LEXINGTON, Kentucky — The Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame will honor three individuals and one organization during its 2025 induction ceremony Nov. 1, 2025.
This year’s honorees represent the best of Kentucky’s aviation heritage, from pioneering military service to groundbreaking achievements in air racing and aerospace manufacturing, according to officials.
2025 inductees are:
- Major Ralph Waldo Emerson Webb, who will be enshrined posthumously for his 23-year military career spanning over 23,000 flight hours. Born in Whitesburg, Kentucky, in 1918, Webb served as a Hump Pilot during World War II, flying combat missions over the Himalayas in the China-Burma-India Theater. He later became a flight instructor and aircraft commander during the Cold War, training pilots and shaping operational standards across multiple Air Force bases. His decorations include the Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
- Brigadier General Fred F. Bradley will be honored for his 38 years of service in the Air Force and Air National Guard, logging over 4,000 flight hours. The Providence, Kentucky, native served as a fighter pilot, flew combat missions in Vietnam, and commanded the 123rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Beyond aviation, Bradley served 16 years in the Kentucky State Senate, championing veterans’ legislation and proving that service extends far beyond the cockpit, as well as being a leading thoroughbred breeder of Graded winner, Brass Hat, and a two-time champion female sprinter, Groupie Doll.
- Sheila Farmer Wagner will be enshrined as the first and only Kentuckian to win the Air Race Classic. In 1997, Wagner and her copilot, Sophia Payton, won the 2,700-mile race from Boise, Idaho, to Knoxville, Tennessee. A member of the Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots, Wagner logged over 1,200 flight hours and inspired generations of aviators before her passing in 2011.
The 2025 Kentucky Aviation Achievement Award will be presented to Aerospace Composite Solutions (ACS) of Morgantown for excellence in aerospace manufacturing.
Founded in 2009, ACS recently relocated to an $18 million, 150,000-square-foot facility, producing advanced composite materials for military and aerospace applications.
Tickets for the ceremony are available until Oct. 24, 2025.
For more information: AviationKy.org
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