Archive for the 'Museums' category
Wings of Eagles Back in the News
December 27, 2006 7:36 am
The Wings of Eagles Discovery Center (former National Warplane Museum) in Elmira, NY is back in the news today in an article in the Elmira Star-Gazette. The museum, made famous for its world class airshows in the 80s and 90s and its flying warbird fleet, fell on hard times within the past few years after losses stemming from poor airshow and museum attendence. The eventual result of these losses was the sale of it’s B-17 Flying Fortress “Fuddy Duddy”, Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina, and Beech C-45.
In the article today, a plan for the future is outlined for the museum which includes a greater focus on space exploration exhibits and incorporation of the glider school formerly based at the Schweitzer factory on the other side of the airport.
There was no mention of rebuilding the Wings of Eagles Airshows, so it can be assumed that the museum is plotting a course with far less of an emphasis on warbirds than science for the future.
Posted by Ryan Keough
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B-24D Restoration at Hill AFB Reaching Milestones
December 26, 2006 8:16 pm
An update this month from Hill AFB comes to us via WIX – The Warbird Information Xchange about the ambitious B-24D static restoration there.
The restored fuselage arrived in 2002 and has been on display since then. In November the restored wings arrived and photos are posted to the restoration page on the Hill Aerospace Museum website.
The museum hopes to complete assembly of the aircraft this year.
See the WIX forum “Hill AFB B-24D Restoration Update” topic here.
Posted by Ryan Keough
As mentioned in an earlier article, the Glenn L. Martin Museum based at Martin State Airport in Maryland are seeking to raise funds to acquire one of the last Martin Mars flying boats from TimberWest of Vancouver, B.C.
The bidding ends on January 31st, 2007, so the timeframe to raise funds is very short. Hopefully word will get out and help!
Dan Rodricks of the Baltimore Sun showed support with this editorial this past week (December 17).
The Baltimore Examiner also shows some support with an article from December 19th.
As always, please visit the Martin Mars page at the Glenn L. Martin Museum to show your support.
Posted by Ryan Keough
There’s some press today in the Las Cruces Sun-News about the little-known War Eagles Air Museum in New Mexico. Though the museum is a bit out of the way, it has a collection that can be envied by any mainstream museum out there.
Created from the collection of the late John MacGuire and Betty MacGuire, the museum has an outstanding collection and a terrific facility. It is well worth a visit if you are ever out in the El Paso area.
The article talks about using the facility as a unique venue for events… so if you are planning a shin-dig in the near future, make sure to put the museum on your list!
Check it out at: http://www.war-eagles-air-museum.com
Posted by Ryan Keough
Martin Museum in Maryland Seeks to Obtain Martin Mars
December 22, 2006 10:45 am
Since the announcement several weeks ago by TimberWest of Vancouver, B.C. of their plans to sell the gigantic Martin Mars flying boats in their ownership, there has been a lot of buzz as to where they may be going when the sales are made.
The Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum hopes to bring a Mars home to Middle River where the planes were built. The Jeffersonian.com’s Lauren Taylor reports on the efforts in this mornings edition. Take time to read it and find out how you can help!
UPDATE: The Glenn L. Martin Museum has a site set up for the effort. Please click here to be connected.
Posted by Ryan Keough
Flying Heritage Collection Moving to Paine Field
October 31, 2006 3:47 pmA development that was anticipated by many in the warbird community was firmly announced on Monday: the Everett Daily Herald reports that the Flying Heritage Collection will be moving from Arlington, WA to Everett, WA to be based at Paine Field. Since its creation by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the FHC has called Arlington its home. For many years the often spoke about, but little known about and somewhat secretive collection used the small airport at Arlington to its advantage, being far enough away from the major museums and collections in the greater Seattle area.
