![]() John has an excellent rapport with all phases of the flying community and loves to serve aviation for the greater benefit of all. ![]() In 1990 he was appointed by the governor of Tennessee to serve on the Tennessee State Board of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division. John served five one-year terms as Warbirds of America president, formed the first Warbird Squadron and is a member of the Warbirds board of directors. His first love is warbirds, however, and he has flown, owned or restored a PT-23, PT-17, Messerschmitt 108 and 208 and a 1955 T-34B, in addition to his Mustang. A Navy veteran, he is a successful Lebanon, Tennessee businessman with a Commercial pilot’s license and instrument, single and multi-engine, instructor, rotorwing and seaplane ratings. John Baugh is still known to Warbird enthusiasts as the pilot of the P-51 “Miss Coronado” which he owned for many years and flew at airshows and fly-ins across the country. Now residing at the Leeward Air Ranch near Ocala, FL, he continues to lend his expertise to EAA and plays an active role in both EAA and Warbirds of America activities. Prior to devoting his talents to EAA, Jerry spent 35 years in marketing and field services with the Buick Division of General Motors. ![]() In 1987 he joined the staff at EAA Headquarters, where he played a significant role in establishing EAA’s governmental policy. He was instrumental in the formation of the EAA Warbirds of America division and has held all four of the organization’s elected offices, including president. Jerry has flown in the airshow circuit in his Mustang and SNJ-5, has been a member of the Six of Diamonds flight team and led T-6 formations at the EAA Convention at Oshkosh. An avid World War II aviation enthusiast and owner, he was one of the first pilots to attend an EAA Convention in a warbird. A string of restorations followed, including a PT-26, a BT-15, an AT-6 and a T-28. Jerry Walbrun purchased his first warbird, a Fairchild PT-19, in 1950. Like the motto that he chose for the Warbirds of America, Walt has been committed for more than 30 years to Keeping ’em Flying. Since then, thanks to the vision of Walt Ohlrich, the organization has grown to 6,600 members and 13 Squadrons worldwide. In 1967, after returning from a combat tour in Vietnam, he moved the organization to a new home and, with the help of EAAer Jerry Walburn and EAA President Paul Poberezny, the Warbirds of America became a division of EAA. 1 and served as the group’s first president. Navy Commander Walt Ohlrich discussed with friends the possibility of forming a club to serve as a clearinghouse of information to keep World War II-era racers airborne.įrom those talks grew the Warbirds of America, an organization of owners and operators of World War II combat aircraft. Paul says he can’t remember a day when the word “Airplane didn’t cross his lips, and he’d also be the first to tell you that he’s learned more about people in his lifetime than he ever did about airplanes.ĭuring the initial Reno National Air Races in 1964, U.S. His most notable achievement is, of course, the founding of the Experimental Aircraft Association and leading it through its first four decades. He is the only person to earn all seven aviation wings the military offers…without the benefit of initial military flight training. ![]() He is a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. His distinguished Air Force career spanned almost 30 years, during which time he served as a pilot, test pilot and flight instructor. He has flown more than 386 different types of aircraft, a great number of which have been both propeller and jet military aircraft. Over the years Paul has logged more than 30,000 hours of flight time. In high school he restored a primary glider, taught himself to fly off auto tows and made nearly 3,000 flights in the aircraft. Paul Poberezny has been in love with airplanes for as long as he can remember. Paul Poberezny, Walt Ohlrich, John Baugh, Bill Harrison and G.L. 1995 Five individuals were inducted into the EAA Warbirds Hall of Fame in 1995.
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