(October 19th 1907 - July 12th 1962)

Roger Wolfe Kahn was born in Morristown, New Jersey into a wealthy Jewish family, his father was banker and patron of the arts Otto Hermann Kahn. Roger began playing violin when he was seven and the intellectually gifted student went on to gain proficiency on some eighteen other instruments. In 1923 at age sixteen he became a highly acclaimed New York orchestra leader and composer whose assembly included the top musicians of the day. Following his father's death in 1934 Roger Wolfe Kahn quit show business to become a test pilot and pursue his love of aviation full time.