First Eastern regional invitational contest

On July 19 and 21, the Dayton Airshow hosted the inaugural Eastern Regional competition of the RollsRoyce National Aviation Heritage Invitational that is held at the Reno Air Races each September. The 2002 Invitational at Reno on September 13 to 15 became the Western Regional.

The Invitational is sponsored by Rolls-Royce, the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF), the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) and the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA). The event was founded in 1999 to encourage and reward those who restore vintage aircraft that are at least 45 years old into authentic flying condition. The winners' information is engraved on the Rolls-Royce Invitational trophy that is displayed at the NAHF in Dayton and the NASM in Washington, D.C., in alternate years.

Competing aircraft arrived at Dayton International Airport, site of the airshow, for public viewing throughout the judging. The winner of the first Eastern Regional was a P-51D owned by Chuck Greenhill of Mettawa, Illinois. The result of a fouryear restoration, Greenhill's Geraldine is painted and configured to look like Maj. Chuck Cummins' P-51D of the 375th FS, 361st FG, June 1944.

In addition, Geraldine was also voted by attendees to be the "NAHF People's Choice." Former astronaut and NAHF enshrinee Frank Borman and NASM deputy director Don Lopez were among the officials who presented trophies for both awards to Greenhill on behalf of the sponsoring organizations.

For registration information on the 2003 Eastern or Western Regional, contact Anne Marie Shattuck, National Aviation Heritage Invitational, (703) 621-2839; annemarie.shattuck@rolls-royce.com. -Ron Kaplan

Copyright Air Age Publishing Dec 2002
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