Pearson Air Museum
Across the street from Fort Vancouver is Pearson Airport, one of the oldest operating air fields in the country. In the late 1800’s, it was a base for flying blimps. In 1905, the first fixed wing flights took off. Among the “firsts” were the first airmail flight, as well as the first trans-polar flight (by the Russians, who landed here).
It was an important base during both WW1 and WW2. In WW1, most of the wood for building aircrafts came from here. In WW2, Kaiser Shipyards built over 500 ships, including aircraft carriers, on the river.
Now it is still operational but includes a nice museum. It reflects on the importance of aviation to our society, and the importance of Pearson Field in particular.
A racer from the '30's
An AT6 Texan, later Harvard as a trainer
Painted red, this Fokker DR1 was the plane used by the Red Baron in WW1
A radial engine
A classy looking biplane
A look down the runway, Mt. Hood in the distance
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