image-coming-soon-placeholder John P Wood Knaup Bros chart brennand_pitts_special_1951 Chuck Swain 2021 Jimmy L Szajkovics 2015 hamilton_portrait conant_hs John Schwister Howard Morey2 October 1986 Richard Hanusa esse_airventure_2005 harmanwalraven1 Pete Drahn George Hardie Judy Zivko 2 Paul Johns cassiman_co_nas hedeen_hs Herman Salmon LaVerne H. Griffin larson_roy_seated George Cudahy 2 1998 Giles Meisenheimer Joe Abernathy Roy Shwery 1992 Tad Oelstrom behncke1 Charles M. Wood Elwyn West Don Cacic Billy Mitchell 1919 William Lotzer 2 Alfred Lawson James A Lovell Jr 3 bouchard-thumb
The Wild Rose Idlewild Engine Sign
Wild Rose Airport Sign cropped

The Wild Rose Idlewild Engine Sign

40 YEARS, 40 STORIES

The tired old airplane engine is run-out and un-repairable; it sits rusting in its crate in a dark corner of your hangar. You realize you just can’t bear to send it to a scrap heap; isn’t there a way to put it to use?

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40th Annual Investiture Dinner and Ceremony
Inductee group, Dave Cabelka for Lyle Grimm, Norman Florence for Alfred Gorham, Richard Schmidt, and Jeff Skiles

40th Annual Investiture Dinner and Ceremony

JOIN US

Please join us as we honor our 2026 inductees on Saturday, October 10, 2026!

RSVP TODAY
FIF Cover Spring 2026

Spring always brings a little lift to the spirit, and this issue reflects that. Trailblazers, mentors, restorers, old friends, and new adventures—stories that show why this community is so special. From archive gems to everyday airport moments, aviation keeps connecting generations. Enjoy!

Read Forward in Flight
Stearman Smile

Collecting and Preserving Wisconsin's Aviation History

Welcome to the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame, a membership organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing Wisconsin aviation news and history. Learn about the men and women who are making aviation history in Wisconsin and beyond.

Become a member/supporter today so that together we can continue to honor those who advance and enhance aviation in our state. Because Wisconsin aviators need heroes, too.

Become a Member
Speaker Series

Request a Speaker

Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame speakers bring history to life through engaging, story-driven presentations. With hundreds of talks delivered over the years, our speakers tailor each presentation to fit your audience and occasion.

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Hall of Fame Inductee Map
Inductee Map

Hall of Fame Inductee Map

View all of the WAHF Hall of Fame Inductees on a 1968 Wisconsin VFR sectional.

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Leo J. Kohn Photography Collection

Digitization and Preservation Project

Leo J. Kohn Photography Collection

Digitization and Preservation Project