Our Projects
Air Medical Evacuation
In World War II, Bowman Field was the headquarters for the Army Air Forces School of Air Evacuation. Our most recent project is to collect and display artifacts, photos, and documents about that nurse
training program. During the war, this program at Bowman Field graduated a class of trained air medivac nurses every eight weeks.
The picture to the top right shows one such graduating class in front of a C-47. Training included realistic bivouac sessions in the field. The photo to the right shows three nurses on bivouac.
We hope to acquire several uniforms from the Air Medical Evacuation program and place them on public display along with accessories and photos. We also hope to collect interviews with veterans who went through this program.
World War II Glider
One of our long-term goals is to have a C-47 and a WW II glider on display at Bowman Field, since this was one airport heavily involved in glider training in World War II.
In March, 2009, the Waco Museum in Troy, Ohio contacted us about a CG15A glider in their possession. The Waco Museum donated the glider to KYAHS, and in April, 2009 the airframe was transported from Troy to New Albany, Indiana, where it now resides in storage.
In researching how to restore the glider, we became aware that we had become part of a small network of historical groups restoring gliders. We have been in contact with a historical group in Minnesota that is restoring a CG4A glider and a CG15A glider. We welcome their advice and assistance. We are negotiating with them for additional parts that we will need to restore our glider.
A large part of this project is researching locations of manufacturers' designs and production drawings, along with all detail drawing information. The Waco Museum has been very helpful regarding this.
Countless hours have been invested in this project so far, and much more will be required. In the end, having such a rare, historically significant aircraft will be worth the effort, The photo at the top shows a glider being towed by a C-47.
Link Trainer
A flight simulator developed in World War II known as the Link Trainer was donated to KYAHS by Jack Tiesing, Sr. in the spring of 2009. This piece of equipment was used to provide instrument training for pilots during WW II. It was used after the war for military training through the Vietnam period.
The restoration of this Link Trainer will begin as time allows. All the based components and information are in our possession, and hangar space has been allocated to this restoration project.
It is now a matter of time and money to see this project through.
Compass Rose
In the spring of 2011 we will paint a new compass rose at Bowman Field on the ramp in front of the old terminal building. It will display our logo in its center.
Wagons for Kosair Childrens Hospital
In the fall of 2009 the Kentucky Aviation Historical Society participated in the "Pimp my Wagon" program, which was patterned after the TV show "Pimp my Ride". (The photo at the right shows six of the wagons at Bowman Field.) Joy Bickel of the Appraisal Group, Inc. developed the program to recruit area business' to sponsor the wagons to provide a whimsical feel to relieve the burdens of
the children who were patients. The eight wagons were presented to Kosair Childrens Hospital on December 22, 2009. The photo
at the bottom right shows the wagons at the hospital with the KYAHS "crew" that delivered them.
KYAHS sponsored four wagons, with themes ranging from aviation to hot-rod to fishing boat. Along with these wagons, four other local organizations participated with KYAHS in this endeavor. These were Apex Detailing, Renfro Enterprises, the Women of Moose Lodge #5, and Tim Fuller of Bird's Body Shop.
The Kentucky Aviation Historical Society is proud to participate in civic projects like this. Community involvement and charitable work are part of our goals.
