Beechcraft museum celebrates golden anniversary

The Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma, Tennessee, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023.

Founded in 1973, the museum started with the passion for the first Model 17 Beechcraft, the Staggerwing.

John Parish, Sr., and many others across the country participated in the Staggerwing Club. Folks from coast to coast would host Staggerwing fly-ins on an annual basis.

In 1973, the Staggerwing Gathering was held in Tullahoma. Guest speaker and accomplished aviatrix Louise Thaden challenged the attendees to start a museum to preserve the one and only Staggerwing.

Louise was a pilot for Beech Aircraft Company, raced the Staggerwing, winning the 1936 National Bendix Race, and had the same passion for the Model 17 Beech.

Louise offered to donate her racing memorabilia to start the museum, while Charlotte Parish donated the land with access to the Tullahoma Regional Airport (KTHA) and the Staggerwing Museum Foundation became a reality in 1973.

The museum founders — John Parish, Sr., Jim Gorman and Glenn McNabb — made a trip to Wichita to get the blessing of Olive Ann Beech for the museum, according to museum officials.

She wasn’t fond of the idea, but she didn’t oppose it, they said.

She must have changed her mind, because she was present at the museum in 1976 for the dedication of the museum’s first expansion of the Walter Beech Hangar and continued to engage in the museum’s vision to preserve the Beechcraft legacy and provide aviation education, museum officials said.

What began as a two-room log cabin established in 1973 has grown in to a 78,000-square-foot, fully climate controlled general aviation museum and campus. Visitors from all across the globe visit daily, exploring the 38 exhibited aircraft and historical artifacts of aviation since the beginning of the 19th century.

While the museum began as the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, the second generation of Beech production enthusiasts, the Twin Beech 18 Society, were so impressed with the preservation of the Staggerwing, they approached the museum board to expand the collection to include the Model 18.

While the Staggerwing purists said “no,” the museum visionaries said “yes” and the tense decision was made to expand the museum beyond the Staggerwing Model 17.

Museum member Chuck Cianchette raised enough money among the museum membership to expand the museum to include the Beech Model 18.

Groundbreaking on first of two phases of the Cianchette hangar began in 1998.

As time marched on, of course the third model of Beech aircraft enthusiasts, the Bonanza owners, wanted to be included in this Beechcraft legacy, museum officials report.

Former American Bonanza Society President Ron Vickrey eagerly yearned for the Bonanza Baron to have a home in Tullahoma. He and Harold Bost were determined to make this happen.

In 2004 the museum expanded another 9,000 square feet to include Bonanza and Baron Beech aircraft.

In 2006 the Bost hangar expanded to 18,000 square feet and currently is 36,000 square feet exhibiting a treasured collection of aircraft including: Serial #9 Bonanza; an uncovered Staggerwing; a Bonanza cutaway; a Starship; Serial #1 Baron; the last produced Duke; military aircraft such as an U21, T-34C, C-45 Beech 18, AT-11; an extensive engine exhibit; original wind tunnel models for the Staggerwing and V-tail Bonanza; and the 3Z Musketeer flown by Gene Nora Jessen on a Beechcraft marketing tour in the 1970s.

It became evident that the Staggerwing Museum Foundation had expanded far beyond its founder’s expectations. In 2007, the museum board voted to change its name to the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. Unlike the tense meetings in prior years, founders and museum members unanimously voted to change the name of the museum.

The museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary during its annual convention, the Beech Party, slated for Oct. 12-14, 2023. During the convention, museum President Charles Parish will interview the museum founders and charter members, Jim Gorman, Dick Hansen, John Parish, Sr., and Tom Warner.

Registration for Beech Party can be found at BeechcraftHM.org