A Change of dates

Hello!  Hope everyone's summer is going well and is full of fun and sunshine and great times.

This is just a notice that the dates for the B-25 "Maid in the Shade"   visiting us at the museum have changed.   The bomber will now be here on Monday, August 27th,  to Sunday, September 3rd.    Rides and tours of this plane will be available, as will the rest of the Museum.

Also,  on Monday the 27th,  Addison Pemberton will be visitng the museum for two hours in the morning in his 1928 Boeing Model 40, the oldest flying commerial Boeing plane in the world.

Make sure to come out and visit us!

We Say Goodbye....

This winter saw the loss of a very important Museum Member and local figure in Johnson Flying Service history  when Clyde "Chub" Riggleman passed away this January. Chub spent many years sharing his knowledge, history and expertise on Johnson Flying Service, as well as assisting us with the restoration of the Mann Gulch DC-3,  an airplane that had been under his care for many years during his time at JFS.    We all at the museum will miss him and the history he represented.
Cheers, Chub.

The Following is cited from Missoulian.com.

MISSOULA – Chub Riggleman, 82, of Missoula, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, with his family by his side.

His was born July 15, 1929, in Ismay to Herbert and Elsie Riggleman. In 1943 his family moved to Missoula, where he attended grade school and graduated from Missoula County High School in 1948.

In 1948 he went back to Ismay to work on his uncle’s ranch. His two uncles had airplanes, and so began the love of aviation for Chub. He did his first solo flight at the ranch.

He returned to Missoula in June 1949 and went to the Hale Field Airport to look for work. He was hired on for $100 a month with flying lessons included.

In October 1949, Chub married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Burrows.

Chub worked at Johnson Fly Service until 1974. During that time he received his A&E license. In 1975 Chub went to work at Delaney Lumber Co. He was in charge of all maintenance on the company’s aircraft. In 1976 he went to work for U.S. Forest Service and retired in 1995 as aviation maintenance inspector for the agency’s Northern Region.

Throughout his career in aviation, Chub had the pleasure of flying coast to coast, Alaska to Mexico. He also had so many good friends that he enjoyed forever. He still was meeting for coffee every week until November 2011.

Of course, the love of his life was his family. He was always there whenever we needed help or advice. He was also there for friends, whom he treated like family.

He enjoyed many years with his family and friends at both Lake Inez and then the family cabin at Flathead Lake.

Chub was preceded in death by his parents Herb and Elsie Riggleman and brother Don Riggleman.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Virginia, of Missoula; sons Richard (Nancy) Riggleman of California and Kim Riggleman of Missoula; daughter Sandi Gress of Missoula; grandchildren, Jamie (Todd) Feely of Billings, Crystal (Karen) Riggleman of California, Brandon (Jennifer) Gress of Missoula and Stefanie (Shawn Silvan) Gress of Rio Rancho, N.M.; great-grandchildren Jaiden and Hunter Gress, Wilson and Harrison Feely; brothers Howard (Brenda) Riggleman and Del (Gwen) Riggleman; two great aunts; and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held March 30 at 2 p.m. at the Cremation and Burial Society of the Rockies.

The Museum's New Lady: Tanker A-13

This past October the Museum of Mountain Flying welcomed the latest addition to our collection: Grumman TMB "Avenger" C-GLEL, or Tanker A-13.

This airplane, like our DC-3, is a survivor of Johnson Flying Service, having flown as a fire suppression tanker out of missoula in the late sixties and early seventies.

Following her sale toForest Protection Limited of New Brunswick, Canada, A-13 continued to serve as a beetle sprayer and fire suppression bomber until she and her sisters were retired in 2004.

We at the museum are wanting to keep this beautiful example of Aviation history flyable. She will be restored to her JFS colors this coming summer, and we invite all to come visit us to see her progress!

Photo Credits: Morgan Kinney