About 75 years ago, Wiley Post and his Austrailian friend Harold Gatty set an aviation record. They flew around the world, only stopping for fuel and repairs in 8 days, 51 hours, and 51 minutes, breaking a record set by the Graf Zeppelin, a lighter than air craft.
They left the United States from Roosevelt Field on Long Island, but the planning and most of the pre staging for the flight, and in fact all of Wiley post's record breaking flights, came from his home airport, Curtiss-Wright Overland, in Oklahoma City, OK. His hangar in Oklahoma City was of art deco period design and built in 1928. This hangar was eventually torn down as the old Overland airport was engulfed by the growing city. Luckily, the hangar was disassembled, numbered, and warehoused for future reconstruction if funds became available.
The funds for reconstructing the hangar at the airport that replaced Curtiss-Wright Overland, Wiley Post Airport (KPWA), are being gathered now by an organization named Curtiss-Wright Wiley Post Hangar Inc. The hangar is to be reconstructed and turned into a museum and event center.
In support of the efforts to reconstruct the Wiley Post Hangar, Jim Dhaenens has created a rendition of Wiley Post Airport with the Curtiss-Wright hangar reconstructed and placed where current plans show. There are over 100 custom objects in the scenery including the Oklahoma Museum of Flying (the home of the Miss America P-51 Racer), OHP Troop Oscar Hangar, all the FBO's, and even the signage on the airport. All Jim asks is a voluntary donation to Curtiss-Wright Wiley Post Hangar Inc.
The scenery will be available on June 7th to coincide with the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots (ninety-nines.org) Festival of flight 2008 being held at the Museum of Women Pilots (museumofwomenpilots.com) n Oklahoma City, OK.
