Work remains on schedule for the reopening of the Cradle of Aviation Museum at Mitchel Field in Garden City, thanks to the efforts of Victor Kuras of Hempstead, an Army veteran who is using his skill and years of machine shop experience to restore vintage historic aircraft for public display.

Born in Brooklyn, Kuras served in the Army during World War II, including a stint in the super secret Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb. Leaving the military in the years following Japanese surrender, he became a highly skilled tool and die maker and was an aircraft power plant teacher at Brooklyn Tech before he retired. While he has donated his time to not-for-profit institutions that range from Island Harvest to a mandolin orchestra, he has long been fascinated by aviation and aerospace.

As a result, Kuras remains busy lending his skills to the Cradle of Aviation Museum, donating his time to restore a portion of the Cradle's collection of historically significant aircraft. He has already worked on aircraft as varied as a Republic F-84 used in Korea and an S2F Tracker that was designed to spot Soviet submarines during the Cold War.

Kuras takes enormous pride in his current project, the restoration of a Grumman F-11 Tiger fighter that was used by the Blue Angels Navy aerobatics team during the 1950s, and F3F-2 biplane that flew from American aircraft carriers in the years before World War II. Reinforcing the excellence of Grumman fighter design, the Tiger will go on public display when the Cradle of Aviation Museum opens its doors in the summer of 2000. It will join other aircraft from the earliest days of Long Island's aviation history to the region's work on behalf of the space shuttle.

Individual donations are being sought to ensure that this unprecedented effort remains on track. Contributions as modest as $125 secures a place on the museum's Honor Roll for those who worked in one of Long Island's many defense plants, served in the military, or relate to the air and space heritage of Long Island. For many families that plaque will serve as a lasting tribute to loved ones who used their skill to expand our knowledge of aviation or to strengthen our nation's defense of freedom. All told, the museum is seeking to raise $8 million as part of its renovation and expansion program.

Josh Stoff, curator at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, notes, "Victor Kuras is a dynamo in putting back aircraft that have suffered from the effects of time and neglect. He and his restoration volunteers represent the tens of thousands of Long Islanders who have been part of our nation's aerospace history over the last 85 years. His love for aviation is only matched by his volunteer efforts on behalf of the Cradle. We are on track for completion because he simply doesn't know when to quit."

Kuras says he is not alone in seeking to create one of the nation's pre-eminent aviation museums in the country. 'There is not a person who is involved in the effort who does not have the love of aviation in their veins. Whether it is smoothing a piece of sheet metal on a Grumman Avenger or stuffing envelopes to potential financial donors, this is a labor of love for everyone. We are restoring a legacy that every Long Islander can be proud of and this work will stand the test of time far into the next century. Each volunteer knows that¬which is why we're looking for the financial donations that will give us the tools and materials to finish the job."

Housed along the former flight line of Mitchel Field, the Cradle of Aviation will not only feature historic Long Island aircraft in authentically restored hangars, but will also include the multi-story Leroy and Rose Grumman IMAX theater featuring some of the most breathtaking films in the world. In addition, an interactive aerospace display that highlights man landing on the moon inside a Grumman Lunar Module will be featured.

"This institution will become a crucial part of America's ability to tell its aerospace and aviation story to millions of visitors," offered Stoff. "But much like the nature of Long Island's defense industry, the Cradle needs the support of the people who were part of it. Contributions are key to ensuring our 'take off' remains on time. As outstanding as Victor Kuras is, he can't do it alone."

To find out more about the Honor Roll and The Cradle of Aviation Museum, contact The Friends for Long Island's Heritage at 571-7606 or reach them at their website, Friends for Long Island's Heritage at www.fflih.org.