Museum Newsletter

Board of Directors

Pam Blaschum-Director

Karen Holden Young-Early History

Ann Noland-Volunteer Coordinator

Nancy Sitzmann-Event Coordinator

Mary Ellen Miller- Member

John Mays-Library & Research

Chris Funk-Treasurer

Carol Emert-Board Member/Archivist

Christopher Nold-Simulator & Scout Programs

______________________________

1937 Lockheed Electra (Ellie) Crew:

Ruth Richter-Owner

Scott Naumann-Pilot Volunteer

Captain Kirk McQuown-Pilot

Curt Walters-Website Design/Pilot

________ _______________________

Volunteers

Zana Allen Frank Ruege

Ken Carrison Charlie Sheldon

John Coleman Judy Shenefield

Carol & Dean Conner Frank Von Geyso

Yvonne Douglas Alice Wasko

Keith Epperson Gwynn Williams

Larry Chalberg Judy Wilson

Clark Galvin

Donna Gentry

Mary Ann Harris

Bill Kelley

Jim Kieffer

Larry & Marcia Lillge

Art Lujin

John Mays

Dennis McCarthy

Nina Newberry

Richard Rees

Ray Rowe

From the Director Pam Blaschum. . .

August was a very exciting month for us. On the 7th, the original Wings of Pride made its glorious return to Kansas City. We had a large crowd cheering it on as it made a perfect landing and taxied into the hangar at 10 Richards Rd. in the downtown airport—MKC. The aircraft, now owned by TriStar Experience, was piloted by former TWA Captains, John Barron, TWA retired and Mike Barron, TWA/AA MD-80 Captain based in STL. Also greeting them was the third gener-ation of flying Barrons, Dillon Barron. Here's a link to the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1SoN-FazPg&feature=youtu.be The aircraft is available for tours on MOST Saturdays from 10-1. Please call ahead to check on availability.

Below is an article by Art Lujin, one of our great volunteers.

Why N948TW is Significant In the mid-1990s TWA was acquiring MD-83 aircraft from the McDonnell Douglas plant in Long Beach, CA. The need for short and medium range routes was so great for the replace-ment of the older DC-9s and MD-82s that we also considered other airlines and leasing com-panies. As a result we evaluated and selected three of these aircraft from BWIA (British West Indies Airlines) in Trinidad. One of these that we decided to acquire had tail number EI-BWD , which became the airplane we will see soon here at this hangar. The “EI” means that the airplane was originally registered in Ireland (note that all aircraft registered in USA has an N number prefix, unlike most of the world). It flew with Spantax, which was a Southwest-style start-up back in in 1988. BWIA acquired those airplanes from them, and TWA in turn from BWIA. In the summer of 1994 that airplane, now N948 TW, was signed for and flown to our overhaul base at MCI (Kansas City International) and readied for revenue service. After several employee groups had led a program to show support for the airline and raise morale, they selected this aircraft for a voluntary payroll deduction program to pay for the lease cost for the airline, with the inverted red with white letters paint scheme to make it really stand out. After the merger with American in 2001, they flew it and it had their own livery. Thanks to TriStar, they acquired the plane from American last year, repainted it in the original Wings of Pride, re-engined it, and accomplished all the airworthi-ness checks and mods that had to be done to bring it here today. Now it will based here to support and execute the great TriStar programs, with the coordination of the TWA Museum. (Read more about Art in our Volunteer Pro-file.)

(continued on page 5)

November 2015

TWA Museum

10 Richards Road

Kansas City, MO 64116

816-234-1011

twamuseum@gmail.com

News from the Archives Our archives team has accomplished a great deal since our last report in the summer newsletter. Most of our days have been spent painting, cleaning, installing new flooring, and moving the collection to our newly ac-quired spaces. It has been exciting to see it all come together, and we are thankful for the added space, which was greatly needed. Security cameras and safe-ty doors are currently being installed.

