JOSEPH C. LINCOLN

Enshrined 1992

Joseph Lincoln was born in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Phoenixin 1931. He attended schools in California and Arizona, graduating from the University of Arizonaafter a three year stint in the Army Air Forces duringWorld War II. Joe earned a privatepilot's license in 1947 but began soaring in 1956 at Falcon Field in Mesa. After buying hisfirst sailplane he began his long association withsoaring as a competitor in the National Soaring Championshipsas well as regional soaring contests. He won the BarringerMemorial Trophy in 1960 for the longest straight distancesoaring flight in the U.S. - 455.5 miles from Prescott toVariadero, New Mexico. Joe was selected to the Helms Soaring Hallof Fame in 1961 and in 1967 set a U.S. multiplace distancesoaring record of just over 500 miles.

He also set a worldmultiplace goal and return record of 404.6 miles and a worldmultiplace 100 kilometer speed record of 72.93 mph. Joe Lincolnwrote prolifically about the sport of soaring. His book"Soaring for Diamonds" wherein he relates his experienceswhich culminated in his winning soaring's mostprestigious emblem - the Diamond C - is aclassic in its field. He was President of the Arizona Soaring Association in 1957, a Directorof the Soaring Society of America, and was posthumouslyawarded the Soaring Society of America's Warren E. EatonMemorial Trophy.