Warren, Ohio

Neil Armstrong First Flight Memorial

The site of Neil Armstrong's first flight is marked by a full on replica of the moon landers.

Considering that Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, it may seem odd that the city of Warren has a scale model of the moon landing craft used by the American hero. But this realistic looking monument actually sits on the site of Armstrong’s first flight. Not to the moon. Just ever.

The Neil Armstrong First Flight Memorial was installed on the site of a former airstrip where the future astronaut would take to the skies and kick start his place in history. Armstrong was but six years old in 1936, when he and his father happened to be passing the Warren Airfield and saw a little tri-motor plane sitting there. Armstrong’s father decided to arrange a ride for himself and his son, and soon they were airborne for a little joyride. The elder Armstrong got sick, but the aeronautics invigorated the younger Armstrong, and set him on a path that would eventually take him out of this world.

A K-Mart now stands on the site of the airfield, but there is also a roughly half-scale replica of the Apollo 11 lunar lander that was installed in 2003 as a tribute to Armstrong. The faux-spaceship stands nearly 13 feet tall and 12 feet wide, and is made of titanium. The ship is set on a fake patch of lunar surface that is complete with permanent astronaut footprints.

The memorial was created by retired steelworkers from the Trumbull Career and Technical Center in Warren. The people of Warren have a deep, abiding love for Armstrong’s legacy, which just goes to show you, all you have to do to get people to worship you is to set foot on the moon.