NVAHOF’s Speakers Bureau offers lectures and other educational programs to schools, churches, civic groups, and other organizations in our community.
Some of the topics of our past lectures and programs are:
Early aviation history of Nevada
Development of commercial aviation
Formerly classified military programs
And others
The young and old alike will find the more than 100 years of unique aviation history in Nevada exciting and fascinating!Please contactDan Bubb at for more information.
NVAHOF Deputy Director Daniel Bubb, Ph.D. kicks off the Speakers’ Bureau lecture series on March 12, 2014. He will present on the early airmail years in Nevada with emphasis on the importance of the Transcontinental Airmail Route to
Nevada and its future in aviation. The lecture is open to the public and a ticket is $5.
Dr. Bubb is the author of Landing in Las Vegas: Commercial Aviation and the Making of a Tourist City (University of Nevada Press, 2012). Signed copies of his book will be for sale at a special discount price of $30 per copy at the lecture.
Deputy Director Bubb Serves as Judge in History Day Competition
NVAHOF Deputy Director Daniel Babb, Ph.D. will serve as a judge along with two others at Nevada History Day Website Competition in April, which is part of the National History Day. NVAHOF is proud to be a partner of the National History Day in Nevada, where young students in the Las Vegas area showcase their amazing talents. The winners will receive a commemorative prize from NVAHOF and advance to the national finals in June at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland.
Thursday, October 19th at the Thomas T. Beam Engineering Building A auditorium, NVAHOF Executive Director was the guest speaker for the second general meeting of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, UNLV American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Southern Nevada Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Luis Cuevas, President of the UNLV Student Chapter of AIAA and Darrell W. Pepper, Ph.D., Professor and Director, NCACM, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Mechanical Engineering extended the invitation for Director Barnes to speak to the engineering students. Accompanied by NVAHOF Secretary Doris Barnes, Director Barnes joined Dr. Darrell Pepper, Jeannie Pepper and the executive board of the chapter for dinner at the Paymon’s Mediterranean Cafe.
Prior to joining the Central Intelligence Agency’s Special Projects Team, Barnes spent several years at the Beatty radar site on the NASA High Range during Project X-15, the lifting bodies that became the space shuttle, the LLRV, lunar landing recovery vehicle, the XB-70, YF-12, and as a member of the CIA’s Seven Sisters for flight testing the A-12 plane at Area 51.
Civil Air Patrol cadets from the Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming posing with the Idaho Wing Commander Colonel George Breshears and Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame Executive Director TD Barnes during the RMR Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho September 2017.
On September 15-17, 2017, the Idaho Civil Air Patrol hosted the Rocky Mountain Region Civil Air Patrol Conference (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming) at the Sun Valley Lodge in Sun Valley, Idaho. Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame Executive Director TD Barnes served as the Special Key Note Speaker and Special Instructor earlier in the event and again at the awards banquet following the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony awarding Capt Waldo Thurber posthumously.
Idaho Civil Air Patrol Honor Guard
Capt Mitzi Breshears, Idaho Wing Public Affairs Officer, NVAHOF Director TD Barnes, Col. George Breshears, Idaho Wing Commander preparing for Barnes’ speech to the conference. The Nevada Civil Air Patrol Wing Commander Col. Carol L. Lynn was at the event to also represent the state of Nevada.
Captain Breshears, Lt. Jamison, Director TD Barnes, Colonel Breshears
Director TD Barnes presenting Colonel Breshears with a set of the CIA Area 51 Chronicles authored by Barnes
Conference dignitaries entering the awards banquet. L-R: NVAHOF Secretary Doris Barnes, NVAHOF Director TD Barnes, Rocky Mountain Region Commander (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming) Col Thomas Kettle, Capt Brehears, and Idaho Wing Commander George Breshears
Director TD Barnes, Colonel Thomas Kettle, Capt Mitzi Breshears, and Col George Breshears
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes addressing the RMR Conference banquet
Doris and TD Barnes
Lt. Jaminson posing with Doris & TD Barnes with photo of Col Jack Layton, Idaho resident deceased and Area 51 contemporary of Barnes during CIA Project OXCART
Col Jack Layton’s daughter Karen Stone, granddaughter Kamber Stone, TD Barnes, and Doris Barnes
The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame Executive Director, TD Barnes has compiled a 186-page book depicting the aviation and aerospace legends and pioneers who made history by their deeds and accomplishments in the Battle Born state of Nevada. The proceeds from all book sales go to the non-profit 501(C)3 NVAHOF corporation to support its mission of recognizing the men, women, and organizations who pioneered aerospace and aviation in the Battle Born State of Nevada. Becoming the West Coast line of Defense during World War II, Nevada has produced the most astronauts of any state, the NERVA nuclear rocket engine, and the classified science and technology developed in obscurity at venues such as Area 51 & TTR.
