Hagerstown Aviation Museum to Debut New Art Honoring Fairchild Aircraft Legacy

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum is set to unveil a significant new oil painting that pays tribute to the rich history of Fairchild Aircraft, a company that played a pivotal role in American aviation for over seven decades. The artwork, titled “An Enduring Legacy of Flight,” was commissioned by the museum and created by nationally recognized artist Larry Selman. The painting is designed to highlight key individuals and aircraft that were instrumental in the company’s more than 75-year impact on aviation history.

Fairchild Aircraft, founded by Sherman Fairchild in 1925, was responsible for numerous groundbreaking aviation developments from its inception until its final production in 2001. Larry Selman’s painting aims to capture this spirit of innovation by recognizing the visionary engineers, designers, and crews who contributed to Fairchild’s success, as well as the iconic aircraft that advanced the field of manned flight. The public will have the opportunity to view this new work at its unveiling ceremony.

The public unveiling event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, located at 18450 Showalter Rd., Building 8, Hagerstown, MD 21742. This event offers the community a chance to connect with Hagerstown’s aviation heritage and celebrate a company that significantly shaped the landscape of flight. Limited-edition prints and posters of the artwork will also be available for purchase. Admission to this special unveiling event will be by donation, and regular museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Hagerstown Aviation Museum itself is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and showcasing more than a century of aviation history specific to the Hagerstown region. Over the past three decades, the museum has amassed what is described as the world’s largest collection of historic Fairchild aircraft. This impressive collection includes notable models such as the PT-19, XNQ, C-82, C-119 Flying Boxcar, C-123K, F-27, and the more recent A-10 Warthog. Beyond its aircraft collection, the museum houses an extensive archive comprising over 15,000 photographs, along with thousands of artifacts, documents, films, and artworks. Visitors can also experience flight firsthand through the museum’s fully restored 1943 Fairchild PT-19. The unveiling of “An Enduring Legacy of Flight” further enhances the museum’s mission to educate and inspire by celebrating significant contributions to aviation.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from The Hagerstown Aviation Museum

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