USAF Airman Heritage Museum
Map
Former name
History and Traditions Museum
Established1956 (1956)[1][2]
LocationLackland Air Force Base
San Antonio, Texas
Coordinates29°23′02″N 98°37′18″W / 29.3840019°N 98.621705°W / 29.3840019; -98.621705
TypeMilitary aviation museum
Collection size40+ aircraft[2]
35 exhibits[3][4]
4,000+ artifacts[3]
Visitors36,000 (2019)[2]
DirectorBill Manchester[2][3]
CuratorFernando Cortez[3]
HistorianStephanie Ritter[3]
Nearest parkingOn base (no charge)
Websitemyairmanmuseum.org

The USAF Airman Heritage Museum is an aviation field museum and heritage collection of the United States Air Force located at Lackland AFB near San Antonio, Texas.[5][6] The museum, along with the Security Forces Exhibit Annex, are part of the Airman Heritage Training Complex, run by the Air Education and Training Command.[7] Its mission is to preserve and honor the history and heritage of enlisted airmen.[4]

History

The museum opened as the History and Traditions Museum in 1956 as one of 12 satellite museums to the National Museum of the United States Air Force.[3] Museum construction began in 1956 inside a building that dates to 1942,[2][8] and it opened to the public in February 1957.[1] With the stated purpose of giving basic trainees "pride in the past", museum staff arranged exhibits in coordination with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. They refurbished aircraft on static display to pay tribute to the planes' respective squadrons, crew, and pilots, ensuring correct paint and insignias.[1]

On March 5, 1958 the Air Force announced the consolidation of museums at Randolph and Lackland Air Force Bases into the one at Lackland.[9]

The History and Traditions Museum annual attendance was over 100,000 in the 1970s.[1] The museum had over 50 aircraft and missiles, a reference library, and miniatures recreating WWII air battles.[10] The engine exhibit contained a Liberty L-6 and L-12 and an Allison V-12 among others.[1]

SR-71 "Blackbird" towed from Kelly AFB to Lackland AFB summer 1990

The SR-71A "Blackbird" was put on static display in 1990 at the Parade Ground Airpark.[11][12]

In 2010 the museum reopened with a new name—the Airman Heritage Museum.[13]

On February 11, 2013 the Lackland Gateway Heritage Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the USAF to build a new museum. Its goal was to raise money for the new building, targeting a fall 2017 opening. The new museum would be located on a 85,000 sq ft (7,900 m2) site[4] north of the parade grounds.[8] It would have 50,000 sq ft (4,600 m2) of exhibit space and be privately funded with $50 million by the Airman Heritage Foundation.[14][13]

In 2014 the Airman Heritage Museum and Security Forces Exhibit Annex were brought together under a single entity, the Airman Heritage Training Complex, itself operated by the Air Education and Training Command.[7]

The museum recognized members of the Tuskegee Airmen and their families at opening of their exhibit on May 4, 2015.[15] The research for the exhibit had begun in 2014 at the Air Force Historical Research Agency.[16]

The Airman Heritage Foundation continued to raise funds in 2019 for new building set to open in 2022. It is planned to be more accessible, with the entrance outside the base.[3]

In 2019 the Airman Heritage Museum had 36,000 visitors and the Security Forces Exhibit Annex had 23,000 visitors.[2]

In 2020, nine static aircraft of the Southeast Asia Airpark were moved to make room for construction of new Airman Training Complexes. Aircraft moved to the Parade Ground Airpark included the B-52, F-4, F-5, F-100, B-57, B-66, and F-105. The T-37 and UH-1 were moved to the Inter-American Air Force Academy. The Airman Heritage Training Complex provided technical support for the move.[17]

Collections

Airman Heritage Museum

Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” bi-plane exhibit

The current indoor space is 6,778 sq ft (630 m2)[13] with 5,000 sq ft (460 m2) of exhibit space.[4] The museum has over 4,000 artifacts from 1907 to present,[3] which are on loan from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.[2] A total of 35 exhibits are on display, including scale models of planes, a B-24 bomber simulator, the Tuskegee Airmen exhibit, an original Curtiss JN-4 “Jenny” bi-plane fuselage skeleton with OX-5 engine,[18] an exhibit on the precursor to the Air Force, the Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps, a display on Women in the Air Force, and more.[19][3]

Outdoors, the Airman Heritage Museum has over 40 aircraft on static display.[20][21] Most of the Static Display Aerospace Vehicles are located at the Parade Ground Airpark.[3] The aircraft represent Army Air Corps and Air Force history[22] spanning eight decades.[2][18]

