Getting to know Gerry Beck.
Gerald “Gerry” Beck discovered a love for aviation after becoming involved in skydiving during his college years at the University of North Dakota. He graduated from UND with an Industrial Arts Degree, and while teaching high school in Grand Forks, North Dakota, he continued his path in aviation by obtaining a private pilots license and rebuilding his first airplane. In 1974, he founded Tri-State Aviation, Inc. (TSA), an aerial spraying and aircraft maintenance firm located in Wahpeton North Dakota. During his agricultural aviation career, Beck developed, or contributed to the development of, numerous items that enhanced pilot and aircraft safety and efficiency within the agricultural aviation industry.
Following the purchase of a F4U-4 Corsair project in 1982, Beck became involved in the warbird industry. Expanding the capabilities at TSA, he and a talented staff began restoring TBM bomb bay doors, followed by P-51D doghouses. The ability to fabricate parts coupled with Beck’s leadership and vision transformed TSA into a facility that specialized in the restoration of P-51D Mustang components and eventually complete airplanes. Although focused primarily on the “D”, TSA also completed the restorations of other warbirds including the Hawker Sea Fury, Corsair, P-51C, and Mitsubishi Zero.
Challenge oriented, Beck embarked on a quest to build the ultimate homebuilt: a P-51A Mustang. With perseverance, planning, and the assistance and support of other enthusiasts, Beck completed and flew the “A” in 2006. Beck and the “A”, dressed in movie paint, made a number of airshow appearances including Oshkosh.
Beck openly shared his knowledge and his passion for aviation. He encouraged and assisted others, willingly spent time with people of all ages who exhibited an interest in his endeavors, participated in airshows and aviation events, and was instrumental in the formation of the Fargo Air Museum.
Beyond aviation, his philanthropy was evident in every aspect of his life as he gave tirelessly of his time, talents and dreams. He was a visionary — a thinker with an undaunted, steadfast, positive outlook. Beck’s legacy will be the indelible mark he left on the many lives he touched worldwide.
A few meaningful words.
“How do you summarize Beck’s life? We want to measure life in years, but really what matters is the extent of experience and accomplishment. While all of us assembled here today believe his life was cut short, in the too short of time he was with us, Beck lived an enormous life.”
Doug Rozendaal
“Beck made the unimaginable possible, and the simple special.”
Warren Pietsch
The legacy of Gerry Beck.
Fargo Air Museum:
Gerry S. Beck Restoration & Education Wing
Gerry S. Beck was a founding member of the Fargo Air Museum and instrumental in the development of many aspects of the museum. Gerry’s vision was to build a second wing to house restoration projects complete with rivet stations, audio WWII vignettes, welding and aviation basics.
The Restorers (Film)
Giving History a Future
Many antique aircraft perform at today’s airshows and races worldwide. How did those aircraft get there? How did they survive all these years? The Restorers is an hour-long documentary film about warbird and vintage aircraft restorers and the planes they resurrect from the graves of history…In the snows of North Dakota we find two of the best warbird builders in the world in Gerry Beck and Bob Odegaard, builders of Mustangs and a rare Super Corsair respectively.
