Vern Patterson of National Museum of WWII Aviation

The National Museum of World War II Aviation is a place that that inspires and entertains people as they seek to gain a better understanding of the role that aviation played at a critical turning point in our nation’s history.  The Museum houses 20 restored and flyable WWII Aircraft. The Museum’s highly successful education program has served more than 25,000 students since its inception in late 2013. This unique program is designed to capture the imagination of students at the earliest stages of their academic development and provide them with access to a wide array of STEM education opportunities.

The Museum has involved 110 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs engineering students over the last 7 years in the development of it’s interactive exhibits.  One example is Kevyn Kelso, a computer engineering major who enrolled in a class called Senior Design Project.  He chose to work at the Museum for his final project and was assigned the Norden Bombsight Simulator Project team.  Past students were involved with creating a 3-D printed replica of the Norden Bombsight used by bombardiers to accurately land bombs.  Kevyn joined 4 other students in developing the computer imaging of a B-17 dropping bombs on a target using real physics for bomb trajectory  based on inputs from the replica Norden Bombsight.

In the coming year, the Norden Bombsight Simulator project will continue.  The Museum is proposing that Pike Peak Section, Life Member Affinity Group, and Computer Society Chapter help fund and become engaged in bringing this project to fruition with purchase of computer hardware, displays, and final integration of the Simulation system.  The proposal will be discussed at the end of the meeting.

Biography:

Vern Patterson (Col-Ret, USAF) is currently Branch Manager,  Interactive Exhibits, National Museum of WWII Aviation.  Vern has been with the Museum since it beginning in 1992.  Here he led the restoration of a 1943 Link Trainer and the installation of a flight simulator into a WWII Navy Flight Trainer. He also established the Museum’s Senior Engineering Project program with the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Prior to this, Vern spent 20 years with Hughes/Raytheon as  program/site manager and senior scientist transiting scientific space environmental models into operational use. In doing this, his team received numerous company team awards and praise from the customer.  Prior to that Vern finished a 26 year AF career as Deputy Director of Technology, Air Weather Service.  While in the AF, Vern received three post graduate assignments totaling 5 years of academic work in Meteorology and Space Physics..  He holds a BS in Physics, and two MS’s in Meteorology and Science Management. As commander of three organizations in his last 10 years of service, each received outside recognition. The last being  an Honor Citation from the Air Force Association presented at their annual meeting by the Chief of Staff, USAF.  Vern has also presented invited presentations at national meetings of the America Geophysical Union and a national military simulation meeting.

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