Cole Palen’s Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome can only be described as a unique gift to us. Construction began in 1958 and the aerodrome was officially incorporated in 1966. There’s so much to more to say about it. I have not collected much on it, I could use your help populating this page. For now, I’m including here just the few misc. placeholder cards, ads, and photos I came across. (Most of the cards you see on the aerodrome are all of the planes so those are hard to do a old/new look at.)
Below is a card of the black baron himself. A brilliant actor and showman, and oh yeah, he also builds and flies antique airplanes (and not just one, dozens of them over the years). He also created by hand an airfield out of an old farm (just look at the above card, just remarkable that this exist – and it’s in Rhinebeck). A hobby/passion for him, it’s art he created for us. A once in a multi-generation renaissance man. There’s a bunch of 1970’s era Youtube videos of Cole’s Trudy Truelove/Sir Percy Goodfellow rescue skit out there that are worth watching. One of my favorite videos is him appearing on the 1965 NYC game show “I’ve Got A Secret” where his secret was that he flew a 1912 plane to the city. Found here (hopefully it stays up). Unfortunately for the community, Cole passed away in 1993. Thankfully, a remarkable group of friends and fans are keeping it going.
Entrance signs, 2010, 2021
Below is a very cool sign someone at the aerodrome built a few years ago. I’m sure you’ve seen it, it’s right across from the old stone church.
(Now, the town/aerodrome just have to do something about that sign you see when coming into Rhinebeck from the south, near the Matchbox café. As long as I can remember, that was an aerodrome sign and I thought it was a great reminder of how special Rhinebeck is as a community. Last I looked, it turned into a women’s boutique sign a few years ago. I hope you all agree that it’s just totally, totally, out of place. The town should buy that billboard for the aerodrome.)
Right here, this one. Nothing against this company, I wish them the best, but I wish the town would wake up and do something about this atrocity. Bring back the aerodrome sign. The town should buy a perpetual license for this signage and give it to aerodrome.
