S.J. Wittman - Aircraft Designer, Race Pilot, Inventor
Wittman Field Airport, 20th St. Rd., Oshkosh, Winnebago County
For 38 years America's premier air race pilot, S. J. Wittman, served as manager of this airport. Since 1924 he has designed and built aircraft for which he has achieved national recognition. One of his planes (Buster) is in the Smithsonian Institution. He designed the very popular Wittman Tailwind and V-Witt Homebuilt aircraft and a commercially-used landing gear. Mr. Wittman has long been recognized as one of American's foremost air race pilots. For 50 years, 1924 to 1974, he participated in more closed-course air races than any other person in the world. He has raced in every "National Air Race" from 1928 to 1971 and still holds 2 world records. His dedication to aviation has focused worldwide attention upon Oskkosh and Winnebago County. This airport was named in his honor July 24, 1969.
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[Source: McBride, Sarah Davis. History Just Ahead (Madison:WHS, 1999).]