Virginia Cattle, a donor of the exhibit stands next to the Curtiss Pusher
The 1913 Curtiss Model D “Pusher” is the centerpiece of the “Century of Nebraska National Guard Aviation” Exhibit. It represents the early founding of the Nebraska Aviation Corps on July 19, 1915. One of the first and most famous pilots of the time was Captain Ralph McMillen. He was considered to be the “World’s Greatest Aviator” and flew around the state and country promoting aviation. He was instrumental in developing aerial bombing techniques, navigation and signal communications, photography (both still and movie) from an aircraft. He was killed in an accident on September 2, 1916. His legacy and that of early Nebraska National Guard Aviation starts with our aviation corps history.