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Tom Poberezny with
Kate Meredith |
Near the end of Sunday's Memorial Wall
ceremony, EAA director of flight operations Sean Elliott landed a
beautifully restored 1932 Waco UEC cabin biplane at Pioneer Airport. This
just-restored antique, NC12472, was generously donated to EAA by Kate
Meredith and her family in honor of her late husband, Ted, who
passed away in 2003.
"It was always Ted's wish to restore
the airplane," she said. "After he passed, the family was
determined to finish the project."
The family sent a flatbed truck to Texas to
collect it and bring it back to Des Moines, Iowa. Led by noted aircraft
restorer Troy Westrum, the Waco was completely restored over a three-year
period. Saturday night the plane was awarded a runner-up award in the
Silver Age (1928-1936) Antique Classic category at EAA this year.
Another wish of Ted's was to donate the
airplane to EAA and have it fly among the other classic antiques at
Pioneer. "Today we will fulfill his other wish, that it fly as long
as possible, then be displayed in the (EAA) Museum," Kate said.
EAA President Tom Poberezny met with the
family after the Memorial Wall ceremony. "We truly appreciate this
wonderful donation," he said. "It's a beautiful airplane. Ted's
love of flight was very strong."
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