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Preserved behind glass for 20 years.
Assigned and owned by LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM V. THADEN.
Courtesy of Seacoast Online:
PORTSMOUTH HERALD
William V. Thaden
STRATHAM — On June 19, 2012, devoted husband, father, and pilot extraordinaire, William V. Thaden departed this earthly plane to allow his spirit to finally fly free.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., on July 29, 1930, the son of pioneering aviators Louise McPhetridge Thaden and Herbert Von Thaden, he would often reminisce that he had been flying since time-minus-nine months. A rambunctious child who fished for crawdads in the creeks of Roanoke, Va., "Wild Willy" lived up to his nickname so perfectly that Charles Lindbergh once locked him in a coat closet in an attempt to get some semblance of order during a dinner visit. Bill attended Jefferson High School, in Roanoke, Va., where he learned to play a mean game of tackle football and helped the team achieve the State Championship.
Though he had to repeat kindergarten, he didn't let that academic setback keep him from getting accepted into the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech in 1949, where he also played defensive tackle under celebrated football coach Bobby Dodd. He was a starter on Tech's '51 and '52 teams, whose records were 11-0-1 and 12-0-0, respectively. They won the '51 Orange Bowl and the '52 Sugar Bowl as well as the National Championship.
Bill joined the ROTC at Georgia Tech and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. After graduation, The Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His favorite missions involved flying F-86s on the Air Intercept Con as a member of the Rocketry Team. The Air Force allowed Bill to travel the world, sustaining his gregarious spirit through many an adventure, including a misbegotten attempt to climb Switzerland's Matterhorn.
He continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves and as a member of the New Hampshire Air National Guard while also embarking on a lifelong career as a pilot at Eastern Airlines. At Eastern Bill met the love of his life and wife of 52 years, Louise (Orsie) Thaden, a (then) stewardess he met when she uttered the words, "Coffee, tea, or me?" He knew it was love when, on their first date, she out-fished him. But he didn't come home empty handed.
After rising to the rank of Captain at Eastern, Bill would often bid trips based on the local cuisine, preferring trips that led him to San Antonio, New Orleans, San Francisco and the Bahamas in search of the hottest dishes he could manage to eat. Among his fleet at Eastern were the Martin 404, Constellation, Electra, DC-9 and 727. He served as a Check Airman, and as Head of Professional Standards, an honor reserved for the best of the best, though Bill would never tell you that himself. A humble pilot, he was well respected among his colleagues, not only for his impeccable flying skills, but also for his gracious attitude. Many co-pilots have remarked over the years that when Bill Thaden got into the co*ckpit, you watched him strap on his seat belt as if he were strapping wings onto his back.
A man's man, Bill was an avid hunter and fisherman. He came to terms with the fact that he had two daughters — Tracy L. Thaden of Stratham, N.H., and Terry L. von Thaden of Illinois — with ease, sharing his love of the outdoors and eventually teaching them to fish, camp, tie flies, and flawlessly scale and gut fish, in addition to driving them to ballet class. His love of family and assorted gaggle of hound dogs and adopted cats was eclipsed only by his love of aviation and imbibing a good scotch.
He spent the latter years of his life restoring aircraft, fighting a golf ball around the green, cooking up superior barbecue on the grill, gardening, and enjoying quality time with his friends and family, who he considered the most important of life's pleasures.
In addition to his loving wife and daughters, he leaves behind son-in-law Les Gasser and grandchildren Liam Gasser and Lisette Gasser of Illinois; his sister, Patricia Webb of Maryland; numerous nieces and nephews who loved him as a second father; and countless beloved friends.
Boisterous and bold, Bill remained ever the true gentleman. He was never one to shy away from telling a good war story or reciting the poetry of Robert Service. Through his gift of storytelling, Bill could capture and hold the attention of any audience for hours. Once he began a tale of the good ol' days, you didn't want him to conclude.
Bill was a true aviator to the end. His fighter pilot swagger never left him — it just slowed a bit into his later years. He kept a twinkle in his eye and mischief in his heart, leaving this world peacefully, heading off to yet another adventure into the wild blue yonder.
END COPY
While in transit, the glass broke and the poster was removed and maintains it's original condition.
This is truly a ONE OF A KIND Poster, a result of the many pilots and aircraft that toured the 4000 miles.
An abundant amount of Original signatures from the Pilots representing this centennial tour.
See the list of pilots that flew this tour.
Browse the poster for the NAT number and the original signatures of the pilots from this tour.
This One Of A Kind poster is in great condition.
The aircraft on the National Air Tour 2003 are the “best of the best” of America’s vintage fleet. All the aircraft have extensive, interesting histories such as American Airline’s oldest surviving airplane, the Stinson Tri-motor. This list includes one-of-a-kinds, Sikorsky flying boats, Ford Tri-motors and aircraft designed simply for pleasure rides.
Aircraft participating in the Tour were chosen based on their relevance to the original Tours and the era. Tour aircraft will display assigned numbers that were carried by the same make and model and in some cases the same airplane, in the original Tours. Following is the list of National Air Tour 2003 pilots and aircraft.
#1: 1927 Ford 4-AT-4, NC-1077
Rotating pilots
#2: 1928 Travel Air, NC-9024
John P. Coussens, Stanwood, Wash.
#4: 1928 Travel Air 6-B (6000), NC-9038
Hank Galpin, Kalispell, Mont.
