Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Sergeant 1st Class Walter H. Beech
UC-45 ...an enlisted story.
Photographed by James Hulse, August 16, 2024
1. Sergeant 1st Class Walter H. Beech Marker
Inscription.
Sergeant 1st Class Walter H. Beech. UC-45 ...an enlisted story.. Walter Beech, who trained as an enlisted aviator toward the end of World War I, gained little fame as a military aviator, but went on to become a premier aircraft designer and builder. Beech had been flying since July 1914, so it was only natural for him, although enlisted, to become a flight instructor in 1917. However, his natural talent in remodeling aircraft and engines soon led him in a different direction. One of his first projects while serving at Kelly Field in San Antonio was to convert a JN-4 Jenny for use as an air ambulance. After the war he began associations with the top airplane manufacturers of the time, Glenn Curtis, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman. At the height of the Great Depression, Beech took a real flier and formed his own company, Beech Aircraft. The UC-45, a version of his popular twin Beech, was used by the Army and the Navy. He delivered more than 7,400 by the end of World War II. Beech was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1977.
Walter Beech, who trained as an enlisted aviator toward the end of World War I, gained little fame as a military aviator, but went on to become a premier aircraft designer and builder. Beech had been flying since July 1914, so it was only natural for him, although enlisted, to become a flight instructor in 1917. However, his natural talent in remodeling aircraft and engines soon led him in a different direction. One of his first projects while serving at Kelly Field in San Antonio was to convert a JN-4 Jenny for use as an air ambulance. After the war he began associations with the top airplane manufacturers of the time, Glenn Curtis, Clyde Cessna and Lloyd Stearman. At the height of the Great Depression, Beech took a real flier and formed his own company, Beech Aircraft. The UC-45, a version of his popular twin Beech, was used by the Army and the Navy. He delivered more than 7,400 by the end of World War II. Beech was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1977.
Erected by USAF Heritage Program Collection.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, World I. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1914.
Location. 29° 23.604′ N,
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98° 37.132′ W. Marker is in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in Bexar County. It is on Bong Avenue south of Luke Blvd. The marker is located at the USAF Airman Heritage Museums Air Park which is around the parade grounds. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jbsa Lackland TX 78236, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in South Texas and in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, and one of the Confederate States of America.
More about this marker. The marker, museum and air park are located on the Lackland Air Force Base, an active U.S. military installation which is a part of the Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA). The USAF Airman Heritage Museum and Air Park are open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access. Visit the museums web site for current details on visiting the museum and air park.
Also see . . . 1. Airmen Heritage Training Complex. USAF Airman Heritage Museum (Submitted on August 28, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on August 28, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