Nevada, the Battle Born state was selected as the nation’s west coastline of defense during World War II. Ever since, Nevada has hosted the Army Air Corps, the Atomic Energy Commission, the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, US Army, and the Navy for the development of the nation’s most highly classified activities and achievements that played a large part in winning the Cold War and all other wars in between. The state of Nevada has been a Mecca for independent people who wanted to do new and different things. Among the state’s unique accomplishments were the pioneering of space travel during which Nevada produced more astronauts than any other state. Nevada hosted the development of nuclear power for space exploration and as a deterrent to aggression by our enemies. The state’s development and testing of the accouterments of space, war, and defense have contributed to our nation’s successes. With the initial U-2 plane flight tests at Groom Lake, almost every flight established a new world altitude record for manned flight. The flights of the CIA’s A-12 spy plane at Groom Lake set world altitude and speed records that still stand today.
Nevada has continued to exhibit its unique heritage through many aerospace pioneers and programs that have been either based here or in the interest of national security-based elsewhere but commuted to conduct their activities within the state of Nevada. Though these individuals and programs made major contributions to the state of Nevada, the United States, and the free world, little is known of some because many of these aerospace pioneers and icons made sacrifices and contributions in ultra secrecy at locations that even today are not well-known. Contributing to their obscurity, they often used pseudo names in the interest of national security, thus ensuring that they remained nonexistent until declassification of the associated programs. In many instances, national security concerns required these aerospace pioneers to reside in another state and commute to work at secret venues in Nevada. This occurred with the CIA when it chose Nevada for the Agency’s Area 51 to develop the U-2 spy plane.
Formed 1 December 2008, the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame (NVAHOF) is a non-profit, educational institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of these men and women who pioneered and advanced our nation’s aerospace within and above the State of Nevada.
NVAHOF serves as an educational tool to assist both researchers and the general public in better understanding the very significant aerospace history of Nevada as well as a means of recognizing those hidden beneath the shroud of secrecy who contributed so much to their country.
Executive Director TD Barnes and Roger Anderson were guests of the Sports Aviation Foundation at its annual banquet at the Carson Valley Inn, Minden, Nevada for an excellent buffet, and an evening of recognizing local sailplane aviators attending Wave Camp 2017. Minden Airport Manager Robbie Thompson reported on Wave Camp. Laurie Harden of Soaring NV told how the tow planes worked nonstop lifting the gliders and releasing them to soar over the beautiful Sierra-Nevada Mountains, riding the atmospheric phenomena known as mountain waves over the Carson Valley near Tahoe. Laurie also discussed the youth education/YAA and a number of young boys and girls received scholarships and recognition.
The evening sparked with humor and captivated interest with former CIA pilot as retired Air Force Lt Col Frank Murray gave a presentation of the Mach 3 A-12 spy plane that he flew at Area 51 during the CIA’s Project OXCART and operationally over North Vietnam and North Korea for the CIA during Operation BLACKSHIELD.
Frank Murray was enshrined in the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame in the Class of 2012. Barnes is currently the Executive Director of NVAHOF. Andersen and Chris Johnson, the Operations Supervisor at the Minden Airport are newly appointed Director of NVAHOF. Lt. Col. Roger Andersen and Barnes worked with Murray on the above-mentioned projects at Area 51. Barnes is also the current president of Roadrunners Internationale, an association of the participants at Area 51 in the CIA activities. Andersen and Murray are former presidents of the Roadrunners.
The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame is happy to announce that Connie May has rejoined the organization as the Director of Public Affairs. May, based in Reno, Nevada has a background in broadcasting and advertising in the San Francisco Bay Area and Nevada. May has written articles ranging from business profiles to feature articles in local publications and aviation related publications and websites. She is an active member of Roadrunner’s Internationale-personnel who worked in secret during the Cold War, developing, testing and flying the U-2 and A-12 at Groom Lake (aka Area 51) Nevada. She has participated in Roadrunner Events including the A-12 Oxcart legacy Tour visiting various government agencies in 2010 and events at aviation museums.
