Wittman Regional Airport - Oshkosh, WI
N 43° 59.693 W 088° 33.184
16T E 375472 N 4872476
The Wittman Regional Airport is located at 525 W 20th Ave in Oshkosh, WI. It is named for Steve Wittman, aircraft designer and air race pilot.
Waymark Code: WM578Y
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 11/22/2008
Views: 20
The marker reads:
"S. J. Wittman
Aircraft Designer
Race Pilot
Inventor
For 38 years America's premier air race pilot, S. J. Wittman served as manager of this airport. Since 1924 he has designed and built aircraft for which he has achieved national recognition.
One of his planes "Buster" is in the Smithsonian Institution. He designed the very popular Wittman Tailwind and V-Witt Homebuilt aircraft and a commercially-used landing gear.
Mr. Wittman has long been recognized as one of America's foremost air race pilots. For 50 years, 1924 to 1974, he participated in more closed course air races than any other person in the world. He has raced in every "National Air Race" from 1928 to 1971 and still holds 2 world records.
His dedication to aviation has focused world-wide attention upon Oshkosh and Winnebago County. This airport was named in his honor July 24, 1969."
From the Wittman Regional Airport web site (
visit link) :
"On October 11, 1927 the Oshkosh Airport Inc. was founded on 75 acres by Richard Lutz, A.W. Leupold, A.H. March, and Francis Lamb.
On December 15, 1928 the airport received its first commercial airmail service. Northwest Airways delivered the mail to Oshkosh and the surrounding Fox Cities.
Steve Wittman (an excellent air race pilot and designer) became the airport manager on March 31, 1931. He held the airport manager's position for 38 years. On October 22, 1940 the 125 acre airport was sold to Winnebago County for $75,000. By 1948 there were 300 acres and 4 paved runways.
In 1972 the airport was renamed after Steve Wittman.
In July 1970 the Wittman Regional Airport hosted the first EAA Fly-In. Now during every year of the Fly-In, Wittman Regional Airport becomes the busiest airport in the world."