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The Pembertons and the Golden Age of Aviation Artistry

Addison and Ryan Pemberton with their 1942 Grumman JRF-6B in front of the old terminal building at Felts Field (KSFF) in Spokane, Washington. The family and many volunteers completed the Goose restoration in 2017. Courtesy Dan Pimentel
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Pemberton & Sons Aviation, a family business led by Addison and Ryan Pemberton, exemplifies the tradition of passing rare craftsmanship and life lessons across generations through their work restoring golden-age antique airplanes.
  • Addison and Ryan developed their unique, hands-on restoration expertise from a very young age in a family workshop environment, a method crucial for mastering this specialized craft that is not taught in traditional schools.
  • The Pembertons embrace the complex challenge of fabricating original parts from scratch for their projects and express optimism for the future of antique aircraft restoration due to growing interest from younger enthusiasts.
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A few years ago, I strolled a back alley in Volterra, Italy, and stumbled upon a cluttered workshop where craftsmen were sculpting large chunks of alabaster into gorgeous works of art. Every surface wore a light coating of fine alabaster dust probably dating back to the 16th century. The worn hand tools and the techniques the artisans were using looked as if they had been passed down through the generations—relics from a time when the elders taught their children the family trade and those children taught their children.

Dan Pimentel

Dan Pimentel is an instrument-rated private pilot and former airplane owner who has been flying since 1996. As an aviation journalist and photographer, he has covered all aspects of the general and business aviation communities for a long list of major aviation magazines, newspapers and websites. He has never met a flying machine that he didn’t like, and has written about his love of aviation for years on his Airplanista blog. For 10 years until 2019, he hosted the popular ‘Oshbash’ social media meetup events at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

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