Her real love is telling the story of the people, past and present that make things happen in the aviation community. She has the highest regard for our aviation pioneers and the sacrifices they made to protect us and give us a promising vision for the future. May also feels very strongly about the preservation of aviation’s national treasures and the to the mission of keeping our history alive. “It is very important to educate the public on the rich aviation history we have here in the great state of Nevada,” she said. Our aviation history is very diverse and many have contributed greatly to our national security and innovations in aviation and aerospace.”
May also is the Communications Director for the National Aviation Heritage Invitational. This prestigious event showcase skillfully restored aircraft dating back to the early 1990s. The Invitational began in 1998 and is making its home at the California Capital Airshow in Sacramento, Calif.
May’s activities revolve around aviation as she has been an employee for Southwest Airlines since 2002.
16 May 2017
Henderson, Nevada
TD Barnes, founder and the first executive director of the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame resumes that role from Director Dr. Dan Bubb. It is anticipated that many of the original staff of officers will return to assist Barnes who intends to resume the aggressive recognition of the contributions and achievements that made Nevada a giant in US Aerospace and Aviation.
Barnes, an Army, NASA, and Area 51 veteran is also the president of Roadrunners Internationale, an association of the participants in the CIA’s U-2, A-12, and the CIA/USAF YF-12 at Area 51. Barnes is the CEO of Startel, Inc. a Nevada business and is the author of numerous books, both fiction and nonfiction.
We had a great time at the 7th Clark County Aviation Association Open House on March 29, 2014 at the North Las Vegas Airport. It is always our pleasure to share Navada’s amazing aviation history! Thank you all for coming to our table.
NVAHOF members sharing Nevada’s aviation heritage with visitors. (Left to Right: Director Robert Friedrich, Secretary Patrick Newcomb, Deputy Director Daniel Bubb)
The founding members of NVAHOF, T.D. Barnes (left) and Robert Friedrich (right). T.D. and Robert caught up with each other and reminisced about the launching of the Hall of Fame.
NVAHOF Membership Drive at the Clark County Aviation Association Open House
2 December 2017
North Las Vegas Airport, Nevada
Connie May, Director of Communications
Clark County and Clark County Aviation Association Open House
On 2 December 2017, the NVAHOF staff, as part of the organization’s outreach program, participated in the annual Clark County Aviation Association Open House at the North Las Vegas, Airport. Current director TD Barnes, past director Dr. Dan Bubb, Doris Barnes, and Connie May, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs and members Deborah and Wayne Dye, and Jeffrey Wedding joined to display the plaques of past inductees and to recruit new members and to support and interface with the aviation community in general. Among these were Jerry Doyle, President of the Clark County Aviation Association, the Nevada Civil Air Patrol, Clark County officials, Douglas Scroggins III, CEO at Scroggins Aviation Mockup & Effects, for the Motion Picture and Television Industry, and others. Harry Martin, VP of Roadrunners Internationale, his daughter, Debbie, and family joined the NVAHOF team who in October enshrined the Roadrunners into the NVAHOF.
NVAHOF is happy to report three more members joining the 501 (C)(3) non-profit, educational institution dedicated to preserving the legacy of these men and women who pioneered and advanced our nation’s aerospace within and above the State of Nevada.
TD & Doris Barnes
Directors Barnes and Bubb visiting with a Clark County official
NVAHOF Secretary Doris Barnes
Doris Barnes & Debbie Barnes-Dye
Jeff’s Father, Jeffery Wedding, and TD Barnes
TD Barnes and Doug Scroggins in his Chinook Helicopter movie prop. Scroggins is known for his work on Dunkirk (2017), Sully (2016) and Captain America: Civil War (2016).
Roadrunners Internationale Vice President Harry Martin and President TD Barnes
NVAHOF staff members, Doris Barnes, TD Barnes, and Connie May
TD Barnes and Doug Scroggins
Harry Martin, CAP Capt Michael Biehn, TD Barnes, Doug Scroggins
On October 13, Frank Murray (CIA A-12 pilot), Harry Martin (AF fuels specialist), and TD Barnes, former Area 51 Special Projects and the current Executive Director of the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame were the guests at CIA Headquarters where they were interviewed by historians and Public Affairs, and guests of the EAA, and the CIA Museum Director. The Central Intelligence Agency staff treated them to a private lunch at Hqs. The NVAHOF enshrined Frank Murray into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame in 2012.