We are especially pleased that our new research li-brary space is four times larger than our previous space. It includes a research room where visitors will have a place to sit and read documents, manuals, letters, and books. We have a lovely new large scan-ner, copiers, and computers for those visitors who want to research the history of TWA.

The new collections storage area is still being orga-nized, and inventories of the objects continue to be conducted as time permits. Because duplication of collections objects is a concern due to space and staff time limitations, we encourage prospective donors to e-mail or mail their list of items along with images to the Archivist before bringing their objects to the muse-um. We are thrilled to accept items into the collection so long as the objects fill empty gaps in the collection, and we have a place to store them.

In conducting inventories of collections objects, we have found that the collection is in need of certain items. Our team has put together a list of items that we hope will be donated to the collection. They are:

!960’s gold fold-up serving carts

Captain’s hat with pin

Early Flight Attendant uniforms from 1930’s to 1960

Flight Attendant wings from all eras

Ralph Lauren Flight Attendant maternity uniform

Ambassador magazines

Early annual reports

Blue Chip dress and matching jacket

Early Skyliner Newsletters: 1930’s, 1940’s, 1950’s, 1960’s; 1990 Vol. 54 #’s 1,2,6,7,8,10, & 12; 1991 Vol. 55 #’s 2, 6; 1992 Vol. 56 #’s 2, 4,& 11; 2000 Vol. 66 #11

Any documents or letters pertaining to early TWA his-tory, and to founders Frye, Richter, and Hamilton

We are in great need of teacher’s manuals or instruc-

tions on how to use the operator’s panel in posing

problems to student pilots on our early training boards

that are currently in the Ed Center at the museum.

Copies of manuals would also be appreciated.

-Carol Emert, Archivist

Planning on visiting the TWA

Museum???? Hours are Tuesday - Saturday 10AM - 4PM

Admission Fees:

Adults $7.00

Children(6-12) $5.00

Seniors $5.00

Active Military Personal are FREE /with ID

Page 2

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE REPORT

We have four new volunteers: Yvonne Douglas, Nina Newber-ry, John Coleman, & Jim Kieffer! Welcome to all of you! Yvonne will be working on Saturdays, Nina will be working on Thursdays, and John & Jim’s days to be determined.

We still need volunteers for the museum. With our new areas and the Wings of Pride being open on Saturdays our needs are great. If you are able to give us 3 hours one day a week (10 am-1 pm or 1 pm-4 pm) please get in touch with the Museum at 816-234-1011. The days we really need volunteers are Thurs-day, Friday, and Saturdays, but other days, Tuesday and Wednesday are available too. There is also a need for some volunteers in the archives.

Please come and join our muse-um family! You will make new friends and learn so much from the visitors that come through our doors!

Ann Noland

Volunteer Coordinator

Did you know that the total volunteer hours through September 2015 is 5,585

hours???

With Veterans Day this month, we are interested in WWII stories from our for-mer TWA families. If you have a story to share please email it to the museum at twamuseum@gmail.com or nlsitz-mann7@gmail.com. Thank you to all of our Veterans for your service!

Volunteer Profile

Art Lujin Art joined the TWA Museum as a member and volunteer in July 2012 and enjoys being a tour guide, meeting visitors and giving them instructions on the Connie simulator (unless they are pilots). Art also en-joys aviation history and research at the museum, and also volunteers at TriStar for the aviation merit badge program for the Boy and Girl Scouts, as well as the future aviation education programs and STEM initiatives we will have at the museum. Besides volunteering at the museum, Art is a part-time contract engineer. After six years with McDonnell Douglas working on the F-15 fighter aircraft, Art was hired by TWA in1972 at the MCI Over-haul Base in the Engineering Dept. where he used his electrical engineering background in most all aircraft specialties (except structures), but mostly in avionics, retiring early as Manager–Aircraft Engineering in 1997. He was in the aircraft acceptance office four years when the 757’s and MD-83’s were being brought into the fleet, one of which became the Wings of Pride. He served on several industry committees with the ATA (Air Transport Association), AEEC (Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee) and RTCA (Radio Technical Commission for Aero-nautics) as TWA’s technical representative. He then joined Smiths Aerospace (which became GE Aviation) and Thales ATM (Wilcox Electric) where he worked on several projects in engi-neering and marketing for the new Boeing KC-46 tanker, the C-130 avionics modernization program, the new Boeing 787 air-craft, and the next generation air traffic management program. Art has many stories about his time at TWA. One his most mem-orable was when he and another engineer took a trip on the TWA around-the-world route on a 3-day weekend to buy elec-tronics in Hong Kong. Art is married to Kathy Lujin who worked 14 years at TWA and AA at KCAC and the MCI Overhaul Base. She also worked for Ozark Airlines in St. Louis when they lived there. They have a daughter who lives in Sacra-mento with her family and three grandkids, where they visit often.

