Issue 5
I t h a c a Av i a t i o n H e r i t a g e F o u n d a t i o n
Sponsor of the “Tommy Come Home” project
Lead Donors
Dr. & Mrs. William Thibault
Lead Businesses & Foundations
Borg Warner
Emerson Power Transmission
Incodema, Inc.
Legacy Foundation of Tompkins County
Tompkins Trust Company
Triad Foundation
Contributing Businesses & Organizations
AccuFab, Inc.
Advanced Imaging Systems
City of Ithaca
Computing Center
Cornell Railroad Historical Society
Corning Inc. Foundation
Cortland County Aviators
Dryden Homemakers Hobby Club
Dryden Mutual Insurance
East Hill Flying Club
Finger Lakes Booster Club
Finger Lakes Electric Supply Co., Inc.
First National Bank of Dryden
History Center
Ide Machine Company, Inc.
Ithaca Made Movies
Ithaca Motion Picture Project
Ithaca Old Car Enthusiasts
Ithaca Plastics
Ithaca Radio Control Society
K&L Soaring, LLC
Kellogg Auto Supply
Montague, MI, Rotarians
Morse TEC
NAPA Auto Parts, Dryden
New York Chapter International
Flying Farmers
Recording Raccoon Studios
Taughannock Aviation Corp.
Terry Marcus Design
Tompkins County Legislature
Vermont Chapter International
Flying Farmers
Individual Patrons of $500 or more
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Austen
Mr. & Mrs. Judson Bailey
Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Bors
Mr. Howard Cagle
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Colbert
Mrs. Marian Cutting
Mr. & Mrs. Peter DeGraff
Mr. Donald Denison
Mr. & Mrs. Otis Drew
Mr. & Mrs. David Flinn
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Fox
Mr. Albert Heidt
Keep your eyes on our web site:
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Mr. & Mrs. Jack Henion
Mr. Robert Langhans
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Lewis
Mr. & Mrs. Dana Mandel
Mr. & Mrs. Randall Marcus
Mr. Arthur Muka
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Overbaugh
Mr. Stephen Romaine & Ms. Tanya Vanasse
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Seaman
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Shay
Mr. & Dr. William Thibault
Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Yarussi
Mr. Ted Williams
Individual Patrons up to $499
Mr. Richard Alexander
Ms. Suzanne Andrews
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Avery
Mr. Robert Babcock
Ms. Beverly Baker
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Baker, Jr.
Ms. Kirsten Banfield
Mr. John Barker
Mr. & Mrs. David Barr
Mr. Jeffrey Baumgras
Mr. & Mrs. John Bentkowski
Mr. John Blizzard
Mr. & Mrs. Gus Broset
Mr. & Mrs. David Brumberg
Mr. & Mrs. Allen Bushnell
Mr. & Mrs. Ron Buxenbaum
Mr. & Mrs. James Byrnes
Mr. Robert Camp, Sr.
Mr. Brent Chidsey
Ms. Kathy Cole
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Coolbaugh
Mr. James Dennis
Mr. Greg DiPasquale
Mr. & Mrs. David Dubow
Mr. Paul Dutra
Ms. Cathy Emilian
Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Erickson
Mr. & Mrs. William Farrell
Mr. & Mrs. David Fernandez
Ms. Gayle Flinn
Mr. Glenn Flinn
Mr. & Mrs. Rich Franks
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Funke
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Garnett
Mr. Mark Goldfarb
Mr. Peter Grossman
Ms. Kristin Gutenberger
Ms. Ann Halpern
Mr. Howard Hartnett (deceased)
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Hartz
Mr. & Mrs. Gary Hatch
Mr. & Mrs. John Hewitt
Mr. William Highland
Tommy Come Home
Ithaca Aviation
Heritage Foundation
c/o Randy Marcus, Treasurer
200 East Buffalo Street
Ithaca, NY 14850
Thanks To Our Donors
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Holland
Mr. & Mrs. R. Brian How
Mr. Martin Irvine
Mr. & Mrs. James Ivers
Mr. Allen Johnson
Mr. Deke Johnson
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Kaminsky
Ms. Dooley Kiefer
Ms. Phyllis Killeen
Ms. Kathi Latson
Ms. Laurie Linn
Mr. Christopher Lowe
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ludders
Dr. & Mrs. Rob Mackenzie
Dr. Burt Markowitz
Mr. Russell Martin
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Meador
Mr. Everett Morse
Mr. Fleet Morse
Ms. Diana Nathanielsz
Mr. Kirby Nichol
Mr. & Mrs. Jon Orkin
Ms. Susan Quick
Mr. & Mrs. David Rathmann
Mr. James Rundle
Ms. Tacie Saltonstall
Mr. Bruno Schickel
Mr. Kenneth Schlather
Mr. Peter Schryver
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Sciarabba
Mr. Thomas Scott
Mr. & Mrs. J. Ronald Seacord
Mr. Adam Smith
Mr. Carlton Smith
Mr. Clark O. Smith
Mr. & Mrs. David Smith
Mr. & Mrs. Phil Smith
Mr. John Spencer
Mr. Paul Steiger
Mr. Carl Streeter
Mr. Robert Strosnider
Mr. & Mrs. David Taube
Mr. Michael Thompson
Mr. & Mrs. Mario Tomei
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Trautmann
Mr. Jeffrey True
Mr. Stephen Umscheid
Mr. Dave VanHaelst
Mr. Carlos Vares
Ms. Andrea Volckmar
Mr. Lealon White
Mr. & Mrs. John Wishart
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Wilder
Mr. Gary Wojcik & Ms. Sharon Sorg
Mr. Edward Woodams
Mr. Andy Yale
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Yonkin
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Zehnder
I t h a c a Av i a t i o n H e r i t a g e F o u n d a t i o n
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Young Volunteers Work on
Tommy’s Restoration
Once an airplane factory, always an airplane factory
T
(based on an article prepared for the Ithaca Times in May, 2014 by Chris Hooker, with permission)
Board of Directors
Don Funke
Thomas B. Colbert
Debbie Franks
Randy Marcus
Art Muka
Stephen Romaine
Jim Rundle
Mike Shay
You can support Tommy too!
