Golden Wings Museum, Anoka County Airport, Blaine, Minnesota

This is the private collection of golden age aircraft collector and restorer, Greg Herrick. He turned out in person to give us a guided tour, bursting with anecdotes, and generously sharing his terrific enthusiasm. This was the highlight of the tour for me.

Aircraft Reg'n Thumbs Notes
Aeronca C-3 NC15295 (N15295)  
Alliance Argo NC2M (N2M) Rugged sport-trainer aerobatic aircraft built in 1929. 20 built
Arrow Sport Model M NC18764 (N18764) Sport Model F (Ford car engine) fitted with a Menasco engine in 1938 - Arrow Aircraft collapsed in 1940.
Aviat A1 Husky N9623Z Not everything in the hangar is golden age
Avro Avian 'G-EBUG' Originally an Australian as G-AUFZ and VH-UFZ and test flown by Bert Hinkler, this was Lang Kidby's mount for his 1998 England-Australia flight. Now N7083 in the markings of Amelia Earhart's aircraft.
Buhl Airsedan CA-3D NC8451 (N8451) Restored with the Packard livery that it wore while it was their diesel engine demonstrator (as a CA-3E), even though it now has reverted to a Wright J-6 (as a CA-6D).
Bushmaster 2000 NC7501V (N7501V)  
Cunningham-Hall PT-6F NC444 (N444) 1938 freighter version of the 1929 PT-6. Ex NX16967 and NPC-44 (Philippines - not taken up).
Curtiss-Wright Travel Air A-6000-A N377M Built in 1929 after Curtiss-Wright had taken over Travel Air
Fairchild FC-2W2 N13934 Ex NACA-26. National Parks Service between 1937 and 1942.
Fairchild PT-19A 41-20388 N55406  
Fairchild PT-23-SL 42-49805 N64097  
Fairchild PT-26 N63568  
Fairchild PT-26 N79185  
Fleetwings F-4 Sea Bird NC16793 (N16793) 1936 stainless steel amphibian - a bit top-heavy, but flew well. This is the prototype and only F-4. Five F-5 5-seaters were built of which one survives.
Ford 4-AT-Trimotor NC1077 (N1077) Two photos of Greg expounding the history of his immaculate 4-AT - the world's oldest surviving example, and the oldest American airliner still flying. He encouraged us to climb aboard most of the planes.
Greg Herrick    
Interstate S-1A Cadet NC37280 (N37280)  
Keystone-Loening K-84 Commuter N63K Alaska Seaboard Air Lines "Kruzov". Restoration proceeding - the wings are nearly ready.
Kreutzer K-5 Air Coach NC612A (N612A) Navajo Airways livery. Ex NC612 (N612) and XB-AHO. The first one built, it is also the sole survivor of 7 Air Coaches built in 1928/9
Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer N3764P Tail-dragger conversion.
Stearman 6L NC788H (N788H)  
Stearman C3-B NC6438 (N6438) In the livery of its first operator, Varney Air Lines, and with a rare Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine.
Stinson SM-1B Detroiter NX7654 (N7654) The world's first diesel-engined aircraft.
Stinson Model A NC15165 (N15165) Delivered to American Airlines in 1936 and restored in their livery. Sole survivor of 31 built.
Stinson SM-6000-B NC11153 (N11153) American Airlines livery and operated by them from 1932-1934 - the oldest surviving AA airliner.
Taylor Aerocar Model II N101D There's an Aerocar Model III at the Museum of Flight
Waco CUC-1 NC15233 (N15233) 1935 custom-built luxury cabin biplane. The three silver rings on the fuselge side are parachute flare tubes fired by the pilot in sequence during the downwind leg of a night landing at an unlit field.
Waco UKC NC13897 (N13897)  
Waco YMF N89B A newbuild