With the move to Paine Field, the FHC will enjoy a more spacious facility with easier access to the Seattle area, no doubt increasing viewing attendance for the collection. Additionally, the collection will join an already vibrant warbird community at the airport, as the Boeing Visitors Center, Museum of Flight Restoration Facility, and the Stormbirds ME-262 project already inhabit the airport.
See: Flying Heritage Collection Website
Crews dedicated to preservation
August 20, 2006 1:48 pm
By Cal Hiebsch
Branson Daily News Staff Writer
When J.R. “Skip” Lam greets a group of passengers under the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation tent, he tells them about the helicopter they will be riding in, the safety harness, and the pilot.
Each of the pilots have made a career in aviation; they fly these warbird Hueys on the weekend, for the fun of it. They have thousands of flying hours, Lam says, “and some are in choppers.”
Then he grins, and the crowd laughs. Most of these pilots have been flying longer than their kids have been alive. For Lam, it was 22 years in the Air Force Special Operations that puts him behind the stick of these aircraft. For George Meeker, Master Crew Chief for the foundation, it’s been a little longer.
“I train the other crew chiefs,” said Meeker.
He’s been flying since he was drafted in 1967, and does it now so the memory of what went on in Vietnam won’t die.
Show me more… »
Hagerstown Aviation Museum wants to buy last Fairchild C-82 in flying condition
August 12, 2006 2:01 pm
File Photo
HAGERSTOWN – A historic aircraft may fly back into Hagerstown if the Hagerstown Aviation Museum can raise an estimated $200,000 to buy it at auction Aug. 23.
by ERIN JULIUS
Full Article: Herald-Mail.com
Former National Warplane Museum Announces New Direction
July 23, 2006 9:25 amFor those of you who have been following the situation at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, formerly known as the National Warplane Museum, surprising changes have been the order of the day. Starting with the sale of their B-17 Flying Fortress “Fuddy Duddy” to Gen. William Lyons in California, followed by the sale of their PBY-6A Catalina to the American Airpower Museum of Long Island, and the posted sales of their R4D-5 and C-45, the museum seems to be taking a direction away from warbirds.
A recent article by the Elmira/Corning Star-Gazette further reinforces this change. The Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is attempting to fill an education gap in Chemung County. The museum/center will partner with local schools and colleges to establish camps and out-of-school programs to bring aviation and high-tech to the youth of the area. The museum will still act as a tourism focus, but in that role alone, it remains underutilized. The addition of education programs would hopefully increase the utiliation of the facility and build a future for the oft fragile museum.
Speaking about the reason for the change, County Executive Tom Santulli said, “There’s a lot of history in that building of flight. But static displays and World War II veterans that used to be the backbone of that museum are going away… There is no future in my opinion. There’s a future but it’s not a growing future. I think the best move they have made so far is when they decided to become an educational institution.”
LINK: Star-Gazette Article
Remaining Greenland P-38 Lightnings Sought by New Expedition
July 17, 2006 6:24 pmAnother group is throwing their hat in the ring for the recover of the remaining Lockheed P-38 Lightnings left on the Greenland ice cap. The famed “Lost Squadron” was a group of six P-38s and two B-17s that were forced to crash land on the ice in easten Greenland in July 1942 after weather and fuel exhaustion limited their options. The crews were rescued 11 days after they landed, but the aircraft remained; subject to the harsh conditions of Greenland. An expedition in 1992 brought one of the P-38s back to the US after they uncovered it through 268 feet of ice. It has since been authentically restored as “Glacier Girl” and is kept in flying condition by the Lost Squadron Museum in Middlesboro, KY.
Operation Bolero Recovery & Restoration Group Ltd. of Silverdale, PA is the new group that is interested in recovering the remaining five P-38s and was recently written about in an article listed in PhillyBurbs.com. The ambitious plan to begin recovery next Spring is still in the fundraising stages and operations manager Joe Meyers believes it will take more than $3 Million dollars to accomplish the project. Meyers has been successful in aquiring support already and feels it is goal worth fighting for to “bring ‘em home.”