Ithaca Aviation
Heritage Foundation
hanks to the efforts of the Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation,
parts of IAHF’s Thomas-Morse Scout were restored in the
Significant Elements building at the corner of Center Street and
Plain Street in Ithaca, with teenage volunteers doing much of
the work. The Significant Elements building had been one of the original Thomas
Aeroplane Company facilities, used by Thomas for research and development work.
IAHF’s president, Don Funke, had seen a dual opportunity for the Tommy
Come Home project when he contacted Significant Elements about using their
building as a Tommy restoration site. On one hand, performing work on Tommy
Inside This Issue
Young Volunteers Work on
Tommy’s Restoration
Pages 1-2
I’d like to help get the Tommy Project off the ground by making a gift of:
r $50.00
r$100.00
r$250.00 r$500.00 r$_______
I’d like to make my gift in ____ installments of $________.
Triad Foundation Visits the
Dryden Shop
Page 2
Please make your check payable to Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation
and mail to 200 East Buffalo St. Ithaca, NY 14850.
Your gift can also be made by credit card through our secure PayPal account
by visiting our website, tommycomehome.org
Open House Draws Crowd
Pages 3-4
The History Center Board
Meets at the Shop
Page 4
IAHF, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation; your charitable donation is
considered tax deductible under the IRS Code.
___ I would like to volunteer my time to the Tommy Project
Encouraging Participation of
Three Generations
Page 4
NAMEEMAIL
Our Donor List
Page 5
ADDRESSTELEPHONE
w w w. t o m m y c o m e h o m e . o r g
Fall 2014
CITYSTATE
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at the Significant Elements building would complete IAHF’s goal of having portions of the Tommy project undertaken at each of the three original locations that
Thomas-Morse used in Ithaca. An early IAHF Board meeting was conducted in
offices located in the original Thomas factory on Brindley Street, the building now
known as “The Aeroplane Factory.” Tommy’s new wings were constructed in the
original wood shop of the Thomas-Morse factory on South Hill. With restoration
work performed at the Significant Elements building, all three locations in Ithaca
Young Volunteers,
continued
related to the development of the Thomas-Morse Scout have been
employed in Tommy’s restoration.
An additional goal of IAHF, and one of even greater importance,
has been to involve youth in the Tommy Come Home project. A
number of young people have volunteered at the shop, and many
have attended IAHF’s events and displays of Tommy. Working
with Significant Elements provided a wonderful opportunity to
enable young people to become directly involved in components
of Tommy’s restoration.
Over the past four years, Significant Elements has developed
a job-training program for youth and young adults with “barriers
to employment,” according to Program Manager, Sara Johnson.
“During that time period, we established our workshop, and we
have the ability to do repairs on furniture, building repairs and
restoration,” said Johnson. “It seemed like the perfect fit to work
on an aircraft that was partly produced in this facility, or at least
designed in this facility, and bring it back to its original location.”
Significant Elements trains young workers in the preservation
trade, helping them learn job readiness, introductory preservation,
as well as retail and customer service skills. Participants typically
work on basic restoration, so it was very exciting for the store to
get a project as substantial as Tommy.
“This is our first hands on effort with (IAHF’s project), and
we hope to continue to work on small parts of the plane as they
progress,” said Johnson. “I think (the project) is fabulous. It’s really
exciting that we can contribute to the restoration of an important
part of Ithaca’s history. It’s a beautiful piece of machinery.”
At Significant Elements, IAHF’s Don Funke worked with
Johnson to take advantage of the youth employment services.
Significant Elements’ young workers devoted their time and effort
to restoration of components of the landing gear and elevators of
the plane. Funke was thoroughly impressed with the dedication
and craftsmanship that they brought to the project and thrilled with
the results of the work.
