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Since the Kansas Aviation Museum opened its doors in 1991, volunteers and trustees have worked diligently to create a world-class aviation museum. Never, however, has there been a clearer picture than now of exactly what form that museum would take. That clarity of thought and consensus of opinion gives us the authority we need to realize our dream.
We look forward to returning the original Wichita Municipal Airport Terminal to its art-deco glory. Visitors will someday step back in time to see the terminal as it was in the 1930s. They will eat in a restaurant designed much as the one in which Fred Astaire and Howard Hughes dined in the 1930s and 1940s. Young and old alike will actually experience Kansas aviation history.
An Essential Role
Static displays of aircraft will be housed in hangars surrounding the terminal building. This protects the aircraft and provides space to restore more vintage aircraft. The restoration of airplanes built in the early twentieth century is essential to preserve our aviation heritage. Without such efforts, many aircraft would be lost. The museum has an incredibly talented group of restoration volunteers who save vintage aircraft. Their skills are unmatched – perhaps nowhere else on Earth is there such a concentration of experienced aviation craftsmen – and give the museum an exclusive advantage. It is imperative that their work be supported and that facilities are provided for their restoration efforts.
It is our hope that Doc, one of what will be only two flyable B-29s in existence, will be housed in a hangar on museum grounds. The tourist appeal of having a fully restored, flight-capable B-29 – built across the street at Boeing Wichita – is almost impossible to estimate.
A Simple Vision
Our vision is simple: a campus-like setting in which the administration building, returned to its original glory, is the focal point surrounded by hangars filled with static displays, restoration work and more. These hangars ultimately should include educational facilities, theaters and gift shops. A facility like this would be unrivaled. It would attract tourists from around the globe.
Teresa Day
Kansas Aviation Museum director |
