Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome facts for kids
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Curtiss JN-4H Navy trainer in 2012
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| Established | 1958 (First air show in 1960) |
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| Location | 9 Norton Rd. Red Hook, NY 12571 |
| Type | Living aviation museum |
| Collection size | Pioneer Era aircraft WW I aircraft Golden Age (1919-39) aircraft |
| Founder | Cole Palen |
| Public transit access | Rhinecliff-Kingston (Amtrak station) |
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is a special kind of museum in Red Hook, New York. It's called a living museum because many of its old planes can still fly! Founded in 1958, this amazing place has lots of working aircraft from different times in history. You can see planes from the very early days of flying, World War I, and the exciting "Golden Age" between the world wars. They also have a cool collection of old antique cars that can still drive.
Contents
Discovering the Aerodrome's History
How the Aerodrome Started
Aviation fan Cole Palen created the aerodrome in 1958. He was inspired by another collection of old planes in England. Cole gathered planes from the early 1900s up to the start of World War II. He fixed them up and flew them regularly in airshows. In these shows, he sometimes played a character called the "Black Baron of Rhinebeck."
The first air show happened in 1960. The aerodrome officially became a museum in 1966. Today, you can still watch these exciting airshows from mid-June to mid-October. You can even take a ride in a biplane before or after the shows!
Fun for the Whole Family
From the beginning, the aerodrome wanted to do more than just show off old planes. They wanted to offer a fun day out for families. You can take self-guided tours and get a close look at the planes and other items.
There's also a special "ground show" that's like an old-fashioned play. It's a funny story with characters like Trudy Truelove and Sir Percy Goodfellow. Kids especially love the villain, the "Black Baron of Rhinebeck."
Special Events and Model Planes
The aerodrome hosts many special events. These include gatherings for old car clubs and specific types of vintage aircraft. They also have events for radio-controlled model planes. These models are tiny versions of planes from 1903 to 1939.
These model plane events have been happening since 1966. They usually take place each year in early September. Model plane builders come from all over, even from Canada and Florida.
A New Chapter for the Museum
After Cole Palen passed away in 1993, a non-profit group took over. This group, the Rhinebeck Aerodrome Museum, now owns and runs the aerodrome. The museum is officially recognized by New York State.
In 2015, a fire unfortunately destroyed the museum's gift shop and model collection. By 2023, the museum had started to update some of its older buildings and facilities.
Amazing Aircraft Collection
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has many incredible aircraft. These range from early Wright-era planes to biplanes and monoplanes from the 1930s.
Famous Fokker Triplanes
One of Cole Palen's first additions was a replica of a Fokker Triplane. This plane had a special rotary engine and flew in airshows as early as 1967. Cole Palen often flew it himself. This plane and two other Fokker Triplane replicas were flown for almost 20 years. Today, Cole's first rotary-engined replica and one of the other replicas are on display. One is even on loan at the New England Air Museum.
The Sopwith Pup and Dolphin
To go against Palen's triplane in early shows, there was often a Sopwith Pup. Cole's friend, Richard King, built this plane. He flew his authentic Pup replica in the airshows for many years. He stopped flying it actively in the 1980s and later sold it. It has since returned and flies regularly.
In 1971, a replica of the 1910 Short S.29 was built. Cole Palen also built a very accurate replica of the Sopwith Dolphin. This was the first known flying replica of a Dolphin ever made! It flew regularly in the weekend airshows starting in 1980. In 1990, the plane had an engine problem and landed in trees near the airstrip. Luckily, the pilot was not hurt, and the plane wasn't badly damaged. The Dolphin was on display until 2007. Now, the aerodrome is working to restore it so it can fly again.
Other Notable Planes
Another German plane in the collection is an Albatros D.Va replica. In 2015, it was painted in the colors of a famous pilot, Eduard Ritter von Schleich. It has a special engine that was modified to fit.
The museum also has a restored 1909 Bleriot XI. This plane has an original three-cylinder engine. It is thought to be the second oldest flying aircraft in the world!
In 2016, a detailed replica of the Spirit of St. Louis joined the collection. It took 20 years to build and had its first test flight in 2015.
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has also had two flying Fokker D.VIII replicas. These were built by Brian Coughlin. They were later sold, but one of them returned to the Aerodrome in 2016.
Important Safety Information
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome takes safety very seriously during its airshows. Unfortunately, there have been a few rare accidents involving pilots.
On August 17, 2008, a pilot named Vincent Nasta was involved in an accident during a simulated dogfight. His plane, a replica of a French Nieuport 24, crashed into a wooded area. This was the first time a pilot had been seriously injured during an airshow at the aerodrome.
More recently, on October 5, 2024, Brian T. Coughlin, a museum board member, was involved in an accident. The museum's replica Fokker D.VIII crashed at the end of the runway.
