Plane commemorates Neil Armstrong

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A type of experimental plane flown by Neil Armstrong is commemorating the American hero at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.

As the nation mourns the loss of Armstrong, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis hopes that one of the planes he flew, which is currently on display at the museum, will serve as a reminder to all he accomplished and inspires others to follow in his pioneering footsteps, according to a museum release.

The Bell X-14B is on display through Sept. 10.

NASA used the open-cockpit experimental plane from 1957 until 1981 to train pilots and astronauts on vertical take-off and landing technology.

Neil Armstrong was one of 24 astronauts who flew the experimental aircraft as part of their training. Armstrong flew the plane ten times.

When Armstrong learned the plane would be at the world’s largest children’s museum, he sent a picture of himself with the plane to be on display next to it.

"It's an honor for us to have such an extraordinary piece of American history here at the museum," said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. "It serves as a tribute to an American hero who contributed so much to aviation and NASA. The X-14B is an important part of aviation history because it was flown by Neil Armstrong and so many others. It's our hope it will help inspire future generations of pilots and astronauts."

The plane was headed for a scrap yard in 1998, but Fred Ropkey knew the aircraft deserved to be preserved.

Ropkey rescued and restored the plane.

"It was completely by accident we found it. The plane was actually listed as aluminum scrap," explained Ropkey. "I asked my son if he thought it could be the missing X-14B that no one thought existed anymore. Sure enough it was and it was going to be shredded if we didn't make something happen."

The aircraft is on display as part of of the museum's CSI: Flight Adventures exhibit.