Melincko’s Museum Hi Everybody! It’s me, Melincko, the famously adventurous aviation monkey. I have exciting news to share with you, and I hope you take it seriously even though I’m just a monkey. Somehow I always happen to be at the right place, at the right time. I have many stories that involve historic airplanes, flights and aviators you see attending the Northwest Aviation Trade Conference! First of all I should probably tell you where my home is. I live in a1930 gas station that is painted up in the Gilmore Gas Station colors in the City of Wallowa, Oregon. Gilmore Gas station? Back in the 20s and 30s was the golden age of Air Racing. Many colorful pilots filled the sky. One aviator, Roscoe Turner, personified this era the best. His waxed mustache, sharp blue military jacket, riding breeches pressed into tall black boots, and diamond studded aviator wings made him a larger than life character. He also flew with a real lion!
The lion was Roscoe’s flying companion.
Gilmore flew over 25,000 miles and participated in two transcontinental races. Gilmore the flying lion even had a parachute and oxygen mask made special for him by the Irvine Parachute Company (1930). The humane society and the rest of the public were concerned with Gilmore’s safety in case Roscoe had a malfunction
with the airplane. Huge public outcry resulted in these modern safety features for Gilmore. His parachute was activated by a static line so he could safely exit the aircraft if he had to. Gilmore the Lion became the mascot for Gilmore Gas and Oil. The brilliantly painted gas stations were done in high gloss yellow, white, and red trim. The reason that I live in an old 1930s Gilmore Gas station is because it has been converted into a model airplane museum that even has a stuffed giant lion just like Gilmore with his parachute deployed. This incredible model airplane museum was put together so that students of all ages could learn about aviation in a fun and eclectic way. As you will see when you visit, the first learning lesson in this airplane hangar of mine is the history of Roscoe Turner and Gilmore the Flying Lion! Inside you will also learn about Josef Kotula. He was one of the most prolific aviation artists from 1931 until 1987. He did many of the covers for Model Airplane News, Popular Mechanics, and also did the “Box Art” for Aurora Flying Models. Many of his best covers, since I have one of the most complete collections in the world, and his early “Box Art” can be found on display, along with his rich history and induction into American Society of Aviation Artists. I should probably let you know that I am part of the Seattle World Cruiser Association and I am the first team member to take the First flight in the Seattle II down 44
Boeing’s 10,000 foot airstrip. I will be flying as part of the flight team on this incredible adventure that begins April 6, 2020 departing out of Sand point, Washington. The real flight in 1924, the first circumnavigation of the globe, actually took stuffed monkeys as mascots. My great, great grandmother, Maggie, was on that flight and now lives at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. I am the April 6, 2020 mascot that has the privilege of flying around the world with the Dempsters and our official flight crew. What other famous flights have I made with many of the pilots you see right here at the trade conference? Well, I was fortunate enough to fly with Addison Pemberton in the Beautiful Boeing 40C from Historic Pearson Field to Boeing Field. This Boeing Model 40 was brought back to its former glory by Pemberton and Sons Aviation in Spokane, Washington. This Boeing Model 40 is the oldest flying Boeing airplane in existence, and can be found in the incredible Golden Age of Aviation Collection at The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon (WAAAM). WAAAM is one of the many exhibitors at this Conference too. I have a really big poster of this Boeing 40C hanging in my museum that you must see with a giant monkey holding a wind sock next to it! Captain Mac and Roni, who fly their historic 1929 Travel Aire 4000, and give biplane rides all over America, also flew