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
Harry Martin, Frank Murray, TD Barnes
Jerry Doyle, President Clark County Aviation Association reports that cadets of the Nevada Wing of the Civil Air Patrol will assist with the open house. Mr. Doyle has stated plans to set up the carpeted area shown in the photos for the kids with a bouncy house, clown, coloring, etc. The 99s will host the pancake breakfast in the lobby area partitioned by the glass walls. Around the sides of the carpet will be Groups, Organizations, Vendors, etc.
Officers, staff, and members of the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame will have an area set up to greet participants at the gala event and to accept new membership applications. It is an annual event for the NVAHOF to join the sponsor, CCAA, Clark County Aviation Association, to entertain and welcome visitors to the aviation and car show event at the North Las Vegas Airport. NVAHOF will display the plaques of those enshrined for the past two years before they join the plaques of those enshrined in the past that are on public display at the McCarran Airport. As a fundraiser for NVAHOF, the staff is offering a discounted price on sales of the recently published book, “Aviation Legends of the Battle Born State,” authored by NVAHOF Director TD Barnes. All proceeds go to the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to the recognition of Nevada’s aviation and aerospace pioneers and pacesetters. Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame
14 November 2017
Nevada State Museum
Las Vegas, Nevada
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes speaking
Below: Guest Truman Guynn and NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
Barnes and Guynn were HS classmates at Mt. View, Oklahoma
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes served as the keynote speaker at a luncheon of Pioneering Las Vegas History to a record-breaking crowd at the Springs Preserve that included guests from Oklahoma and Colorado. His topic was the recently declassified history of the Central Intelligence Agency during the forming of Area 51 for flight-testing the ultra-secret U-2 reconnaissance plane. Barnes was affiliated with and worked at Area 51 on the agency’s DS&T special projects team. His lecture covered the questions of who, when, why, what, and where of the CIA era at Area 51 and the many recently revealed affiliated sites during the period of the Cold War from 1955 to 1979 when the CIA relinquished Area 51 to the US Air Force.
Mark the date: December 2, 2017
Clark County Aviation, NV Open House
The NVAHOF staff welcomes its members and friends to join them for a pancake breakfast and a great day with old friends, new friends, and neighbors while mingling through the aviation and car show. This annual event is hosted by the Clark County Department of Airports and the Clark County Aviation Association. NVAHOF will have available for purchase the recently published book “Aviation Legends of the Battleborn State.” All proceeds will go to support the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame. New members will have an opportunity to join the NVAHOF and participate in its recognizing and honoring those who contributed to the rich aviation and aerospace history of the Battle Born state.
31 August 2017
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes, a committee member of the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial led by Steve Ririe and the committee members were received at the Central Intelligence Agency Headquarters to present the Agency a special plaque that now hangs at the headquarters to the CIA in Langley, VA.
The inspiration for this National Memorial started on November 17, 1955, at 7:25 a.m., a USAF Military Air Transport Service aircraft took off from Burbank, CA with an air force crew, Lockheed and Hycon engineers, CIA personnel and scientists bound for Watertown, now known as Area 51. At 8:40 a.m. the aircraft was first reported missing. The full story of the fourteen men aboard and the U2 reconnaissance plane they helped build remained classified for over 40 years. Also classified as top-secret was the account of the men who risked their lives while they braved subzero temperatures at 11,500 feet elevation to attempt a rescue on Mount Charleston. Now, over four decades later, the time has come to tell one of the most intriguing stories of the Cold War. We honor these men and the hundreds of individuals who have worked in obscurity during the Cold War, many of whom have paid for our freedom with their very lives.
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NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
Steve Ririe presenting the plaque to CIA Museum Director Toni Hiley. L-R: Russell Cook, TD Barnes, James Fagiana, Lane Swainson, Christopher Hays, William Devine, and Ken Walther
Lane Swainston, Russell Cook, Steve Ririe, Ken Whalther, TD Barnes, William Devine, Christopher Hays, James Fagiana
Lane Swainston, Steve Ririe, Ken Whalther, TD Barnes, William Devine
James Fagiana, Lane Swainston, Russell Cook, Steve Ririe, TD Barnes, William Devine, Christopher Hays, Ken Walther
The Original Committee Members: Lane Swainston, Ken Walther, Steve Ririe, William Devine, TD Barnes
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes Guest Speaker Blackfoot, Idaho Chamber of Commerce
17 September 2017
The Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame Director TD Barnes and NVAHOF Secretary Doris Barnes were the guests of the Blackfoot, Idaho Chamber of Commerce, staying at the Shoshone Convention Center at the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, and the following day the guest speaker at a special Blackfoot Chamber of Commerce meeting open to the public at Premier Technology.
