If you’re at an event around Rhinebeck, New York, a picturesque village along the Hudson, you may be startled to look up and see impossibly ancient planes flying above you. It’s no illusion, though: they’re from the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
Located off the main roads, ORA, as it refers to itself, houses one of the biggest collections of pre-World War II planes anywhere, and the largest fleet in the U.S. that still regularly fly. One, just below, is a 1909 Bleriot from France, that is the second-oldest airworthy plane in the world. It regularly flies in ORA’s Saturday airshows.
The Aerodrome was the brainchild, and near-obsession, of the late Cole Palen (above), who was inspired by the Shuttleworth Collection in England. His project has a back story that would make a movie. A WW II veteran, he trained at Roosevelt Field, near New York City, as a mechanic, and found that the airfield had a variety of ancient planes in its hangars, including WW I fighters.
When the field was shut down to make way for a giant shopping mall, the old planes were put up for sale; three went to the Smithsonian, and Palen bid everything he could scrape together for the rest. He ended up with six of the best, and 30 days to haul them away. One by one, he moved them to his family’s home near Rhinebeck.
This replica of the Wright Brothers first plane was built by students at New York City’s August Martin High School.
Working as a mechanic and earning some money by renting his planes for movie duty, he was able by 1959 to buy an old farm near Rhinebeck, and the Aerodrome was born. Three Quonset-style huts were built out of scrap materials, and are still part of the exhibit area, filled with old planes and engines, parts of old planes and engines, and quite a few vintage cars.
A popular barnstorming plane of the 1920s and 1930s, these planes could carry three passengers—or a load of mail.
The collection kept growing, and more and more of the planes were restored to airworthiness, or in some cases copied to be flown with authentic engines, using original blueprints. In his character as the ‘Black Baron of Rhinebeck’ Palen flew regularly in his weekend airshows, recreating WW I battles.
This 1929 Pitcairn Mailwing was designed specifically as a mail carrier, but found many other uses as well. Below, a powerful ‘Big Indian’ from 1930 and a wall of wings.
Since his death in 1993, the Aerodrome has been operated by the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum Foundation. In addition to the outdoor aircraft and the hangars on the field and the original buildings, there’s a large museum building full of exhibits; only some of the planes in that building rotate out to fly.
Among the outdoor planes, it’s easy to recognize this authentic copy of Charles Lindbergh’s plane from his trans-Atlantic flight, which began at Roosevelt Field. Just below, one of the 10,000 Curtis Jennys built for practically every use from mail to barnstorming to military trainer.
In addition to the air shows, ORA offers 15-minute flights in its biplanes, circling over the village and the Hudson River. I passed up the opportunity, but next time I’m going up. The rides go for $80.
Passengers line up in vintage helmets for their flyover tours
While it basically advertises itself as an aircraft museum, the collection reflects Palen’s fascination with cars as well; along with the aircraft they were the transportation of the 20th century as trains were of the 19th.
This Hupmobile, from 1912, has won prizes for its restored beauty.
Lined up on the field, as if they had brought spectators for the show. Below, in the field area, a vintage ambulance and an ancient furniture van.
There’s even room for a bit of whimsy, and for some old-fashioned toys that are for sale, including more versions of gliders and rubber-band airplanes than I ever saw as a child.
And, noting the influence of aviation and images on 20th century culture, even a selection of advertising.
Very colorful photos and interesting story !