Fresco painting depicting the early days of aviation will soon be on display.
FLUSHING, N.Y., March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Since 2006, Vaughn College has been the keeper of a historic aviation mural that began its days on the wall at Hangar F at Roosevelt Field in Long Island, NY. The 126-foot mural painted by pilot and artist Aline Rhonie took four years to complete and depicted 600 pilots and 268 types of aircraft. The mural "The Pre-Lindbergh Era of Flying on Long Island" covered 1909 through 1927.
The mural was removed from the Hangar after it was scheduled to be razed and remained in storage for some years. It eventually found its way to Vaughn College through a donation by the Long Island Early Fliers Foundation, and it has been displayed in a large classroom at the College for the last seven years.
"It is an amazing piece of artwork and sheds light on the many people involved in the early days of aviation, including two of our founders, WWII Barnstormer Casey Jones and Col. George A. Vaughn, a World War I 'Ace' for the number of aircraft he downed in WWI," said Vaughn College President Dr. Sharon B. DeVivo. "Due to its size, it was a challenge to find space to display it, and the viewing was limited to those students taking a particular class at the College. In conjunction with the Long Island Early Fliers Foundation, we are pleased to transfer its guardianship to the Cradle of Aviation Museum, where we know it will be in good hands and made available for public viewing near its original home."
The Cradle of Aviation Museum is honored to be the new home of this unique artwork and historical artifact. This collection of the work of Aline Rhonie is significant in telling the story of the early aviators who flocked to Long Island. The fact that it originally was part of Roosevelt Field adds to its importance in telling the story of how Long Island became 'the cradle of aviation' — Andrew Parton, President, Cradle of Aviation Museum.
ABOUT VAUGHN COLLEGE
Founded in 1932, Vaughn College is a private, nonprofit four-year college that enrolls more than 1,300 students in master's, bachelor's, and associate degree programs in engineering, technology, management, and aviation on its main campus in New York City and online. The student-faculty ratio of 14 to 1 ensures a highly personalized learning environment. Ninety-five percent of Vaughn College graduates, seventy-eight percent in their field of study, are placed in professional positions or choose to continue their education within one year of graduation. Vaughn College serves many first-generation Americans and first-generation college students and is recognized by the US Department of Education as a Hispanic-serving institution. In a study conducted by The Equality of Opportunity Project and reported in The New York Times, Vaughn was ranked number one in upward mobility nationwide. For more information on Vaughn College, please visit http://www.vaughn.edu.
ABOUT THE CRADLE OF AVIATION MUSEUM
Located on Museum Row in Garden City, the Cradle of Aviation Museum boasts over 75 airplanes and spacecraft spanning over 100 years of aviation history. Don't miss Long Island's only Giant Screen Dome Theater – the Catholic Health Sky Theater Planetarium. Recently listed on New York State's National Register of Historic Places, our museum is a significant part of American history. For more information, visit http://www.cradleofaviation.org or call (516) 572-4111.
ABOUT LONG ISLAND EARLY FLIERS FOUNDATION
Founded in 1956, the Long Island Early Fliers Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing Long Island's aviation heritage. Its roster has included aviation pioneers like Charles Lindbergh and Elinor Smith and industry leaders such as Sikorsky and The Grumman Corporation. Today, the foundation supports education, research, and archival efforts to document Long Island's aviation legacy and inspire future generations. For more information, visit https://liefef.org/ or call 631-523-5407.
Media Contact
Nicholas Ingenito, Vaughn College, 718-429-6600, [email protected], vaughn.edu
Maureen Kiggins, Vaughn College, 718-429-6600, [email protected], vaughn.edu
SOURCE Vaughn College
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