NVAHOF Plaque Display at McCarran International Airport
Roadrunner members who are also officers or enshrinees of the NVAHOF.L-R. Enshrinee Frank Murray, Connie May. Pete Merlin, Joerg Arnu, TD Barnes, and Roger Andersen
NVAHOF Director TD Barnes and NVAHOF Director Special Events Roger Andersen
Roadrunners International Vice President Harry Martin accepting Certificate of Enshrinement into the NVAHOF in behalf of the Roadrunners.
Roadrunners Internationale webmaster Joerg Arnu, life member of NVAHOF, and NVAHOF Director TD Barnes
Roger Andersen reading certificate of enshrinement of Huge Slater to the Slater family, Peter Slater, Stacey Slater-Bernhart, Terry Slater, Paul Bernhart
Director TD Barnes presenting the Hugh Slater Certificate of Enshrinement to the Slater family
Enshrinee Hugh Slater siblings Peter Slater and Stacey Slater-Bernhart accepting the Certificate of Enshrinement
2012 NVAHOF Enshrinee Frank Murray
Roadrunners Internationale Webmaster and NVAHOF Member Joerg Arnu and 2012 NVAHOF Enshrinee Frank Murray
The Col. Jim Anderson family
Michael Betterton, Fred Trost, Gail Trost, Liz Overstreet, Andy Overstreet
Elsie Stewart and NVAHOF Secretary Doris Barnes
The Lockheed Gang
Keith Beswick, Peter Law, Jerry Miller
NVAHOF Director Communications Connie May, NVAHOF 2012 Enshrinee Frank Murray, Joe Murray, Shirley Rose, NVAHOF Director Special Events Roger Andersen, Dave Bubb, Linda Andersen
NVAHOF – CCAA Open House
Saturday, 31 March, the staff of the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame joined at the old Cessna hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport to entertain the families visiting the 5th annual Aviation Open House of the Clark County Aviation Association in cooperation with the Clark County Department of Airports. NVAHOF staff attending included Thornton D. “TD” Barnes, Connie May, Pete Merlin, Mike Schmitz, and Dan Bubb. Friend of NVAHOF, Joerg Arnu also participated in the event. The NVAHOF team manned a booth where a video depicting the wide range of aviation in Nevada played continuously for the enlightening of the attending students and public. Pete Merlin signed his latest book, Area 51 for those purchasing a copy. Depicted at the booth was a display of the plaques of all the past enshrines into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame. Scattered among the aircraft on display throughout the hangar were individual plaques complete with photo and bio of each of the previous NVAHOF inductees.
The Open House event was special as the hangar is now the proposed future home of the Southern Nevada Air and Space Museum. The event was also special to the NVAHOF staff as Florence Murphy, co-founder of the North Las Vegas Airport was one of those enshrined into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame during the 2011 induction ceremony and dinner. During the open house event, the staff of NVAHOF individually endorsed a petition to rename the North Las Vegas International Airport the Florence Murphy International Airport. She co-founded the building of the Sky Harbor that is now the North Las Vegas Airport venue of the open house event. On December 7, 1941, the morning celebration of the grand opening started with over 150 aircraft from all over the southwest. That afternoon a plane was spotted coming from the Army field. When it arrived, the pilot announced to the crowd that Pearl Harbor had been attacked and all aircraft were grounded indefinitely. The first aircraft was released to return home two weeks later.
Saturday, 31 March, the staff of the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame joined at the old Cessna hangar at the North Las Vegas Airport to entertain the families visiting the 5th annual Aviation Open House of the Clark County Aviation Association in cooperation with the Clark County Department of Airports. NVAHOF staff attending included Thornton D. “TD” Barnes, Connie May, Pete Merlin, Mike Schmitz, and Dan Bubb. Friend of NVAHOF, Joerg Arnu also participated in the event. The NVAHOF team manned a booth where a video depicting the wide range of aviation in Nevada played continuously for the enlightening of the attending students and public. Pete Merlin signed his latest book, Area 51 for those purchasing a copy. Depicted at the booth was a display of the plaques of all the past enshrines into the Nevada Aerospace Hall of Fame. Scattered among the aircraft on display throughout the hangar were individual plaques complete with photo and bio of each of the previous NVAHOF inductees.