Feel close to aviation history with local connections throughout MAPS Air Museum, including the seminal Martin Glider, built by self-taught Stark County aeronautical engineer William Martin. Martin held two patents, including one for dihedral wings. He first flew the glider in January 1909 on a hill at his farm, where he roped it to his plow horse, Billy, who then ran down the hill and the glider took flight.
“Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, the Wright brothers came … to look at it, because they didn’t know how he did it,” says Doug Perry, MAPS marketing manager. “This is the first mono-wing airplane that could fly.”
Founded in 1990, MAPS has about 60 aircraft throughout its sprawling properties next to the Akron-Canton Airport. The museum tells the stories of American aviation and military history through planes, vehicles, uniforms, medals and other artifacts. There are around 120 volunteers who donate over 35,000 hours each year to MAPS doing tasks, including restoring aircraft.
In the winter, there has been as many as 23 aircraft in the indoor hangar. See a fabric-covered 1916 Sopwith Triplane, made of English broadcloth coated in a doping agent to stiffen it. Stand in the gondola of the Spirit of Akron GZ-22 Goodyear blimp, which first flew in 1987. Witness a massive 1941 B-26 Marauder, a World War II bomber that took over 20 years to restore, is one of only six remaining and is the oldest surviving B-26. Spot a red airplane-style drone suspended from the ceiling used for target practice in the ‘40s. Climb inside a cockpit used to train pilots to fly before they got in an airplane. Sit in an AH-1 1972 Cobra attack helicopter, in which the pilot was in the backseat and a gunner sat in the front with advanced tech.
“The military is at least 30 years ahead of whatever you can imagine,” says Perry. “This is a 1972 Cobra that has a laser, infrared and optical sighting system.”
Learn stories of many memorable locals, including Sharon Lane, currently honored in the lobby. Find Lane’s name on a panel of the traveling Vietnam Wall memorial, with stars denoting the Ohioans named in each line.
“We lost eight female nurses in Vietnam. She’s the only one killed by direct enemy fire. She was only over there 44 days. She’s a graduate of Canton South High School,” says Perry. “She was trained at Aultman Hospital.”
Enter the Gallery of Heroes to uncover more stories of Ohioans, such as Canton native Lee Kessler, who served and designed Army Air Force nose art, and the seven veterans of the Reymann family from Akron, including one brother who flew with Lindbergh in the South Pacific. Spot pictures of Goodyear’s inflatoplane and a model of a Corsair fighter plane — over 4,000 were built in Akron during WWII. (MAPS is currently restoring one). Take in artifacts such as a red metal toolbox bearing the name “Whitey”— it belonged to a MAPS volunteer who built Corsairs with fellow Rosie the Riveters. See a flag from Canton teacher Eva Sparrowgrove, who hand-stitched the names of her students who served in WWII. Also behold a mini American flag signed by Amelia Earhart. Spot the uniform of Nadine Harris-Bluhm. She was a MAPS founding member and a WASP, or a Women Airforce Service Pilot. Due to sexism, WASPs didn’t get rank, privileges or benefits until years after their service.
Browse the downstairs library of military and aviation history, which also holds recorded veteran interviews that have been submitted to the Library of Congress.
Upstairs, learn about America’s military history and witness several Medals of Honor, including six or seven originals, in the Ohio Military Museum gallery. Read about Stark County native recipients, including Sgt. Robert Pinn, a Black Civil War soldier buried in Massillon. Also learn about Ohioans who were the first Medal of Honor recipients for the Great Locomotive Chase raid during the Civil War.
Also find an art room, an F-100 Super Sabre room and areas that tell the story of Vietnam, complete with mannequins wearing original uniforms from volunteers. Soon, look out for a room honoring Clevelander Bob Hope, who performed many holiday shows for troops.
Return for special events and programs, such as the Air Academy, which invites a parent and child to learn about aviation and then experience flight simulators.
You can get your tour guided by volunteers, who are often veterans like Perry. They frequently share their stories or those of other volunteers.
“You never know quite who you’re talking to here,” says Perry. “The gentleman that came through with the camera earlier — he was a young lieutenant sitting in an F-100 Super Sabre on a runway in Florida in October ‘62. Had Kennedy said go, he would have been the second man in Cuba in 18 minutes.”
2260 International Parkway, North Canton, 330-896-6332, mapsairmuseum.org
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
Erin Gulling
