Air Estates Airport Explained

Air Estates Inc Airport is a defunct private airport in Fremont Township, Lake County, Illinois. It is located between Wauconda and Mundelein.

The airport has one unpaved runway that is 2000 ft long and 150 ft wide. This airstrip is in a state of disrepair.

History

1961–1979

The airport opened in 1961.^[1] Early on, it was known as Polidori RLA, after pilot and owner Amilio "Paul" Polidori.

In 1966, Polidori and an airplane parts trader, Earl Reinert, opened the Victory Air Museum adjacent to the airstrip.^{[2] [3]} The museum specialized in aircraft used in World War II. Behind the museum structure and partially along the airstrip was an outdoor display of airplanes.

Polidori reported attracting between 2000 and 3000 visitors to the museum in each of the years 1976 and 1977.^[1]

1980–1999

From 1982 or earlier, an annual Father's Day fly-in event was held.^[4] About two weeks after what in 1985 would become the last annual fly-in at the Victory Aircraft Museum Airstrip,^[5] Paul Polidori died at the age of 72, along with an amateur areal photographer, when the 45-year-old plane Polidori flew crashed while approaching for a landing at the airport.^{[6] [7] [8]}

After the death of Polidori, the museum closed and the airport was sold. The new airport owner, Air Estates Inc., constructed a dedicated airport building on the north end of the airstrip. The airport's new name was Air Estates Airport.

21st century

Aerial photography shows that in the 21st century or earlier Air Estates Airport was abandoned. Its runway, especially where it passes in between two ponds, has deteriorated. The museum structure still had the text "Victory Air Museum" written on its roof in 2022.

External links

• Airport information at the FAA
• Airport information at Airnav.com
• Airport photos
• Victory Air Museum at Flickr

Notes and References

1. Web site: County of Lake v. First National Bank of Lake Forest. 1980. Supreme Court of Illinois.. Justia.
2. Web site: Photo 29-BLA-23. The Victory Air Museum was owned by [A]milio "Paul" Polidori (1912-1985) and co-founder Earl Reinert..
3. Book: Soplata, Wally. The B-25 in the Backyard. 9781476680668. 2020. McFarland & Company. Reinert's 'Victory Air Museum' was located on a country farm near Mundelein on the northwest outskirts of Chicago. There, he had his planes in two groups..
4. News: Illinois Aviation. June 15 10:00AM (rain date June 16th). 1982 . Victory Aircraft Museum's Annual Fly IN Polidori RLA - Mundelein, Illinois.
5. News: June 15—Victory Aircraft Museum Annual Fly-In—Victory Aircraft Museum Airstrip, Mundelein, Illinois.. June Jaunts. McDonell. Mary. Flying. 1985. 78. Google Books. 112. 6.
6. News: A. Polidori, J. Pribilski; Flew Vintage Aircraft. Chicago Tribune. Jun 29, 1985. The plane, a single-engine 1940 Taylorcraft BCD 12, had taken off from an airstrip at Mr. Polidori's home in Mundelein about 9 a.m. Friday with Mr. Polidori as the pilot and Mr. Pribilski along to take photographs. It crashed in a field about a quarter-mile from the airstrip, said Capt. Paul Arizzi of the Wauconda Fire Department..
7. Web site: Hs 129B FE-4600. The nose section was bought from the scrap yard by Earl Reinhart in June 1951 and it remained in storage at his home in Mundelein, Illinois, until 1966. It then went on display at the Victory Air Museum, Mundelein, Illinois, which was formed by Earl Reinert and Paul Polidori. It remained on display until the Museum was dispersed following the death of Paul Polidori in a flying accident in 1985..
8. News: 2 Killed in Air Crash in Wauconda. Chicago Tribune. 1985-06-29. The owner of a Mundelein air museum and an aerial photographer were killed Friday when their 45-year-old single-engine airplane crashed in a Lake County, Ill., hay field..