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| Air Force Museum Foundation | |
|---|---|
| Name | Air Force Museum Foundation |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Founded | 1960s |
| Location | Dayton, Ohio |
| Area served | United States |
| Mission | Support the National Museum of the United States Air Force |
Air Force Museum Foundation The Air Force Museum Foundation is a private nonprofit organization supporting the National Museum of the United States Air Force through advocacy, fundraising, and program development. Founded to assist the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base museum complex, the Foundation collaborates with institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution, United States Air Force, National Aviation Hall of Fame and regional partners to expand public access to aviation and aerospace heritage. Its activities intersect with restoration efforts, exhibit design, artifact acquisition, and educational programming linked to figures like Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, and events including the Normandy landings, Battle of Britain, and the Berlin Airlift.
The Foundation emerged amid Cold War-era initiatives tied to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the preservation movements following high-profile displays at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of the United States Air Force under directors influenced by collectors such as Paul E. Garber and patrons like Henry Ford. Early campaigns paralleled campaigns for artifacts from the Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and recovery projects for aircraft from incidents involving USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Forrestal (CV-59), and carrier aviation milestones. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s the Foundation worked with congressional delegations from Ohio and advocates in the United States Congress to secure land use agreements near Dayton International Airport and to support major restorations including examples of the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-29 Superfortress, B-36 Peacemaker, and SR-71 Blackbird.
The Foundation advances missions resonant with aerospace heritage institutions like the American Air Museum in Britain, Imperial War Museum, and the National WWII Museum. Programs focus on acquisitions, conservation, and public programs connected to aerospace pioneers such as Glenn Curtiss, Billy Mitchell, Homer Hickam, and astronauts including Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and John Glenn. It sponsors symposiums and lecture series featuring scholars from Air University, curators from the Royal Air Force Museum, and historians tied to campaigns like Operation Overlord, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Foundation supports stewardship of historic aircraft, engines, avionics, uniforms, and archival collections that complement holdings of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Notable artifacts assisted by the Foundation include airframes associated with Wright Flyer, Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny", P-51 Mustang, F-4 Phantom II, F-22 Raptor, and spaceflight hardware tied to Mercury program, Gemini program, and Apollo program crews. Exhibits often connect to personalities and events such as Eddie Rickenbacker, Rosie the Riveter, Tuskegee Airmen, Doolittle Raid, and international collections referencing the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force. Conservation collaborations have involved specialists from the Library of Congress and the American Institute for Conservation.
Educational initiatives link to curricula influenced by standards from the National Science Teachers Association and partner institutions including Ohio State University, Wright State University, and Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. Outreach programs feature veteran oral histories with participants from D-Day landings, Korean War aviators, Vietnam War squadrons, and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans; youth programs include STEM camps referencing aerospace pioneers like Sally Ride, Margaret Mead (contextual social science collaborations), and engineers from NASA and Lockheed Martin. The Foundation facilitates internships and fellowships connecting students to archives like the National Archives and Records Administration and research projects with the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Fundraising channels include major gift programs, annual membership, corporate sponsorships with contractors such as Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon Technologies, and events modeled on galas and air shows similar to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the Paris Air Show. Campaigns have funded capital projects, artifact restorations, and scholarships named for figures like Brigadier General Robin Olds and General Curtis LeMay. The Foundation leverages relationships with philanthropic organizations like the Ford Foundation, corporate foundations, and veteran service organizations including the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Governance is overseen by a board comprising leaders from aerospace industry, philanthropy, and veteran communities, often drawn from executives at GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, General Dynamics, and academic partners such as University of Dayton. Past chairs and notable donors have had connections to national leaders, congressional champions from Ohio's congressional delegation, and military figures with service records linked to Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and the Air Mobility Command.
The Foundation has played a role in campus development projects adjacent to the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, contributing to expansions akin to projects at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Center and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Initiatives include fundraising for hangar restoration, climate-controlled conservation labs, and exhibit pavilions to accommodate large artifacts such as the Space Shuttle Enterprise-era hardware, strategic bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress, and intelligence platforms comparable to the U-2 Dragon Lady. Partnerships with local economic development bodies in Montgomery County, Ohio and state agencies support infrastructure improvements and visitor amenities.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in Ohio