Ray Sanders, Kalispell, Mont.
#5: 1929 Ford 5-AT, NC-9651
Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight
Jack McCloy, Fantasy of Flight
Polk City, Fla.
#6: 1931 Stearman 4E Speedmail, NC-485W
Addison Pemberton, Spokane, Wash.
co-pilot: Larry Howard, Greenacres, Wash
#7: 1929 WACO ASO, NC-608N
Richard Hornbeck, Bowdoinham, Me.
Crew: Roger Poor, Mont Vernon, N.H.
#8: 1929 Buhl Sport Airsedan, NC-8451
Rotating pilots
#9: 1931 New Standard, NC-9125 &
#21: 1929 New Standard, NC-9756
Rob Lock, Waldo Wright’s Flying Service
Bob Lock, Waldo Wright’s Flying Service
Powell, Ohio
#10: 1931 Bird CK, NC-914V
Bob Newhouse, Rockford, Ill.
#11: 1929 Paramount Cabinaire, NC-17M
Rotating pilots
#12: 1928 Fairchild FC-2W2, N-13934
Rotating pilots
#13: 1932 Great Lakes 2T-1A, NC-12847
Ted & Beverly Beckwith, Tullahoma, Tenn.
#29: 1931 Stinson Tri-motor, NC-11153
Rotating pilots
#31: 1930 Stearman 4E Speedmail, N663K
Wm. Ben Scott, Reno, Nev.
Kelly Scott, Reno, Nev.
#32: 1929 Laird LCRW-300 Speedwing, NC-4442
Jim Rollison, Vacaville, Calif.
#33: Bushmaster Tri-motor (official participant)
N-7501V
Rotating pilots
#34: DC-3, N34 (official participant from the FAA)
Pilots and Crew for the FAA:.
Michael F. Ahern Stanley T. Cole
John H. Boatright Jorge A. Malcun
Kim Brown JC Pierce, Jr
Richard Delafield Scott Thompson
Thomas H. Dorman
#14: 1929 Sikorsky S-38, N-28V
Thomas Schrade, Las Vegas, Nev.
Waldo Anderson, Edina, Minn.
#15: 1932 WACO UEC, NC-12471
John Swander, DeSoto, Kan.
Forrest Lovley, Jordan, Minn.
#17: 1929 Ford 5-AT-5-CS, NC-414H
Alan Stephen, Grand Canyon Airlines
North Las Vegas, Nev.
John C. Dillon, Grand Canyon Airlines
Grand Canyon, Ariz.
#18: 1930 Stinson SM-8A, NC-469Y
George Alleman, Placerville, Calif.
#19: 1931 Sikorsky S-39-C, NC-50V
Dick & Pat Jackson, Rochester, N.H.
Bill Thaden, Kittery Point, Maine
#20: 1929 Fokker Super Universal, CF-AAM
Clark Seaborn, Calgary, Alberta
Don McLean, Calgary, Alberta
Bob Cameron, Calgary, Alberta
#23: Ryan M-1, NX-2073
Andrew King, Elkwood, Va.
& Phil Chastain, St. Louis, Mo.
#24: 1929 Travel Air 6000, NC-377M
Rotating pilots
#25: 1929 Robin J-1, NC-511N
Richard Pingrey, Selah, Wash.
& Teresa Sloan, Ellensburg, Wash.
#26: 1929 WACO ASO, NC-662Y
Dave & Jeanne Allen, Elbert, Colo.
#27: 1929 Travel Air E-4000, NC-397M
Clay Adams, Rosemount, Minn.
& Ted Davis, Broadhead, Wis.
Rotating Pilots for Ships #1, 8, 11, 12, 24, 29, 31, 33 and accompanying ships
Brent Blue, Jackson, Wyo.
Roger Gomoll, Blaine, Minn.
Chris Grotewohl, Kansas City, Mo.
Greg Herrick, Jackson, Wyo
Ed Hoit, South Parry, Wash.
Gary Lust, Driggs, Idaho
John Mohr, St. Paul, Minn.
Ryan Mohr, Minneapolis, Minn.
Jim Obowa, Lino Lakes, Minn.
Nkali Pontecorvo, Key West, Fla.
Nathan Rounds, Meansville, Ga.
Kimberly Sailor, Chicago, Ill.
Harry Thibault, Shoreview, Minn.
Scott Smith, Jackson, Wyo.
Richard Sugden, Jackson, Wyo
In addition to the official ships on the Tour, modern aircraft will support the vintage airplanes just as accompanying ships did for the original Tours. These aircraft include: two Aviat Husky A-1Bs, as advance and observation aircraft; a DHC-6 Vistaliner, for media use; a 1966 Bushmaster for cargo; a Pilatus PC-12 for crew transportation; Antonov biplane for cargo and photo ship; and a Bell-47 helicopter for film and medical use. There are three additional aircraft whose participation is pending.
Ford Motor Company Sponsors the National Air Tour 2003
Ford Motor Company is celebrating 100 years of powered flight and its aviation heritage by sponsoring the National Air Tour 2003. It was Ford Motor Company, under the direction of Edsel and Henry Ford, who helped our nation realize the potential of civil and commercial aviation. Edsel B. Ford II, grandson of Edsel B. Ford, is the honorary chairperson of the 2003 Tour.
