- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
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Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome 
Established 1966 Location Rhinebeck, New York Type aviation museum Collection size WWI airplanes Public transit access Rhinecliff-Kingston (Amtrak station) Website http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/ The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is a museum of World War I aircraft and antique automobiles that is located in Red Hook, New York, USA.
Contents
History
The aerodrome was the creation of Cole Palen, who was partially inspired by the Shuttleworth Collection in England. He regularly flew many of the aircraft during weekend airshows as his alter-ego, "The Black Baron" (loosely based on the Red Baron). These airshows still continue mid-June through mid-October, and biplane rides are available before and after the shows.
The simple early shows led to a philosophy of not only showing the aircraft in their natural environment, but also providing a fun and entertaining day out for the whole family. From this the air show that the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome was to become famous for was developed. This included a zany melodrama, inspired by the storylines of silent film melodramas of the past, featuring Palen-created characters such as the daring Sir Percy Goodfellow doing battle with the evil Black Baron for the hand of the lovely Trudy Truelove.
Aircraft
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome features numerous aircraft ranging from Wright-era reconstructions to biplanes and monoplanes of the 1930s. Among Palen's earliest additions to the museum in the mid-1960s was a Fokker Triplane replica. Carrying the American registration number N3221, it flew for many years. This aircraft, and another Dr.I replica, but powered by a radial engine instead, were flown for nearly two decades by Palen. These aircraft are now on static display.
An accurate Sopwith Dolphin reproduction was built by Palen. Powered by a vintage direct-drive Hispano-Suiza engine, this aircraft regularly flew at Palen's weekend air shows from 1980 onward. In September 1990, the aircraft's direct-drive Hispano-Suiza V8 suffered a fuel pump failure, resulting in a crash landing into the trees surrounding the Old Rhinebeck museum's airstrip, with only minor damage as the aircraft never directly struck the ground in the crash, and largely remained suspended in the tree canopy after the mishap. The Dolphin was placed on static display until November 2007, when Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome began restoring it to flying condition. When completed, the aircraft will once again be painted in the markings of No. 19 Squadron.[1]
Another German aircraft in the collenction is an Albatros D.V reproduction, which is finished in the colors of Eduard Ritter von Schleich. It is powered by a modified six-cylinder Fairchild Ranger engine, fitted after the original liquid-cooled Mercedes D.II engine sheared its crankshaft.
The collection also includes a restored 1909 Bleriot XI (including an original three cylinder Anzani radial engine), with U.S. civil registration N60094, that is the second oldest flying aircraft in the world.
Fatal accident
On August 17, 2008, around 4 p.m. during the performance of a simulated dog fight at the aerodrome, Vincent Nasta of Wading River, New York died of injuries sustained when his plane crashed in to a heavily wooded area 1000 feet from the runway and performance area. The aircraft being used was part of the aerodrome's World War I collection and was reported to be a reproduction French Nieuport 24. It was the first fatality during an airshow at the facility.[2][3][4][5]
References
- ^ http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=148:sopwith-dolphin&Itemid=87
- ^ http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/August08/17/Planecrash_catal-17Aug08.htm
- ^ http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172008/news/regionalnews/plane_crash_at_rhinebeck_aerodrome_124888.htm
- ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405721,00.html
- ^ http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/NEWS01/808180324
Books
At least four books have been written about Old Rhinebeck. These include:
- The Skies over Rhinebeck: A Pilot's Story by the late co-founder of ORA, Dick King
- The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
- Return to Rhinebeck: Flying Vintage Aeroplanes
- Wind in the Wires: A Golden Era of Flight, 1909-1939
External links
- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome website
- Website dedicated to Cole Palen, founder of ORA
- Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Photos of the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum and WWI era airshow in Rhinebeck, New York
- Photos of the Aerodrome Collection
- Photographs of Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
Coordinates: 41°58′11″N 73°51′52″W / 41.969816°N 73.864346°W
Categories:- Aviation in New York
- Aerospace museums in New York
- Automobile museums in New York
- Buildings and structures in Rhinebeck, New York
- Museums in Dutchess County, New York
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