Building the Future of Aviation

Flight Expo's A & P Mechanic and instructor, Duane Kruse, giving women pilots a hands on riveting experience at our current operational facility.

Looking to the Future
While our current operational facility has served us well over the years, it is now outdated and no longer meets the growing needs of our programs. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to receive generous donations that have helped us make improvements along the way.

However, we’ve outgrown the space, and the location itself limits the types of aircraft we’re able to restore and work on effectively.

As our Build A Plane (BAP) programs continue to expand — along with the addition of our Flight School — the demand for space has only increased. We’ve already had to rent hangars at the Princeton Airport to accommodate our growing number of student projects and aircraft. While this growth is a reflection of our success, it also underscores the need for a permanent home that can fully support our restoration work, hands-on education, and flight training programs under one roof.

Our Vision

We are thrilled to announce plans for a new 60' x 70' facility located at the Princeton Airport. This new building will be attached to an existing structure and benefit from city sewer and water — making it fully equipped to handle the next generation of aviation education and aircraft restoration. Even more exciting, we have secured a 50-year lease on the land, ensuring long-term access to the airport and a solid foundation for our future.

This facility will serve as the heart of our operations — a place where students, volunteers, and aviation enthusiasts can come together to build, restore, learn, and fly.

With your support, we can create a space that honors our history while paving the way for the future of aviation.

You can support us today!

Thank You To Our Air Boss Donors! $2500+

"Air Boss - Oversees All Flight Operations On the Carrier"

Sharon Sandberg & Duane Kruse

Patrick Harker

Thank You To Our Landing Signal Officers Donors! $1000

"Landing Signal Officers - Guide Aircraft To Safe Landings on the Carrier Deck Using Visual Signals And Communications"

Sharon Sandberg & Duane Kruse

Flight Expo's New Aviation Facility

Dear Friend,

My name is S2F Tracker, but my crew used to call me the “Stoof.”

I was built in the 1950s to protect the seas by hunting for hidden submarines. I worked hard to keep my crew and their ships safe! I lived on huge aircraft carriers, like the USS Essex and the USS Enterprise.

My wings folded up neatly so I could fit in the hangar with all the other planes. While jets roared off the deck, I had a different job. I would fly out over the ocean, scanning the deep waters below.

If I spotted a submarine, my crew would get ready to stop it before it could cause any harm.

For many years, I flew over the Pacific, the Atlantic, and even the freezing Arctic! My crew depended on me, and I never let them down.

One of my most exciting missions was on June 9, 1960, when I was part of a big NATO operation called "Operation Swordfish." I flew over icy waters, always on the lookout for danger.

Fast forward to 1961, and over 70,000 people came to see me and the USS Essex in Hamburg, Germany. I stood tall on the deck, my wings folded, a symbol of power and security in a world full of change. Just 178 miles away, the Berlin Wall was being built, a sign of growing tensions. Even as the world became more uncertain, I stood ready, watching over the seas and skies.

As time went on, new planes took my place, but I wasn’t finished yet! Some of my sister aircraft helped train new pilots, keeping the Navy’s history alive.

Now, I no longer fly. I stand on display in Princeton, Minnesota, part of the Flight Expo collection. I still wear my proud Navy markings, but years of wind, rain, and snow have left me worn and fragile. My body, once built to withstand ocean storms and long flights, is now at risk of fading away.

I need your help.

I need a safe home—a hangar to protect me from the weather so I can continue to tell my story.

I may not fly anymore, but I still have so much to share with those who visit. I remind people of the brave sailors I once protected and the important missions I flew.

Will you help build me a shelter?

With your support, I can be preserved for future generations.

Please consider donating today!

Visit flightexpo.org or mail a check to:

PO Box 155, Zimmerman, MN 55398

Together, we can save the Stoof!

Sincerely,

The Stoof and the Flight Expo Team