Blue Skies Mr Pond...

[Warbirdnerd]

I just got a phone call from John Beyl. Jim Dale called to let him know Bob Pond passed away today.
The warbird community has lost another important supporter.
A Navy pilot during WWII that began collecting warbirds in the 1980s. His collection grew into Planes of Fame East and is now part of the Palm Springs Air Museum.
I would like thank Mr Pond for all the wonderful oppertunities he affordded me and many others. He fueled a passion in many that remained after the Planes of Fame East moved to Palm Springs. That fire still burns with many former A/B's here in Minnesota and around the country despite all of the Memorial day weekends in the rain/sleet/snow trying to put on an airshow.
Again I can't thank him enough...
Blue Skies Mr Pond

Last edited by Warbirdnerd on Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:55 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[Lynn Allen]

My thoughts and prayers go to his family...

Lynn

[bdk]

Rats! He was truly a thoughtful, personable, and generous guy...

[51fixer]

I had the pleasure of knowing him and working on several of his aircraft. He had style and was a great supporter of POF.
With my move back east I hadn't seen him in several years but am glad I got a chance to see him at POF's 50th dinner.
He has left many accomplishments and provided the means for many to see these aircraft.
A sad day indeed.
Rich

[Joe Scheil]

A sad day. Allso one of reflection. From the many innovations in business he pioneered, his collections of cars and planes were defined by collecting benchmark machines that impressed his sense of utility, innovation and advancement of the art. The innovation of the Pond Racer and its attempts to change the face of Reno were just a chapter of an amazing life. Hopefully his story can be told.

[P51Mstg]

Sorry to hear that one. I was at his Museum a few days before the Nellis show. It was really nice. I talked to him a lot at OSH in the olden days. He was a heck of a guy. Sorry to see him go.

Mark H

[Chris Brame]

Can't believe it - I just drove by the museum this morning. Mr. Pond was very generous in allowing the car club I'm in not only to go through his collection at the museum, but also to visit his home and get to see his amazing classic car collection, even having his mechanic start up his '48 Tucker for us (I'd never heard one run before - it sounded like a Corvair on steroids). Rest in peace Mr. Pond!

Please keep us posted if there's going to be a memorial service open to the public.

[Warbirdnerd]

No Funeral details yet, but I did find this:

Robert Pond, who helped establish the Palm Springs Air Museum more than a decade ago, died Friday at age 83.

He suffered an brain hemorrhage and died at Desert Regional Medical Center, said his secretary, Jo Anne Kennon.

Pond opened the museum to "educate, promote and remember all the people during World War II that made great sacrifices, particularly airmen," Museum Vice Chairman Ken Miles said.

"Bob was an avid aviator," Miles said. "He flew in World War II with the U.S. Navy."

Though Pond's name is synonymous with the museum, which is one of the region's most prominent tourist attractions, his presence has been felt around the Coachella Valley.

He supported many local institutions, such as College of the Desert and Desert Regional Medical Center, said local community activist Peggy Cravens.

"Once he became genuinely interested in something, he got fully behind it," she said.

Pond and his wife of 32 years, Jo Rose, moved to Palm Springs in 1989. He brought with him years of love and experience with airplanes that led to the local museum opening on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 1996.

It originally included a pair of 20,000-square-foot hangars with a resource library, theater and gift shop on 52,000 square feet of land. By 2005, the museum grew to 67,000 square feet.

More than 100,000 people visit it every year, according to the museum.

The Minnesota native fell in love with airplanes when he was 10.

"As kids do, I started making models," he said in a biography provided by the museum. "About that time, my dad took me to Chicago and gave me my first plane ride. In the process of enjoying the ride in the copilot's seat, I stuck my arm out the window and realized you could lose an arm that way."

He joined the U.S. Navy Air Corps program in 1942.

"It wasn't easy," he said in the biography. "I had to threaten that I was going to join the Army. It was a bit of a devious way."

He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1948 and later bought his first airplane - a Cessna 180.

He bought more aircraft over the years, including 14 World War II Warbird fighter jets that are on display at the air museum.

