National Aviation Heritage Invitational 2008

News Release
September 14, 2008

ROLLS-ROYCE RECOGNIZES WINNERS OF THE NATIONAL AVIATION
HERITAGE INVITATIONAL

Rolls-Royce was joined by a number aviation heroes to recognize the winners of the National Aviation Heritage Invitational held in conjunction with the Reno National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada September 10-14, 2008.

The 2008 Grand Champion and recipient of the Rolls-Royce National Aviation Heritage trophy is the 1944 North American P-51-D Mustang - owned by FTR ESC LLC of San Antonio, TX and restored by Midwest Aero Restorations, Ltd.

The Heritage Trophy is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Winners in other categories are:
Antique Category (Orville and Wilbur Wright Trophy): 1929 Curtis Wright Travel Air SA6000A - owned by John Seibold of Williams, AZ and restored by Jim Helfrish of Twin Otter Intl Ltd and Chuck Wentworth at Antique Aero.

Classic Category (Paul E. Garber Trophy): 1960 G18S Beechcraft - owned by Jim Warren of Coeur d Alene, ID and restored Jim Warren and Jeff Binger.

Warbird Category: (Henry 'Hap' Arnold Trophy): 1943 North American P51B-10-NA - owned by Historic Flight Foundation of Seattle, WA and restored by Pacific Fighter (01/01/06-07/17/08 - date of first flight).

Assisting in the trophy presentations to the winning owners were National Aviation Hall of Fame Enshrinees General (ret) Bill Anders, aviation pioneer Dick Rutan, Col. Bud Anderson, former test pilot and air show legend Robert A. 'Bob' Hoover, Ron Kaplan, Executive Director of
the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Linda Shiner, editor of Smithsonian Air and Space Magazine; Ken Perich, Rolls-Royce North America and Mike Houghton, CEO of the Reno Air Racing Foundation. The Invitational held in conjunction with the Reno National Championship
Air Races celebrates aviation treasures.

This endeavor is a joint effort under the auspices of rolls-Royce North America Inc., the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and the Reno air Racing Foundation with support from the Smithsonian Institution's National air and Space Museum. On board for 2008 are new sponsors Air Transport World, Speed news and Airmail Greetings who join in the commitment of honoring our nation's aviation heritage.

The National Aviation Heritage Invitational encourages preservation of aviation history through the restoration of aircraft to original flying condition. The invitational was founded in 1998. A five-member panel, including representatives of the National Air and Space Museum, judges each aircraft on its technical merit and how well it represents the aircraft early in its career.
Authenticity to the original manufacturer's condition is the "gold standard" for each plane.

More information can be found at www.heritagetrophy.org

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