Tommy’s restoration continues to progess fabulously at IAHF’s
shop in Dryden. As a result of all of the volunteers’ time and efforts
this year, tremendous strides have been made toward completion of
the restoration. In reflecting on Significant Elements’ contribution
to Tommy’s restoration, Funke noted that their involvement served
as a vivid example of how exciting the project has been for everyone
who has gotten involved.
The Significant Elements team
(David Patorello, Peter Walze,
Ella Ingram, Sara Johnson,
Antonia Vichier-Guerre and
Duane Handicutt), along with
IAHF’s Don Funke, pose in
front of the Significant Elements
building at the corner of Center
and Plain Streets in Ithaca.
The building was originally
used by the Thomas Aeroplane
Company as a research and
development facility
Page 2
Triad Foundation, a
Major Supporter of IAHF,
Visits the Dryden Shop
The History Center Board Meets at
the IAHF Shop
Open House Draw Big Crowd
O
n July 16th, The History Center Board of Directors met at the Ithaca Aviation
Heritage Foundation shop. Nearly all of The History Center Board members, as well as
the History Center’s interim Executive Director, Jean Currie, attended the event, as did
many of the IAHF Board members. The evening began with a presentation by Don Funke
detailing the history of the Thomas-Morse company and development of the Scout.
Randy Marcus and Tom Colbert added stories about Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation’s
incredible good fortune in acquiring an original Thomas-Morse Scout as the generous
gift of Dr. William Thibault.
The History Center representatives were enthralled with the information about Ithaca’s
leading role in the earliest days of the aviation industry, and entertained by the fortuitous
circumstances, years ago, of Randy’s very brief interaction at the Ithaca Festival with Dr.
Thibault’s wife that ultimately led to his gift of Tommy to IAHF. The presentations were
followed by a tour of the shop, and the History Center Board members were fascinated with
the work being performed on Tommy, impressed with the craftsmanship and attention to
detail evidenced by all aspects of the work, and effusive with praise for IAHF’s Board’s and
volunteers’ passionate dedication to the project.
In addition to providing an opportunity for the History Center Board members to
become more familiar with IAHF and the Tommy project, this gathering served a larger
purpose. For the past several years, the History Center and IAHF have been discussing the
common interests and goals of both organizations, and the opportunities for working together in the future in connection with the development of a permanent home
for Tommy once restoration work has been completed. Needless to say, an exhibit demonstrating Ithaca’s significant role in the earliest days of the aviation industry, featuring Tommy
as the star attraction, could be a major component of a future incarnation of the History
Center, and both organizations would be interested in further developing such an opportunity. Toward that end, the History Center and IAHF have entered into a joint memorandum
of understanding to express both organizations’ interests in pursuing such mutual goals.
The opportunity for the History Center Board to see firsthand the incredible progress that
IAHF is making on the Tommy project served not only to demonstrate IAHF’s dedication to
achieving its goals, but also to solidify the relationship between the two organizations.
O
n June 23rd, IAHF Board members Don Funke, Randy Marcus
and Tom Colbert hosted a visit from Triad Foundation’s Communications and Program Executive, Jeff True. Triad Foundation has
been a significant supporter of Ithaca Aviation Heritage Foundation
throughout IAHF’s Tommy Come Home project. Triad’s generous
and regular financial assistance over these years has directly assisted
with the costs of Tommy’s restoration. Jeff selected an excellent day
for a tour of the shop, as a number of IAHF’s dedicated volunteers
were busily engaged in a variety of restoration tasks. Witnessing
the hum of activity in the shop, Jeff commented on the high level of
energy and enthusiasm demonstrated by everyone involved in the
Tommy project. Jeff noted that among the causes that Triad Foundation focuses on, preservation of history remains an important interest.
We will look forward to Triad Foundation’s continued support, both
in connection with the completion of Tommy’s restoration as well
as in establishing a permanent home for Tommy, to demonstrate
Ithaca’s historically important role in the pioneering days of the
aviation industry. IAHF is truly fortunate to have Triad Foundation’s
interests so closely aligned with IAHF’s mission.
O
n October 19th, well over 100 supporters of the Tommy Come Home project
visited the shop. We were thrilled to show off the progress on Tommy’s restoration
and to share cider, coffee and donuts with our guests. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to see how much IAHF’s volunteers have accomplished this year. The encouragement and support of our guests was greatly appreciated.
Special Thanks
To David Waterman,
our Volunteer of the Quarter
Encouraging the Participation
of Three Generations
IAHF is fulfilling its mission of providing a setting
where grandparents, parents and children to can
work together, enjoying the satisfaction of bringing
history to life.
Our visitors gave the new restoration work close
scrutiny and all were duly impressed.
David,now retired, had a very successful career as a design
engineer for high tech industry in the Ithaca area. His
talents are now being put to good use reverse engineering
some complex metal parts for ‘Tommy’ otherwise not available.
Thank you David.
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