Before opening the local museum, he established the Planes of Fame East Air Museum at Flying Cloud Field in Eden Prairie, Minn. It closed in 1997 and the collection was moved to Palm Springs.

"He just had a love of planes," Palm Springs Air Museum board member Gloria Greer said.

He spent 12 years as chairman of the museum's board of directors and was named chairman emeritus in 2005.

"He was very proud of the air museum and particularly proud of all the volunteers at the air museum who gave their free time to support it," Miles said.

Pond is survived by his wife, their four children, Polly Pond Holley and Harry Brand, both of Minnesota, Angela Pond of Los Angeles and Roseann Brand of Palm Springs; three grandsons and two great-grandchildren.

Details on funeral services were expected to be available today.

From here:
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /newsfront

[mustangdriver]

The warbird world has lost a true leader. My thoughts are with his family.

[Canso42]

My condolences to his family. This has been a real stinker of a year, loss-wise. I'll be glad to see a new one start.

Doug Ratchford

[HELLDIVERS]

He bought more aircraft over the years, including 14 World War II Warbird fighter jets that are on display at the air museum.

WW2 Warbird fighter jets? Gotta love the news media

[Robbie Stuart]

My thoughts & prayers go out to Bob's family & friends. Thanks Bob for your contribution to Warbirds, & Air Racing. Thank you for your service to our country. Godspeed.
Robbie

[Warbirdnerd]

Services tomorrow:

A public memorial service will be held Tuesday to mourn the passing of Robert Pond.

Pond, a founder of the Palm Springs Air Museum, died Friday after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He was 83.

The memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the air museum, 745 N. Gene Autry Trail.

Pond was a Navy pilot in World War II. It was that passion that led him to establish the museum, which opened on Veterans Day in 1996.

Pond also was an avid automobile collector and supporter of major Coachella Valley institutions, including College of the Desert and Desert Regional Medical Center.

Rep. Mary Bono on Saturday called Pond a "dear friend."

"Bob was an extraordinary man who achieved much and gave much back to the community and people he loved," Bono, R-Palm Springs, said in a statement.

"We have lost one of our valley's most cherished residents, and I extend my most sincere sympathy to all those who knew and loved Bob."

Pond is survived by his wife, Jo Rose, their four children, three grandsons and two great grandchildren.

There is no public viewing or burial service scheduled, according to Forest Lawn Mortuary in Cathedral City.

Found it here:
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... /newsfront

[warbird1]

A sad day indeed for one who has given so much to the warbird community. Does anyone know if there is a good on-line bio of Mr. Pond's life? I'm specifically interested in his W.W. II service and what he flew then.

[John Beyl]

Mr. P never flew in the war. By the time he was ready for deployment to the Pacific, the war ended. If he would have gotten over there in time, as I recall he would have been flying among others, P-boats. He was discharged, finished college and went to work for his dad at Advance Machine. Soon after he managed to weave his love of aviation into the Sales and Marketing role he was filling as territories grew and travel time needed to diminish.

Blue skies Bob…and thanks for letting us play with your airplanes here in Minnesota for so many years. Without the influence of your museum, Planes of Fame East, the term “Warbird” would most likely never have been known by me. More importantly, it introduced me a life long hobby filled with so many great people, people I would not have otherwise known, and will now call friends for the rest of my life. That is a gift. Your museum sparked the imagination of many people, both young and old, and opened the door of possibilities that many walked through into careers in both military and civilian aviation. That is a gift. In the 10 years I spent working on your airplanes out at the Museum, I had the opportunity to witness what your collection meant to a lot of aging veterans who believed no examples of “their” airplanes even existed any longer. Knowing those airplanes were here and that their stories would be told to all who entered the museum gave them peace of mind that the sacrifices they made will not be forgotten. What a gift.

And as for all the Memorial Day open house airshows we had at the Museum, in part celebrating your birthday (May 23rd), I have a little confession to make: You see, we were actually celebrating my birthday (May 23rd) and we let you party along with us!

Blue skies RJP.

John