1. The National Air Race Museum Sponsored by Planes of Fame Sparks, Nevada
2. The National Air Race Museum (NARM) was the brainchild of Ed Maloney, Larry Collins, Jack Northart, and Cliff Purdy. The idea popped up in 1989 after Larry, Jack and Ed met to discuss an air museum in the Reno / Sparks area during the Championship Air Races in Reno. After many discussions about the content, mission and resources, work began on the museum in 1991. A location was selected in Sparks (former home of the modern-day air races). The museum opened on May 22, 1993. The facility housed an Air Race Theater, an Air Race Hall of Fame, an art gallery, and a gift shop. The initial displayed aircraft consisted of: 1944 Messerschmitt Bf 109G; 1910 Curtiss pusher; 1913 Deperdussin replica; 1925 Curtiss R3C-2 replica; 1926 Macchi M.39 replica; 1931 Supermarine S.6B replica; 1936 #70 Schoenfeldt "Firecracker", winner, 1938 Greve Race in Cleveland; 1938 "Eightball" flown in Oakland and Cleveland, 1938-1939; 1936 Beechcraft 17R Staggerwing; 1971 #35 "Sump'n Else"; 1948 #6 raced and owned by Bill Stead, Founder of Reno Air Races; “ Stinger” F-1 #21 owned and flown by Astronaut Deke Slayton. The following pages chronicle some of the work that went into the museum, and the displays
4. The pallet to start with is an old warehouse in Sparks Then the Outside First order of business: PAINT! First the inside… Then the floor
5. “ Ok guys, where are we putting the theater?” (Hersch, Sixton, Larry, Jack) The Planes start arriving R6 Eightball and R4 Firecracker
6. The Macchi and the Curtiss R3C2 Arrive Putting the Curtiss R3C2 together
7. The excitement of the project brought out a platoon of volunteers to assist in the construction of the museum. Among them were members of the Reno A / C Modeler’s club, who managed to be involved in doing whatever was necessary to get the facility put together. Bob & Chris putting the roof on the theater
8. Memorabilia abounded in the art gallery. Program booklets from the Cleveland Air Race Days were on display, along with a Thompson Trophy, Roscoe Turner’s Bendix Trophy, and gloves worn by Charles Lindbergh.
9. The New Logo is selected Stairs and Ramp Installed
17. Grand Opening Ceremony, May 22, 1993 Harrah’s Auto Museum displayed a Model T that was placed under the Curtiss Pusher to simulate auto vs. plane race of the 1900’s
19. Celebrities in attendance Jack, Larry and Lefty Gardner Moya and Shanda Lear Bob Hoover & Don Lopez Also in attendance: Steve Hinton John Maloney Kevin Eldridge Lyle Shelton Danny Mortensen
