June 30, 2025, Press Release from the Armstrong Air & Space Museum:
WAPAKONETA, Ohio — The Armstrong Air & Space Museum has announced its “First Flight” contest, offering a free once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky child and one accompanying parent or guardian to experience their first flight aboard a historic Ford Tri-Motor airplane.
Entries for the contest are now open on the museum’s website, armstrongmuseum.org, and must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 10. The winning child and guardian will be announced and contacted on Friday, July 11. The flight will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 18, at Neil Armstrong Airport in New Knoxville. As part of the guidelines, the winning child must be between the ages of 5-12 and must not have flown in an aircraft prior to the event.
The Ford Tri-Motor, affectionately known as the “Tin Goose,” is the same type of aircraft that carried a young Neil Armstrong on his very first airplane ride on a hot Sunday morning in July 1936. This unforgettable experience helped spark the lifelong passion for flight that would eventually carry him to the Moon.
“This contest is all about honoring that first moment of wonder, giving them that first experience of lifting off from the ground and seeing the world from above,” said Logan Rex, Curator & Communications Director of the Armstrong Air & Space Museum. “We’re proud to connect the next generation of explorers with the legacy of Neil Armstrong in such a powerful and personal way.”
An artist's depiction of a young Neil Armstrong and his father getting their first airplane ride in a Ford Tri-Motor in July of 1936.
As part of the 2025 Summer Moon Festival, the Armstrong Air & Space Museum partnered with Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio, Wapakoneta Ford, and the Holiday Inn of Wapakoneta to bring out the Ford Tri-Motor as part of this year’s festivities. Festival goers can also fly in the Ford Tri-Motor with the purchase of a ticket. Flights will be taking place on Friday, July 18th from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at libertyaviationmuseum.org or can be purchased at the airport on the day of the event.
