International Air & Space Hall of Fame


The International Air & Space Hall of Fame is an honor roll of notable men and women who have made significant contributions to the advancement of aerospace flight and technology that is sponsored by the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Since its founding in 1963, over 200 individuals have been inducted into the Hall, with new additions inaugurated at an annual gala.

History

The International Aerospace Hall of Fame was incorporated on 27 September 1963 as a nonprofit with the mission "to honor the great achievers of aviation and space endeavors" and the first induction ceremony took place on 18 March 1965 at the San Diego Convention Hall. Although originally housed in the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the Hall of Fame was a separate entity with its own board of directors, until the two institutions merged in 1993. On 22 February 1978 arsonists destroyed the Balboa Park Electrical Building, containing both the Air & Space Museum and the Hall of Fame. The blaze consumed the Hall of Fame's entire portrait gallery, incinerating more than 60 original paintings crafted to represent each inductee. Replacement of the portraits was overseen by the board of directors, who enlisted local artists and encouraged creative depictions of each figure in their era. Additionally, the board instructed the artists to include in each painting a representation of the figure's achievement, usually in the form of an aircraft or rocket, a practice which continues today.
After the fire, $4.5 million was the set goal for the San Diego Aerospace Museum and Hall of Fame Recovery Fund, a sum met in large part through contributions from aviation corporations and foundations, donations from private citizens, and support from the government. Though the Museum and Hall of Fame had planned to reopen triumphantly on 17 December 1978, the 75th anniversary of the Wright Brother's first successful flight, delays in renovation and aircraft delivery forced continual postponement of the opening date for over a year. Finally, exactly two years after the fire, the Hall of Fame reopened on 22 February 1980 in the historic Ford Building.

Inductees

The Hall has inducted the following people, arranged by year, with their year of induction in parentheses.