Warbird Information Exchange

Just read on AAFO that Elmer passed away today.


I posted this in tribute:

I want to cry. Elmer became a best friend on my weekly visits to Chino in the early 90s. I was overjoyed to see him at the Chino show the past few years. A year ago he wasn't recognized at the Chino show and I helped him get into the VIP area. Elmer was one of the greatest, most intelligent, charismatic and warm men I ever met. He gave me my first and only Mustang ride on March 2, 1996. It was awesome!!!!!

I am glad he is now free of the prison of his illness. This is a sad day.

John

Rest well, Elmer. You will be missed.

I met him a Chino a number of years ago. I remember a warm
smile, a friendly manner and a firm handshake

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Don't touch my junk!!

That is sad to hear. I met him a couple of times over the years when we hosted him at events and he was a gentleman.

I never met Elmer, but I do remember reading about his restoration of "Man O War" in Air Classics, and was so impressed with the detail to the original, I even build a scale model of it.

Godspeed Elmer, and thank you!

Leon

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Phormer Phantom Painter

His Mustang Man O War was one of the mainstays of the West Coast Airshow circuit and was flown dozens of times across country to appear at other airshows. Elmer was the owner of Pioneer Aero, the mustang parts supplier and rebuilding facility, that later was split off by Elmer to become Square One Aviation. A graduate of Cal Tech, he started up two aerospace companies including Abel Corporation (now known as Smith's Aerospace) that supplied ,designed and manufacture tanker flight refueling systems, along with pumps, electric motors and fluid control systems for aircraft and military land vehicles. His flawless Bearcat restoration Gulfhawk Iv is still talked about on various forums and was Elmer's tribute to the great test and exhibition pilot Al Williams. Sadly, the Gulfhawk only flew for one year before it was heavily damaged in a take off accident at Oshkosh in 1993. When you walked into his hangar in Chino, Elmer was always welcoming, with a warm smile and loved to share stories of his airplanes and what project he was working on. He loved to keep fit and eat healthy. He will be well missed by anybody that ever met him.

John

I first saw him when I was 10, new to California and new to the area. He had flown into Cable Airport in his P-51. A decade later, without him and his wonderful wife's suggestion, I may have never got that great Stearman ride all those years ago. In any case 5 years later the first Mustang my new wife sat in was Man O'War, and I was on my way as a pilot so to speak. He touched so many lives with his approachability and generosity. His forsight enabled Pioneer Aero and Square One to become for a time a big part of the continuation of one of the greatest designs to originate from California.

I owe them a lot. Elmer, thanks for being.

I never actaully met Elmer Ward in person but I was at Oshkosh in 1993 when he had his beautiful Bearcat Gulfhawk 4 in the Warbird Area. I have Video Footage of when he was taking off in the Bearcat during the Warbird show, but I don't have footage of the crash. If I recall I believe Elmer had engine failure of some type.
Does anyone know what became of the Bearcat who owns it now and is it in storage or being restored back to flight status or what? That airplane seems to have went under the radar screen.

Very sorry to hear of Mr. Ward's passing.

I still have that Air Classics. I always thought that the restoration of Man O' War was the first move towards taking the restorations further towards stock. John Schafhausens (sp) Cripes A Mighty was next. And of course then Lil Margaret raised the bar even more.

Lots of dreams about that Mustang back then.

The Bearcat is said to be owned by Stephen Grey and is under rebuild, this thread on AAFO has more information
http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=1390

Unfortunately, that's not what happened.

John

N3025 is listed as registered to Steve Hinton.

Steve G

sounds like a wonderful guy who touched a lot of lives.
B

My kid a while back....

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Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.