A letter to the TWA Museum. . . .

A few weeks ago my son, daughter-in-law, and I visited the TWA Mu-seum. I especially wanted to see the area in the hangar where my office had been. What memories---you see, in October,1943, I, a shy 18 year old young lady began

my career in that very spot. As sec-retary to a wonderful boss, Scotty Morrison, I soon got over my shyness--many of the white clad mechanics became my friends. As a matter of fact, one of them, a woman in the Engine Overhaul Dept., suggested I start writing to her husband's neph-ew, a TWA radio operator in Amarillo-

after 8 months of letters and short trips, that wonderful man became my husband of 52 years.

I want to thank you and all the others who have kept the memory of TWA alive. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed my visit to the museum.

Florence Freiburghouse

Overland Park, KS

Page 3

Royal Ambassador Service White Sangria-TWA

1 fifth dry white wine 2 T. Sugar

1 whole orange 8 lg. strawberries (stems

2 slices lemon removed and halved)

2 slices lime 6 oz. club soda

1 oz cognac

Cut entire peel of orange in a single strip beginning at stem end and

continuing until spiral reaches bottom of fruit. White part should

be cut along with outer peel so that the orange fruit is exposed.

Leave peel attached to orange bottom so that the fruit may be sus-

pended in water pitcher. Pour wine into glass pitcher. Add lemon,

lime,`` cognac, sugar and strawberries. Stir to dissolve sugar. Care-

fully place orange in pitcher fastening top end of peel over rim. Let

mixture marinate for at least an hour. Add soda and one tray ice

cubes to pitcher. Stir. Add sprig of mint to top of pitcher and serve

in tall ice cold glasses.

Visits to the TWA Museum! Jack Richardson from Springfield, Missouri walked into the museum and said “I walked through those doors 71 years ago August 25, 1944 to start my job with TWA.” Jack worked in the engine shop here in Kansas City. He retired April 1, 1983. We always love to welcome our retirees!

A little bleary eyed but no worse for wear, Craig Barrett(rt), Travis Barrett(lt), and Heidi Barrett(ctr) drove all night from Salt Lake City to get to the TWA Museum be-fore it closed August 20th. Craig is a huge TWA fan after growing up in Columbia Missouri and flying out of St. Lou-is many times on TWA. He tries to keep the

memory of TWA alive on his Facebook page! They are on their way to Co-lumbia to help their sister with a move! Thanks for your visit!

Page 4

Welcome to our newest “Friends of the Museum”!

Welcome to the TWA Museum New Friends of the Museum. Thank you for you support to this wonderful museum. We really appreciate your interest in preserving the TWA History.

Max and Pat Calliham , Lake Quivira ,KS.

Diane and Jim Renner, Topeka ,KS.

Rick and Gayle Rowe, St. Charles ,MO.

Milo and Edie Raub, Platte City, MO

Clark Galvin, Kansas City, MO.

Patricia Hilderbrand, Grandview ,MO.

Timothy and Mary Taylor, Kansas City, MO.

Beth Markley, Shawnee Mission, KS.

Tish and Jim Tucker, Bonita Spring ,FL.

