To the Crew of the

Peterson Air & Space Museum Foundation

150 East Ent Ave

Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, 80914

Newsletter-December 2004

On behalf of the Peterson Air and Space Museum Foundation, I would like to render a heart-felt thanks to every Board and Foundation member and every volunteer who made 2004 such a resounding success. Looking back over the year, we have had over 70 super volunteers and more than 100 members who've devoted well over 10,000 hours of their time in helping capture the heritage of Peterson Air Force Base. Over 13,000 visitors were able to see firsthand the outstanding efforts of our team aided by our new first-class Docent program that has served as our good will ambassadors. Our accomplishments are too numerous to mention in the limited space that I have available; however, it is fair to say that the improvements in the Terminal Building, Old City Hangar and Museum Park have made the Peterson Air & Space Museum complex a model in the Air Force. We have been extremely successful in spreading the word about our efforts through a marvelous web site which has had over 14,000 hits, videos that have aired on local TV, advertising around the community, the hosting of social functions and retirement ceremonies and catering of formal events. The Old City Hangar has been cleaned and painted, and four major exhibits including Air Defense, Missile Warning and Space Surveillance, ICBM, and Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center are in various stages of construction. Significant progress has also been made on the restoration of the P-47, EC-121T and the EB-57E which all look superb. Yet there is still much to do, and I know that 2005 will be an even more exciting and rewarding year. My thanks to each and every one of you who have made 2004 so successful. I look forward to working with each of you in 2005 as we continue our work to preserve our past and honor all who have served.

• During the last two years, your Foundation has spent nearly $55K, while our income has been just short of $38K. Obviously we can't continue to operate at our current level without increased funding. Notwithstanding, the new Board of Directors have approved a very aggressive CY 2005 Budget of $62K and have made fund-raising their number one priority.
• How did we spend the 55K? As you are aware, early last year a joint 21st Space Wing and Foundation Strategic Plan was adopted. Fifteen Actions Plans were established. We completed two and expect to complete eight more next year. Of 103 projects, we started 76 and completed 44. Impressive!!!

• Our EB-57E, Camberra, has been completely restored with the major help of funding and manpower from the Green Mountain Boys of the VT ANG.
• After three years and over 2,200 hours of many hard-working volunteers, the P-47N, Thunderbolt, is 90% restored. Once again she proudly bears the colors of the PR ANG (her last unit of assignment), as work continues on the cockpit. A formal dedication ceremony is scheduled for 10 Jun 2005.
• We have changed the interior of Continental Airlines' Terminal Building to reflect the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport early aviation and World War II eras.
• The restoration of the interior of the EC-121T, Warning Star, is 95% complete.
• Contracts have been funded and awarded for the installation of a HVAC system in the Terminal Building, the Old City Hangar upgrades, and the Medal of Honor Grove upgrades. We will temporarily close the Museum for several months as the work gets under way this month.
• Our plans are being finalized with the base civil engineers for the conversion and Museum occupation of the Broadmoor Hangar in 2007.
• A long-overdue joint 21st Space Wing and Foundation Budget for the Museum was created.
• For the second year we hosted a Sunset in the Park Celebration serving over 400 individuals with some 683 hamburgers and hot dogs.
• Our wonderful volunteers provided more than 10,000 hours. Thank You, Thank You!!!
• More than 1300 items were assessed while we completed a total Museum Inventory.
• We found two homeless HAWK missiles at China Lake and had our HAWK Launcher restored.
• By the grace of retired Lt Col Bill Sheaves, we accepted the B-17 "Tar Fly" Model during a historic ceremony that made news Air Force-wide and nationally.
• A Commemorative Tile Program was created to allow individuals to purchase and engrave tiles which honor organizations and individuals and which are placed in the Airpark.
• We have been proud and honored to host numerous retirements, promotions, change of commands, the Wing's POW/MIA Remembrance Day, and Boeing's "A Day in the Life of the Military" Display.
• The Foundation commissioned an F-4 (P-38) scale model aircraft for the Terminal Building. The model represents the aircraft in which Lt Edward J. Peterson lost his life during August 1942 at the then Colorado Springs Army Air Base......

And with the help of you all, "the Beat goes On!"