Six years ago the multi-talented Greg Gibson was the Director of Flight Management at the Bessemer Airport in Alabama. He brought a concept that would include Flight Training, Maintenance, New Cessna Aircraft Sales, Fractional Ownership Plans featuring Diamond Aircraft, Hangar space, Maintenance and Parts, Fuel, with Full catering service as well as car rental to the former Premier Aviation. Since then he has continued in aviation in a variety of positions and experience that has landed him at the Lenzen-Roe Memorial Airport (Granite Falls Municipal - GDB), Minnesota. Gibson is the facility manager of the new soon to open Fagen Fighters World War II Museum.
According to EAA, a fleet of eight distinguished warbirds, owned by longtime EAA/Warbirds/Vintage/IAC member Ron Fagen, are hangared in the new 15,000-square-foot brick structure. They include a Fairchild PT-19, Ryan PT-22, Fairchild PT-26, Vultee BT-13, Curtiss P-40 Desert Shark, P-38 Ruff Stuff, and a pair of P-51s - Sweet Revenge and Twilight TearThere's also a rare Waco CG-4A glider that's cut away to show its extensive workmanship.
Ground vehicles in the collection include a Ford GP (Jeep) used by Gen. Omar Bradley during the D-Day Invasion, an M3 halftrack Troop Carrier (M16 version), an M35A2 (deuce and a half) cargo truck, a Harley Davidson WLA, and a Cushman Scooter Model 54. Along with the large hangar, the museum constructed a Quonset hut briefing room, dedicated to WWII triple ace C.E. "Bud" Anderson and the other P-51 pilots making up the 357th Fighter Group. The museum in fact recreates England's Leiston Field, home of the 357th's Yoxford Boys.
Gibson called the grand opening a "big invitation to the flying and driving public" to come and see the museum, which includes a poignant tribute to Fagen's father, Ray, who landed on Utah Beach on D-Day. The museum's signature display, it depicts Ray and his comrades exiting a landing craft onto the beach, which includes actual sand from Utah Beach. FMI: http://www.fagenfighterswwiimuseum.org/ , EAA