Harvard Historical Aviation Society
Diverse, Interactive, Educational…Plane History.
View items we currently hold in our collection. New items being added monthly.
Information on airplanes we are currently restoring to display or flying condition.
How the Harvard Historical Aviation Society Took Flight
The Harvard Historical Aviation Society began with two longtime friends, Jodi Smith and Gary Hillman, and a shared passion for preserving local history. Upon meeting in the early 2000s, they discovered they shared the same disappointment: the community name Mynarski Park, honouring Andrew Mynarski, V.C., had been replaced by Springbrook in 1995. Determined to keep the legacy alive, Smith and Hillman worked to have the original name restored. When the Springbrook Community Association showed no interest, the pair didn’t give up—they simply changed course.
Instead, they championed the naming of a park within the hamlet, proudly named Mynarski Park, complete with a striking memorial unveiled in September 2004. Their efforts caught the attention of the Military Museum in Calgary, which expressed interest in the artefacts the two had collected over the years.
But Smith and Hillman had a bigger vision.
They realized that visitors wanting to learn about the rich military history of CFB Penhold and the Red Deer Airport would struggle to find that story if it were tucked away in a major city. The history belonged here, where it happened. So they made a bold decision: they would build their own museum.
In 2007, they formed a board, became an official nonprofit, and soon after achieved charitable status. What started with nothing more than determination and a few treasured artefacts has grown into something remarkable.
Today, the Harvard Historical Aviation Society proudly stewards 10 acres on the former Penhold Base. The site houses a growing collection of artefacts that tell the story of the base, the airport, and the people who served here—from the days of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in WWII to the present.
It all began with two friends, a shared belief in honouring the past, and a community worth remembering.
Want To Know What We’ve Been Up To?
Feel free to read some of our recent newsletters.
Mission Statement
The Harvard Historical Aviation Society is a non-profit charitable society in Central Alberta that provides interactive and educational programming to commemorate and celebrate the unique history of the Penhold Military Base, the Bowden Military Base and the Red Deer Airport.
History of the penhold base
Our History section covers everything from the formation of Penhold Base in 1939 to it’s closure in 1995 as well as other organizations that have utilized the base, such as Cadets and the RCMP.
Upcoming Events
We regularly have our monthly meetings on the fourth Monday of the month. Events we are hosting or attending are also listed.