San Martin, CA — There is a gem of a museum tucked in the back of the South County Airport in San Martin California. You are not going to find glamorous and sleek warbirds or famous bombers and jets here. But you will find a fascinating slice of aviation history. I took my aviation-loving 80-year-old mother for a visit and both of us were pleasantly surprised. We were greeted by Susan Talbot who was not only friendly but gave the grand tour and shared her intimate knowledge of the aircraft and artifacts that this amazing little museum holds.
When you arrive you enter the giftshop which is also part of the restoration hanger. There they are working 1940 Security “Airster” with five cylinder Security engine. The Security engine was designed by Bert Kinner of the Kinner engine fame. (the Ryan PT-22 Recruit uses a Kinner R05 engine.) This particular aircraft sports folding wings.
Our guide next took us to the Ole Fahlin Memorial Propeller Shop. It is a commemoration of one of the world’s great propeller makers as well as a continuation of the shop that Ole Fahlin started during the early 1960’s in Santa Clara, California. In fact, the first propeller that Ole made in his new shop was for Larry Steven’s WACO-10. This aircraft and its Fahlin propeller was on display in the museum at one time.
The shop has been located in various parts of the Santa Clara Valley over the years with the longest period, eighteen years, being in Cupertino, California. It was once located at Hill Country in Morgan Hill. Throughout the shop’s more than thirty-year history there has been a surprising continuity of machinery, presses, tooling, etc., used in the shop. Many of the tools and much of the equipment that Ole used to make propellers are still used today by Guy Watson, Herb Robbins, and a few others. Guy started working with Ole about 1973 and has been building propellers ever since, first under the Fahlin label and later, after Ole retired, under his own Watson label.
The Ole Fahlin Memorial Propeller Shop is the only west coast FAA Authorized Repair Station for wooden propellers—Certificate #WOKR 041-L. The shop specializes in custom built, experimental and antique wooden propellers such as would be encountered in the earlier years of aviation, 1903–1935. The propellers are built by the ‘Watson Division’ of the Wings of History Air Museum.
We then entered Display hanger #2. Among the facinating aircraft on display you will find a fully restored 1934 Kinner Sportster, a 1938 Bowlus “Baby Albatross” , a 1940 Bowlus “Super Albatross” Competition sailplane; One of only two built and a 1946 Volmer Jensen VJ-21 powered glider, a flyable 1934 Pietenpol “Air Camper” and a homebuilt 1957 Sim-copter.
Next went across the yard to Hanger #1. Inside an a very accurate replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer. Having seen the original Wright Flyer just days before in the National Air and Space Museum I can attest to this replicas accuracy. It is displayed with a hidden electric motor that spins the props. Also in Hanger #1 is the pilot’s equivalent of a small bicycle with training wheels called the Penguin. Built in 1933 it was not actually meant to fly but rather to teach pilots basic skills using high speed taxiing. Also in the hanger is a beautiful 1940 Stinson 10 with a Franklin 90 engine, a flyable 1928 American Eagle A-101 with Curtiss OX-6 engine and a wonderful collection of old propellers.
I am embarrassed to admit that I knew so little about the aircraft and other artifacts on display at the Wings of History Museum. However, my visit has opened up a whole new area of aviation history to explore. And of course I have not mentioned all that there is see at the Wings of History Museum so pay them a visit and you will not be disappointed.
Wings of History Museum
12777 Murphy Avenue
San Martin, CA 95046
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First visit: Wings of History Museum in San Martin, California