Ray Moore

864.950.8338

Gerad Blume

803.917.7180

Gerad is a historian with a BA from the University of South Carolina Aiken and a MA from Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.  He attended the PhD program at the University of Southern Mississippi for a period before resigning from the program to return home.   In all of these, his area of study was history, his focuses being military, US, and cultural history.  The bulk of his professional research has been in military airpower, and in the years since grad school, Gerad has spent a great deal of time uploading his research into an annotated timeline format online.  This timeline, as well as some other writings, can be viewed at his website: www.GBlume.com

Gerad began his association with Ray in 2015, reestablishing their acquaintance while building his home in Aiken, South Carolina.  It was here that his work with Lucky Thirteen began.  Gerad’s family comes from a long line of carpenters – hence the self-built house – and as such, one his primary roles was (and remains) rebuilding and/or repairing the aircraft’s wooden components.  This role has expanded over time, culminating in taking the VP position of the Hangar Thirteen Foundation – the creation of which was his brainchild.  The group’s website and Facebook page are his responsibilities, and he is largely responsible for overseeing the work of volunteers toward the project.

Charlie Liberto

Charlie (W4MEC) came to us under the recommendation of the Asheville Radio Museum.  A respected figure in the HAM radio community for his technical knowledge and restoration work, we can personally vouch for his expertise – in fact, to avoid confusion, Charlie often tells people who ask what he does “I fix radios at the airport.”  The truth is more complex.  Charlie was employed by Naval Air Rework Facility, Jacksonville, Florida (NARFJAX), where he graduated in avionics and became an electronic technician in 1971.  His job involved repairing and maintaining avionics on the North American A-5 Vigilante, Vought A-7 Corsair II, Lockheed P-3 Orion, Grumman S-2 Tracker, and Lockheed S-3 Viking.  He states that he worked on everything “except the heads-up display,” maintaining radar, navigation, communication, and electronic countermeasure systems.  Charlie left NARFJAX for the Federal Aviation Administration in 1977.

Charlie now lives just outside of Asheville, North Carolina, still climbing towers to replace and repair parts.  Between tubes, hybrids, solid states, and others, Charlie’s favorite radio gear “glows in the dark,” with the oldest pieces in his collection dating all the way back from 1920s.  Charlie was the first volunteer to join the project after Gerad Blume, and he did so with gusto.  Few surviving aircraft from the Second World War have working radio and navigation systems.  This will not be a piecemeal project: all of Lucky Thirteen‘s radio and navigation equipment will be fully functional.  To that end, we are truly fortunate to have Charlie’s help – such a lofty goal would be impossible without him.

Bob Hachmann

Bob is an advanced designer from Peosta, Iowa, having retired from John Deere after some 42 years on the job.  He is the son of TSGT Vincent C. Hachmann, an aerial gunner of the 384BG – the same unit as Lucky Thirteen – who completed his combat tour of 25 combat missions on 5 June 1944.   Vincent was a successful auto mechanic after the war, teaching on the subject at a local college and guiding Bob through the restoration of a 1958 Chevy as his first car!  Earning an AAS degree in drafting and technologies, Bob began work with John Deere in November 1969, returning in 1972 after a brief conscripted tour with the US Army.  Bob’s work with John Deere began in the drafting department, moving on to design and, eventually, air conditioning systems for four-wheel drive operator compartments.  Through John Deere, Bob had the honor of applying for seven patents, four of which were published.

Bob began volunteering for Hangar Thirteen in 2020, responding to call for aid in the metal components of Lucky Thirteen‘s ammunition boxes.  His work is top-notch and a testament to his extensive resume – a valuable asset whom we are thankful we can call on.

Karl Hauffe

Howard Lawson II

Howard has been a lifelong visual creative.  He started his digital path in the 80s on a Commodore 64, teaching himself BASIC programming and the extent of the graphic capabilities of that system.

While his formal higher education only compromises a Certificate of Computer Graphics in 1995, it is far from a detractor and served as a springboard for studies later on.

Starting print graphic design career, he became self-taught in HTML, CSS, FlashScript and animation for the Web industry.

Around 1997 he began learning 3D software starting with LightWave 3D.  From there he picked up other programs including Maya and 3DS Max as necessitated by workplaces.

He worked at an architecture firm where he picked up AutoCAD and blueprint reading.

More recently he has done work involving Commercial Air Services and Virtual Maintenance Trainers for various aircraft.

His latest personal endeavor is building the world’s most complete and detailed 3D database of Boeing B-17 parts from the original blueprints.  This led to the connection with Hangar Thirteen and has turned into a collaboration of knowledge and document sharing, along with producing various CAD models for Hangar Thirteen.

Bob Jacoby

Chris Wilkinson

Rich Lawrence