From the hundreds of pictures that I have of my father, Tony, I decided to assemble a short timeline to better illustrate his life but not bore you with an extensive family photo album. I have chosen the most relevant ones starting with him as a young man until his passing in 1976. I’ve divided the photos into seven pages, with about ten on each page.
Tony in the pilot’s seat of an Alexander Eaglerock.
Tony in his new leather flight jacket, helmet, and goggles.
I hope you find this interesting as much as I do and can’t help but think about the thousands of hours of flight time he accumulated throughout his lifetime.
Tony is building up his flight time in an Alexander Eaglerock, A-15, owned by the Burgard Vocational High School, where he received his aviation diploma on February 26, 1935. A Kinner K-5 radial engine powers this airplane and is easily recognized by the shape of the cylinder heads.
Looking good Tony! Nice and steady.
Tony, on the left, goes over a flight lesson with his instructor in a Waco UPF-7 that was used in the CPT program at the start of WWII.
Tony’s aviation diploma, graduated on February 26, 1935.
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Mike Steffen was Tony’s flight instructor when he learned to fly at Burgard Vocational High School in the early 1930s while attending night classes. The two developed a pretty unique relationship and remained good friends throughout my father’s aviation career. Tony graduated on February 26, 1935, after enrolling in Burgard’s three-year evening vocational aviation course….
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