Because of the effects of a
childhood illness, Pitcairn was
rejected from military service, but
he was able to fly with the Civil Air
Patrol along the East Coast of the
United States searching for enemy
submarines. For a short time he
flew DC-3s for Eastern Air Lines. In
the 1950s he was denied his FAA
medical certificate. During this
time he put his energies toward
antique cars. When he finally got
his medical certificate back, in
the 1970s, he began buying and
restoring Pitcairn aircraft.
Throughout his life, Pitcairn
contributed to many aviation causes,
including the restoration of EAA’s
Ford Tri-Motor, many museums, and
the restoration of the Smithsonian’s
RCA- 1 Autogiro. Pitcairn kept his
donations quiet, so few people knew
of his generosity.
