Portal of the Folded Wings

Last week, I wrote about the miniature Space Shuttle in Burbank’s Valhalla Cemetery, a memorial to the Challenger.

I wanted to share a bit more about its location, as it’s a pretty unique landmark for the Los Angeles area.

The shuttle is located just outside a grand arched entranceway known as the Portal of the Folded Wings.

Originally built as the main entrance to the cemetery in 1924, it was later rededicated as a shrine to deceased aviators in 1953. Why? It is literally located directly south of Burbank Airport, with flights roaring overhead every ten to twenty minutes.

Inside the 75-foot arched rotunda are graves, cenotaphs and memorial plaques representing a century’s worth of those working in the aviation field. Amelia Earhart, prominently featured, frequently flew out of the nearby airfield. In addition to pilots, you’ll also find mechanics, enthusiasts, and others associated with aviation.

In particular, be sure to check out the plaque to the “only survivor of aviation’s most ironic airplane crash,” Captain Dale Black, who, on July 18, 1969, accidentally crashed his small Navajo plane into this very memorial.