If any of you guys are members of museums, American Legion, VFW etc. please ask them to communicate this Yankee Air Museum fire info in their newsletters. Here's a sample of what we sent to the museum formerly known as the Confederate Air Force - Thanks Pat
Commemorative Air Force Headquarters
Midland International Airport
P.O. Box 62000 * Midland, TX 79711-2000
(432) 563-1000 ext. 2231 * FAX (432) 563-8046
www.commemorativeairforce.org/ Dear Public Relations Officer,
I am a retired USAF veteran and Member of Castle Air Museum.
I just read about a devastating fire at the Yankee Air Museum in Ann Arbor, MI (see text below). I was wondering if you would notify your membership of this tragedy via CAF News on your web site. There may be many of your 12,000 members who would like to donate money, time or artifacts to the rebuilding effort.
Castle Air Museum in Atwater, CA is notifying their 1000 members via newsletter. I am notifying 289 of my 456th FIS alumni via newsletter. We would very much appreciate your help with this communication.
Respectfully,
Patrick Perry
Text from
www.yankeeairmuseum.org/The Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run Airport suffered a disastrous fire saturday night that destroyed the historic hangar that housed the museum. The museum staff was able to move the historic B-17, C-47 and B-25 aircraft out of the building, thus saving the heart of the collection. In addition, all the historic aircraft on display outside of the main building were untouched by the fire. While many irreplaceable artifacts, photos and books were lost in the fire, the Volunteers at the museum are thankful that the aircraft collection remains largely intact. Only a small number of non-flyable aircraft that were in restoration inside the hangar were lost.
The Yankee Air Museum members, staff and volunteers are determined to rebuild the museum facilities and continue the great work that was begun in 1981 by a small group of visionaries who were dedicated to preserving this important piece of aviation and Southeastern Michigan history.
The Michigan Aerospace Foundation, the sister organization of the museum which was formed to plan and fund future expansion of the museum facilities, will now be working hard to raise the necessary funds to re-build the museum as soon as possible. Working with Willow Run Airport and the Yankee Air Museum, the Foundation will be seeking funding and other help from Foundations, Corporations and Individuals as it works to replace what has been lost.
The Yankee Air Museum and the Michigan Aerospace Foundation would like to ask that anyone with an interest in helping to rebuild the museum, please contact the Foundation. Also, anyone who has artifacts they would be willing to donate to the museum should contact the Curator, Gayle Roberts.
A help hotline can be reached at 734-483-4030
If you receive a busy signal please keep trying.
The following people can be contacted to offer your support:
For the Museum, contact:
Yankee Air Museum President, Jon Stevens 734-637-2117
Yankee Air Museum Vice President, dick Stewart 734-637-8878
Yankee Air Museum Curator, Gayle Roberts 734-637-8876
For the Foundation, contact:
Michigan Aerospace Foundation President, Dennis Norton 734-971-2750
Michigan Aerospace Foundation Treasurer, Gary Brown 734-316-2216
Donations may be sent directly to the Michigan Aerospace Foundation:
Michigan Aerospace Foundation
Yankee Air Museum Recovery Fund
P.O. Box 8282
Ann Arbor MI, 48107-8282
Also, we are adding donation capability to our website
www.michiganaerospace.orgThank you for your help,
Dennis Norton
President Michigan Aerospace Foundation
The Michigan Aerospace Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.