Dennis Bradley, co-founder of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, died Saturday in hospital in Milton.

He was 80.

Bradley, who was president of the museum from 1972-1999, is being remembered as a Hamilton aviation pioneer.

“I don’t think we would have Canada’s largest flying museum without Dennis’ foresight and commitment,” said CWH president and CEO David Rohrer. “Dennis was the energy and driving force behind the museum.”

Rohrer noted Bradley was also the driving force behind the current facility that was built following a devastating fire at the old museum in 1993.

Born in 1937, Bradley learned to fly in 1961.

He attended the University of Western Ontario and his play on the football field attracted the attention of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

But rather than pursuing professional football, he joined the family’s gourmet meat-packing business and continued his passion for aviation.

Deemed too tall for pilot training in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Bradley continued to move his way up the aviation ladder from a Cessna 172 to various war birds and a Gulfstream Turbo-Commander.

With his aviation friend Alan Ness, Bradley co-founded the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in 1972.