Noel E. Allard
Born in Minneapolis, MN, Allard attended Washburn High School and earned a BA Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota. He served in the US Army Security Agency with a two-year deployment to Germany. His career was in graphic arts and he retired from the Marking Department of Wells Fargo Bank.
Allard took his first airplane ride in 1953 and earned his Private Pilots license in 1967. He was involved with the antique airplane restoration community, and restored a vintage plane of his own. He began research of Minnesota aviation history in 1970 and eventually wrote two books on the subject, plus dozens of articles for publications, including the Minnesota Flyer Magazine and AAHS Journal. In 1988, while indulging in his research, he helped found the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame and became its first Chairman, a title held for 35 years. Among his aviation accomplishments were serving on the Air Guard Museum Board for 15 years, writing the Minnesota Flyer Mystery Plane Column, serving on the Park Rapids, MN Airport Commission, founding member of Twin City Aero Historians model airplane club, Manager of refurbishing the movie replica Spirit of St. Louis, and creation of a Cold War Aviation Memorial in Inver Grove Heights, MN.