List of aircraft

Security Forces Exhibit Annex Museum

The Security Forces Annex contains 47 exhibits and an archival repository pertaining to the history of the Air Force Security Forces since 1947,[2] including the history of military, air, and security police.[35] Special exhibits are on display regarding women in the Security Forces and military working dogs.[19]

Airman Heritage Foundation

The Airman Heritage Foundation is the private non-profit organization that supports and raises funds for the museum.[3][14] Its mission is to preserve and honor the history and heritage of enlisted airmen.[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ added April 1998[23]
  2. ^ added 1984[24]
  3. ^ added February 1979[25]
  4. ^ added June 28, 1976[26]
  5. ^ painted as unit #2
  6. ^ added September 6, 1972[27]
  7. ^ added November 19, 1981[28]
  8. ^ added September 24, 1993[29]
  9. ^ replica painted as P-38L 43-78538
  10. ^ added April 29, 1970[30]
  11. ^ added February 17, 1979[31]
  12. ^ added October 5, 1985[32]
  13. ^ added June 4, 1990[33]
  14. ^ painted as unit #2
  15. ^ added March 1980[34]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Lackland Home of Air Force Traditions, History Museum". San Antonio Express. September 17, 1972. p. 10-K.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i DeKunder, David (November 9, 2020). "Airman Heritage Museum honors legacy of Airmen". Joint Base San Antonio.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Frank, Nicholas (July 7, 2019). "Bexar's Eye: A Small Corner of Lackland AFB Holds a Wealth of Military Aviation History". San Antonio Report. Photos by Bonnie Arbittier.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Fact Sheet" (PDF). Airman Heritage Foundation. August 2019.
  5. ^ "Aviation Museums". National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  6. ^ "Details - USAF Airman Heritage Museum - Atlas Number 4200001460". Texas Historical Commission. September 16, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Strang, Joshua (October 25, 2018). "Enlisted Heritage and Training Complex uses the past to teach the present". Joint Base San Antonio.
  8. ^ a b Joseph, Mike (March 26, 2013). "Foundation, Air Force sign agreement for new museum". San Antonio Express-News.
  9. ^ "Economy move won't catch oldest man on AF roster". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Vol. 75, no. 341. March 6, 1958. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Thousands visit Lackland museum annually". San Antonio Express. May 13, 1976. p. 5-C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Allen, Paula (November 14, 2020). "Air shows keep San Antonio looking up to local military". San Antonio Express-News.
  12. ^ "Welcome to Lackland". Panama City Gulf Defender. Vol. 38, no. 25. USAF photo by TSgt. Michael Haggerty. July 6, 1990. p. 7 – via Newspaper Archive.((cite news)): CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. ^ a b c Bates, Matthew (October 2012). "Keeping Time". Airman. Photos by Bennie J. Davis III. pp. 1–3. ISSN 0002-2756. Archived from the original on 2012-10-12.
  14. ^ a b Keegan, CK (August 1, 2014). "New museum to inspire Airmen". The Montgomery Advertiser – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Christenson, Sig (May 5, 2015). "Air Force salutes Tuskegee Airmen's enlisted corps". San Antonio Express-News.
  16. ^ Nichols, Lynsie (May 8, 2015). "Lackland's Tuskegee Airmen exhibit opens to the public". Air Force. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Delgado, Alex; Kersey, Rachel (June 25, 2020). "JBSA-Lackland's Southeast Asia Airpark relocated". Joint Base San Antonio. Photo by Johnny Saldivar.
  18. ^ a b Miller, Jay (November 11, 1971). "the Armchair Aviator". The Austin American. Vol. 58, no. 117. p. 51 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b DeKunder, David (February 8, 2022). "New exhibits make history come alive at Airman Heritage Museum". Joint Base San Antonio.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am "Aircraft on Loan (by Location)" (PDF). National Museum of the US Air Force. April 2016. pp. 45–46.
  21. ^ "Airpark". Airmen Heritage Training Complex. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  22. ^ "Lackland Air Park". Lackland AFB. Archived from the original on 2011-11-07.
  23. ^ "Cessna A-37B "Dragonfly"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ "B-52D "Stratofortress"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ "RB-57A "Canberra"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ "WB-66 Destroyer" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  27. ^ "C-47 "Skytrain"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  28. ^ "C-123 "Provider"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  29. ^ "F-15 "Eagle"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  30. ^ "F-84" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. August 5, 2014 – via YouTube.
  31. ^ "F-86-A" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. August 5, 2014 – via YouTube.
  32. ^ "JF-105" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. August 5, 2014 – via YouTube.
  33. ^ "SR-71 "Blackbird"" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 25, 2014 – via YouTube.
  34. ^ "UH-1B Iroquois" (Video). Lackland AFB Historian. June 23, 2014 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ "Home Page". Security Forces Museum Foundation. Retrieved 2023-05-22.

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