The Board Members of the National Aviation Hall of Fame announced the Neil A. Armstrong Aviation Heritage Trophy will be unveiled and presented to the Grand Champion of the 14th Annual National Aviation Heritage Invitational competition during the 2012 presentation ceremony which will be held today at the 2012 National Champion Air Races.
Ken Kaplan, Deputy Director of the NAHI and Enshrinement Director for the National Aviation Hall of Fame, noted that Neil Armstrong greatly admired the vintage aircraft which participated in the annual competition, “He always enjoyed personally presenting the trophies to the owners of the winning aircraft,” said Kaplan. “Neil was proud to represent the Hall of Fame with his fellow Enshrinees, and delighted to be among fellow aviators and the fine vintage aircraft they lovingly restored.”
NAHI has held annual vintage aircraft competitions in both Dayton, Ohio and Reno, Nevada since 1999. At each competition, the Grand Champion who’s aircraft has been judged to be the most authentic example of a vintage aircraft restored to airworthy condition, has been awarded the Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy, which resides throughout the year at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Washington DC.
The National Aviation Hall of Fame partnered with Rolls-Royce North America, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Reno Air Racing Foundation and many aviation related organizations to establish and support the National Aviation Heritage Invitational, which was created to foster the preservation of our rich aviation history by encouraging the restoration of vintage aircraft to airworthy condition.
The owners of the vintage aircracft were thrilled to have been presented the their well deserved trophy a Hall of Fame Enshrinee and especially the first man to walk on the moon.
We are all greatly saddened by the passing of Mr. Armstrong, a humble man, a national hero, a legend.
God’s Speed and thank you to all who love the beautiful vintage aircraft and those who make it possible for everyone to enjoy and admire the aircraft and especially those who flew them…
Kimberley West, Warbirdbabe
2011 Winner Bleriot XI, Chuck Wentwhorth
