Hill Air Force Base Museum unveiling exhibit to honor namesake

HILL AFB AIR MUSEUM
Some of the aircraft and model aircraft on display at Hill Air Force Base's air museum. The museum will soon be taking donations of canned food in exchange for access to the museum.
Scott Sommerdorf / The Salt Lake Tribune

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
People are dwarfed by a Douglas C-124C "Globemaster II", which was capable of carrying tanks, field guns, bulldozers and tanks. The Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Boeing B-17G "Flying Fortress" is one of many planes featured at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden that features colorful graphics of the times and often times pay tribute to Utah pilots. A comprehensive history of flight fills 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. In background is a Boeing-Stearman PT-17 "Kaydet", one of the most widely used training aircraft of WWII.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Curtis P-40 "Warhawk", left, the first mass produced American fighter is on display at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. Featured with the plane are the female pilots of the Women's Airforce Service Program "WASP" that emerged from the great wars. Also pictured, above right, is a Boeing-Stearman PT-17 "Kaydet", one of the most widely used training aircraft of WWII.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Curtis P-40 "Warhawk", the first mass produced American fighter is on display at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. Featured with the plane are the female pilots of the Women's Airforce Service Program "WASP" that emerged from the great wars.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A large hanger, one of two at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Sikorsky MH-53M Pave Low IV helicopter was a heavily equipped aircraft capable of operating at day or night or in bad weather. The Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Designed specifically for close air support of ground forces, the Fairchild-Republic A-10 (GYA) "Thunderbolt II" boasts a GAU-8/A 30MM cannon off the nose and is on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
The sleek body of a Boeing B-1B "Lancer" is surrounded by other planes in the yard of the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden which boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
A Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" was well suited for long range over-water flight and was the type of plane used to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 is one of many on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
People visiting the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden are dwarfed by some of the planes on display, including the wing of a Boeing WB-47E "Stratojet", the first swept wing multi-engine jet bomber. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

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HILL AFB AIR MUSEUM Some of the aircraft and model aircraft on display at Hill Air Force Base's air museum. The museum will soon be taking donations of canned food in exchange for access to the museum. Scott Sommerdorf / The Salt Lake Tribune Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune People are dwarfed by a Douglas C-124C "Globemaster II", which was capable of carrying tanks, field guns, bulldozers and tanks. The Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A Boeing B-17G "Flying Fortress" is one of many planes featured at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden that features colorful graphics of the times and often times pay tribute to Utah pilots. A comprehensive history of flight fills 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. In background is a Boeing-Stearman PT-17 "Kaydet", one of the most widely used training aircraft of WWII. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A Curtis P-40 "Warhawk", left, the first mass produced American fighter is on display at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. Featured with the plane are the female pilots of the Women's Airforce Service Program "WASP" that emerged from the great wars. Also pictured, above right, is a Boeing-Stearman PT-17 "Kaydet", one of the most widely used training aircraft of WWII. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A Curtis P-40 "Warhawk", the first mass produced American fighter is on display at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. Featured with the plane are the female pilots of the Women's Airforce Service Program "WASP" that emerged from the great wars. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A large hanger, one of two at Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A Sikorsky MH-53M Pave Low IV helicopter was a heavily equipped aircraft capable of operating at day or night or in bad weather. The Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Designed specifically for close air support of ground forces, the Fairchild-Republic A-10 (GYA) "Thunderbolt II" boasts a GAU-8/A 30MM cannon off the nose and is on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune The sleek body of a Boeing B-1B "Lancer" is surrounded by other planes in the yard of the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden which boasts a large representation of the history of flight on approximately 30 acres of land at the current facility since 1991. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune A Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" was well suited for long range over-water flight and was the type of plane used to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 is one of many on display at the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune People visiting the Hill Aerospace Museum on the edge of Hill Air Force Base near Ogden are dwarfed by some of the planes on display, including the wing of a Boeing WB-47E "Stratojet", the first swept wing multi-engine jet bomber. The museum, free to the public, gets around 180,000 visitors annually.

By Nate Carlisle The Salt Lake Tribune

· March 24, 2015 3:58 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Ever wonder where Hill Air Force Base got its name? A new exhibit can tell you all about the pilot who is the base's namesake.

On Friday, Hill Air Force Base Museum will unveil a permanent exhibit honoring Ployer P. Hill. The exhibit also celebrates the base's 75th anniversary.

Hill didn't live to see the base that was named for him.

A Massachusetts native, Hill was an engineer and test pilot in what was then called the Army Air Corps. He held the rank of major when he took off from Ohio's Wright Field on Oct. 30, 1935.

Hill was testing a Boeing Model 299. It crashed and Hill died of his injuries. He was 41.

The museum, 7961 Wardleigh Road, Building 1955, on the base's northwest corner in Roy.

Museum admission is free.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com

Twitter: @natecarlisle