View source for Ben T. Epps

{{Infobox person
|name        = '''Ben T. Epps'''
|image       = Ben T. Epps 001.jpg
|birth_name  = 
|birth_date  = {{birth date|mf=yes|1888|2|20}}
|birth_place = [[Oconee County, Georgia]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|death_date  = {{death date and age|mf=yes|1937|10|16|1888|2|20}}
|death_place = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|occupation  = Aviator, Aircraft Designer
|spouse      = Omie Williams 
}}

'''Ben T. Epps''' (February 20, 1888 - October 16, 1937), known as "Georgia's First Aviator" was an American aviation pioneer. In 1907, he built a monoplane of his own design, now known as the [[Epps 1909 Monoplane]]. This was followed by other original monoplane and biplane designs in 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1916, 1924 and 1930. He died of injuries as a result of an airplane crash. [[Athens-Ben Epps Airport]] is named in his honor. In 1989 he was inducted into the inaugural class of the [[Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ben T. Epps|url=http://www.gaaviationhalloffame.com/Hall-of-Fame.48.0.html?avid=35|access-date=October 9, 2018|website=Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170601005307/http://www.gaaviationhalloffame.com/Hall-of-Fame.48.0.html?avid=35|archive-date=June 1, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Aircraft designs==
Between 1907 and 1930, Epps designed and built eight aircraft:

* [[Epps 1909 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1909 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1910 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1911 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1912 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1916 Biplane]]
* [[Epps 1924 Monoplane]]
* [[Epps 1930 Biplane]]

<gallery>
Image:20-02-668-epps.jpg|Plaque of Epps at the [[Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame]]
Image:21-11-032-epps.jpg|Painting of the Epps family at the [[Museum of Aviation (Warner Robins)|Museum of Aviation]]
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-770 Ben T. Epps (1888-1937)] from the New Georgia Encyclopedia
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/clarke/ben-epps Ben Epps] historical marker
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/clarke/first-flight-in-georgia First Flight in Georgia] historical marker
{{Commons category|Ben T. Epps}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Epps, Ben T.}}
[[Category:1888 births]]
[[Category:1937 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
[[Category:Aviators from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:American aviation pioneers]]
[[Category:Aircraft designers]]
[[Category:Georgia Tech alumni]]
[[Category:People from Oconee County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Burials at Oconee Hill Cemetery]]


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