation Oshkosh WI 54901-1276 pioneers in the past 100 years. As the Wisconsin Aviation Phone: 920-385-1483 [email protected] Hall of Fame prepares to celebrate our state’s Centennial of Flight, it’s important to acknowledge the people who Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame Mission Statement have contributed to aviation’s success, in ways large and To collect and preserve the history of aviation in Wisconsin, small. That’s the mission of the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of recognize those who made that history, inform others of it, and promote aviation education for future generations. Fame, and we’re proud to share it in the pages of Forward Forward in Flight carries out this mission through its collection in Flight. and dissemination of our state’s aviation stories. Your subscription supports this mission! See page 31. Cover graphic by Gary Dikkers. President’s Message ~ by Rose Dorcey 100 Years… while details are still being final- ...a lot has happened in Wisconsin aviation in the past ized, we’re quite sure you won’t 100 years. It all began when Arthur Warner bought an want your membership to fall airplane from Glenn Curtiss and then flew it from a behind this year! A significant farmer’s field in Beloit, Wisconsin, on November 4, part of the membership appreciation prize giveaway is 1909, to become our state’s first aviator. We think it’s this, all current WAHF members go in the drawing, but important to celebrate that event, for it led to people who have been members for at least five consecu- even greater accomplishments that today’s tive years will have their names put “in the aviators are benefactors of. hat” an extra time. And even if you’ve been a That’s why WAHF board members Michael member for just one year, you can get your Goc and Tom Thomas are heading up efforts name “in the hat” if you recruit at least one for a grand Centennial Celebration. As you’ll new WAHF member. Help WAHF grow by read in this issue, a series of events will take recruiting a new member, or by purchasing a place this year, beginning in May, that will new gift membership. You’re already a win- allow WAHF members and friends from all ner for supporting WAHF...now let’s see if over the state to join in. The Wisconsin Cen- you can win a prize for it! Good luck. Read tennial of Flight events will kick off at the more about the program on page 5. Wisconsin Aviation Conference, May 4-6 in Eau Claire, Check our website often for additional events, informa- when the “Warner” Curtiss Pusher model that EAA tion, and news releases about Wisconsin’s Centennial of Chapter 60 members in Beloit are building will be un- Flight, and please plan to participate. veiled. WAHF board members will staff a booth at the event to share additional details of the statewide celebra- tory events. The events include speaking engagements and an ex- hibit that will travel with the model airplane. It was im- portant to WAHF board members that the celebration be accessible to people throughout the state, so that more people could participate. So, when you hear news of the Centennial model in your neighborhood, please attend, and share the news with your friends! Another exciting part of the Centennial Celebration is the opportunity to reward our members for their contin- ued support. A membership appreciation program gives The “Warner” Curtiss model is progressing! current members a chance to win valuable prizes, and 3 Forward in Flight ~ Spring 2009 ASSOCIATION NEWS Wisconsin’s Centennial of Flight Plans move forward for grand celebration By Michael Goc Work on the Centennial of Flight is pro- Curtiss Museum in New York, so the screen at aviation events, the history will gressing on many fronts. Here’s the latest Centennial model will be as accurate as a have approximately 200 images depicting exciting news. replica can be. EAA Chapter 60 meets for the story of aviation in our state over the Rose Dorcey composed a news release work sessions on Wednesday evenings. If last 100 years. to announce Wisconsin’s Centennial of you want to help out, call Al Draeger at Work has also begun on an exhibit that Flight to the world. She sent it to dozens 608-757-2338 or email AlDrae- will accompany the Warner Curtiss of media outlets, friends, aviation groups, [email protected]. model throughout the state. It will display historical societies, and other interested The Centennial is a statewide celebra- the story of A.P. Warner, his inaugural parties around the country. We have al- tion, so if any other organization is inter- flight and the legacy of the man and his ready received feedback and requests for ested in building a model of the Warner airplane. No one can take away the credit our traveling exhibit to visit this summer. Curtiss, please contact WAHF as we are owed to the Wright brothers, Glenn Cur- WAHF Member Gary Dikkers did a willing to share the plans. tiss, and other internationally significant splendid job designing our official Cen- aviation pioneers, but people throughout tennial logo and exhibited saintly pa- the world, such as A.P. Warner of Wis- tience when the WAHF board suggested consin, assisted them in the development “improvements” to his work. One of of aviation. The exhibit will also empha- those changes consisted of a bar or ban- size the names of Centennial supporters. ner to be added beneath the logo that can The model, exhibit, and PowerPoint his- be personalized by organizations or tory are on schedule to make a grand individuals interested in joining debut on May 4-6 at the Wisconsin WAHF as partners in the Centennial. Aviation Conference in Eau Claire, They can add their names and join where we will personally introduce the Beloit EAA Chapter 60 and the Beloit Centennial to the aviation community. Convention and Visitors Bureau as We are making plans to take the Partners of WAHF in this project. The show on the road this summer. The logo will appear on all Centennial cor- Centennial celebration will culminate in respondence, exhibits, and displays, and Beloit in the first week in November. Our we have discussed creating Centennial friends at the Beloit Convention and Visi- decals, patches, t-shirts, and/or hats as tors Bureau, the Beloit Historical Society, fundraisers and mementos. Contact and other community groups are helping WAHF if you’re interested in sponsoring us plan for an event to take place at the or purchasing these items. To reinforce the message statewide, our A.P. Warner Wisconsin Historical Despite some delays due to the frigid committee has been working with State Marker on Hwy 81. We will rededicate January weather, Beloit EAA Chapter 60 Representative Gary Hebl and State the marker, reenact A. P. Warner’s flight, is making headway on our model of the Senators Mark Miller and Judy Robson to and mark the event on a site as close as “Warner” Curtiss airplane. Led by Al compose a resolution heralding the Cen- possible to where it occurred a century Draeger and Archie Henkelmann, chapter tennial of Flight and proclaiming Novem- ago. members are assembling the parts into ber 2009 to be the Centennial of Flight We are also working with the Beloit what will be an impressive antique- month in Wisconsin. Martha Mitchell of Historical Society to sponsor a reception looking flying machine. Although many the Beloit Convention and Visitors Bu- and lecture on Saturday, November 7, by of the early Curtiss aircraft appear at first reau is contacting the Wisconsin Depart- a yet undetermined aviation author or to be identical, each one was different ment of Tourism to include Warner on scholar. By holding this event on a week- from the model before and after. The its list of “Wisconsin Originals” whose end, we hope people from all over Wis- Warner Curtiss is one of a kind. We ob- contributions will be celebrated this year. consin—and the world—will find it eas- tained a full set of plans for the Curtiss Work has begun on a PowerPoint Cen- ier to attend. Model B (next in line to the Warner Cur- tennial History of Aviation in Wisconsin Fundraising efforts from private and tiss) for Chapter 60 to use, and Archie presentation. Programmed to run on its public sources has begun. Your hands-on obtained additional plans from the Glenn own on a laptop or projected on a large and financial support is needed.