master mechanic kent mcmakin

For more than 50 years, Kent McMakin has dedicated his career to the craftsmanship required to maintain and restore historic aircraft. McMakin earned his Airframe and Powerplant certificate from Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1974, beginning a career that would make him a respected expert in antique aviation.

Over the decades, McMakin has restored more than 30 biplanes and developed particular expertise in Ryan aircraft. His career has included work on warbirds at the Weeks Air Museum in Florida as well as 34 years as an independent restoration and antique aircraft mechanic specializing in biplanes from the late 1920s. His work has helped preserve aircraft from an era when aviation was still defining what was possible.

Today, McMakin continues to put that experience to work at the Kelch Aviation Museum in Brodhead, Wisconsin, where he serves as the museum's go-to mechanic for keeping its historic aircraft airworthy. Several biplanes he restored are now part of the museum's collection, allowing visitors to experience aircraft that have survived nearly a century thanks in part to the skills of maintenance professionals dedicated to their preservation.

In September 2024, McMakin received the FAA's Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award in recognition of 50 years of outstanding work in aviation maintenance. His career represents a particularly important part of the maintenance profession: preserving the knowledge, techniques, and craftsmanship necessary to keep aviation history not only on display, but in the air.
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Source: Kelch Aviation Museum.