Russel Byrd, Lincoln ,NE.

What was the date of the inau-gural Press flight of the Constella-tion from New York to London and on to Frank-

furt, Germany?

(see below for the answer)

TRIVIA ANSWER is : The Press Flight left New York on September 27, 1950 on inaugural flight to London and on to Frankfurt. Orm Grove was Captain and Paul Kelly the relief pilot, and Frank Ruege Sr., the first officer.

Flight 800 Memorial Room

Have you visited the TWA Museum lately? We have a new room dedicated to those who lost their lives on TWA Flight 800 and other previous TWA tragedy's.

Page 5

(continued from page 1, From the Director, Pam Blaschum) On Aug. 22nd and 23rd, MKC hosted an air show featuring The Blue Angels. The 2 day event was very successful to both TriStar and the museum. We were selling gift shop items, including Wings of Pride logo hats, rally towels, coffee mugs and reus-able cups. We were able to assist TriStar in show-ing off the aircraft to approximately 6,000 guests. We are making progress in our newly rented

space. We now have a separate Archive space, a

library and research room as well as a Scout/

Training room. Presently the testing tables acquired from LAX are being rewired for

use in this room and should be completed soon.

Another recent letter to the museum. . . To Whom It May Concern:

My father worked for TWA about 35 years before his death in 1979. When he first started with TWA, he had a contract to go to Ethiopia and help set up the maintenance department for Ethiopian Airlines. I was born in Addis Ababa in 1952. Both my parents had many wonderful memo-ries of their time there.

As a TWA child, I also have fond memories of helping the flight attendants pass out gum (the tiny Chiclets) as well as spending many hours going to the cockpit and being entertained by a thoughtful crew!

I was going through some of my parents’ things and I found the enclosed articles that I thought someone at the museum would enjoy seeing. My father’s name was Charles “Chuck” Jacobs.

I am enclosing a small donation. I loved my visit to the museum and I hope to visit again soon.

Sincerely,

Diane Jacobs Renner

Topeka, Kansas

All of us at the TWA Museum would like to extend our wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a prosperous New Year!

Thank you for all you do to support us and help keep the memories of TWA alive!

Check our website for holiday hours!

Twamuseumat10richardsroad.org

Give the Gift of TriStar this Give the Gift of TriStar this SeasonSeason

Give Seats on the Give Seats on the Wings of Wings of PridePride for Friends & Familyfor Friends & Family

TriStar needs our help. Restoring and operating jets, as well as running educational programs, cost a lot of money. Please help with a donation today. For the holidays give a seat on the Wings of Pride to friends and family members! Any amount is appre-ciated. For the right amount, TriStar might even put your name on the captain’s chair.

Seats are going fast! Royal Ambassador Class seats are SOLD OUT but seats are still available in Ambas-sador Class, the main cabin and the donor wall. Suggested donation levels are $ 1,250, $ 750 and $500 respectively. Donations may be made online at www.tristarhistory.org/donate or via checks made out to “TriStar History and Preservation” mailed to: P.O. Box 901242 Kansas City, Missouri 64190. Please include your contact information with your donation. Donations to TriStar are tax deductible.

TriStar Experience is a 501(c)(3) non-profit formed to “Inspire Greater Achievement Through Higher Altitude”. With operational jet aircraft TriStar runs educational program for kids, encouraging them into technical fields of study and aviation related careers. Let’s help TriStar inspire today’s kids to become the next generation of aviation profession-als. Make a donation today, inspire kids, and help ensure the future of aviation.

Page 6

TWA Museum

10 Richards Road

Kansas City, MO 64116

If you have a TWA story you’d like to share, please email your story with a picture or two to nlsitz-mann7@gmail.com or mail to the Museum email twamuseum@gmail.com or mail to TWA Museum, 10 Richards Road, Kansas City, MO 64116

Save the date!

Saturday, April 23, 2016

TWA Museum Annual 1940’s Hangar Dance!