PETERSON
AIR AND
FOUNDATION
NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 1, NO. 4 APRIL 2007
VOLUNTEER
APPRECIATION DAY
ED WEAVER
Over sixty people gathered in the Museum’s Old City
Hangar 12 February, to honor and celebrate our Volunteers for their efforts
during 2006. The Peterson Club catered
the affairs with heavy Hors D’Oeuvres. Ron Gray and Gail Whalen introduced volunteers selected for special recognition.
During
the past five years, Museum Volunteers have provided a remarkable 31,831 service
hours - 8286 during 2006. You may review
their hours at our web site www.petemuseum.org/files/CumVolSvcHrs02_06.htm.
The Volunteer of the Year (2006) was Erv Smalley. Erv
was cited for his 2272 service hours (2002-2006), for creating our web site in
2003 that has received over 69,000 hits since inception, continues as our
webmaster, has worked extensively in the creation of the Air Defense Exhibit,
provided much TLC to our (he thinks it his) F-106 aircraft, and his photography
efforts.
Mike Drennan presented the “President’s Awards” for Outstanding
Achievement to the following individuals:
VIDEO PRODUCTION TEAM: Ernie
and Jane Newman
DOCENT TEAM: Dan
O’Connell, Dave Austin, Jimmy Bowden,
John Cawood, Ann Foster, Gus Freyer, John Grier, Dave Lankford, Norm Moyer, Jim
Palmer, Ed Weaver
RAMP RATS:
Jerry Kovach, Ed Mika
INVENTORY TEAM, Charlie McCarthy, Tonya Pfennig, Jack
McKinney
MISSILE WARNING TEAM:
Larry Flynn, Dick Burns, Rob Knoth, Larry McDonough, Terry Galbreath
The “Chairman’s Awards” for Outstanding Achievement
for individuals or group of individuals who made an extraordinary contribution
to the Museum were presented by Ralph
Spraker. Two groups were honored:
302 Airlift Wing-for their support of ongoing aircraft restoration
efforts
21st Civil Engineering Sqdn-for ongoing support of upgrades of the Museum’s
grounds and facilities
Outgoing
Foundation Board of Director’s Members Joan
Sell and Jim Rix were also cited and honored for their years of service to
the Museum.
Pictures of the event are available on our web site at http://www.petemuseum.org/VolApDayFeb07Page.html
FROM THE PRESIDENT
MIKE DRENNAN, PRESIDENT
It continues to be a busy time
at the Museum. We held our Board of Directors
(BOD) meeting on
Gail Whalen discussed the Broadmoor Hangar Usage Plan and the BOD took a tour of
the Broadmoor Hangar. The BOD was
informed that there might be a change in plans for the usage of the Broadmoor
Hangar as there might be a military need for the facility. This potential change is being worked hard
and you will hear more on this topic in the future. Out goal is still to take possession of the
Broadmoor Hangar since it will add significantly to the museum experience;
however, we all will need to understand should the military need come to
fruition and the wing retains usage of the hangar.
Finally, spring is approaching
and the activity at the museum will continue to increase. Work is progressing with our many displays
and our docents continue to be great ambassadors for the Foundation. Keep up the great work and thanks again to each
of you for all your efforts.
HELP WANTED
The
impending move of some Museum activities into the Broadmoor Hangar will require
that we have more volunteers to manage our visitor program. Because the Museum staff consists of only two
people – the Director and Assistant Director – it is the volunteers who fill
out the manning requirements in support of almost all facets of Museum
operations.
Consequently, the immediate need is for volunteers to
act as RECEPTIONISTS (to greet
visitors) in the
Many other volunteer opportunities exist, including
but not limited to the following areas:
Aircraft restoration and upkeep, archives and inventory, public affairs,
membership recruitment, exhibit preparation and construction, and docent
program. For more information check-out
the website at www.petemuseum.org.
If you would like to join our volunteer brigade please
call Gail Whalen, 556-4915, or email her at Gail.Whalen@peterson.af.mil.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
ED WEAVER
The Peterson Air & Space Museum Foundation would like to acknowledge recent contributions. The Association of Air Force Missileers donated $3,000 dollars for the construction of the ICBM heritage exhibit. Northrop Grumman presented a check for $1,000 dollars also earmarking the monies for the ICBM exhibit. The Foundation appreciates both organizations for their continued support of the Museum.
Abbreviated Financial
Statement-CY 2006
ASSETS LIABILITIES
INCOME EXPENDITURES
Membership Dues 710 Operations
& Maintenance 12,986
Contributions 19,672 Gift Shop Operations 8,551
Gift Shop Sales 13,135 Administration 248
Interest 431 Volunteer
Support 736
Pavers-Tiles 3,385 Marketing 8,810
Refunds 9 Organization 971
OTHER ASSETS:
Gift Shop Inventory 10,359
TOTALS: 47,701 32,302
GO-TO-GANG REPORT
ED WEAVER
Some days it seems like we will never complete work on
the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Complex exhibit. We are putting the finishing touches on four
new display cases. These are a bit
different from the stand alone cases we constructed for a number of other
exhibits. The four were built inside of
the existing walls complete months ago.
All but done is the “rock bolt” display.
Thanks to Ed Kelly and many,
many gallons of paint, the entrance to the exhibit has been finished and is a
vast improvement.
ARTIFACT OF THE QUARTER
The IBM Clock which sits in the
In future issues of the Newsletter we will continue to
feature artifacts, most of which are not presently on display or exhibit.
NAME THE NEWSLETTER
The Museum Foundation needs your help. Now that the Newsletter is established we
feel it is time to name our newsletter.
Therefore, we are asking your inputs or suggestions for an appropriate
name. You may submit your suggestions to j32lmck@aol.com, www.petemuseum.org, or by telephone to 719-556-4915.
A mystery prize will be awarded to the
winning suggestion’s originator.
BROADMOOR HANGAR
Museum occupancy of the Broadmoor
Hangar, Building 982, has been put on hold.
Transition was to have taken place in January or February 2007.
We
will keep you posted on future developments.
WORLD WAR II INFORMATION
GORDON H.
I am writing a story about the Army
Air Corps participation in combat air operations against the islands of
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR INPUTS!
WHO ARE MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS?
If
you have ever wondered who are our Museum volunteers, maybe the following will
give you a better understanding about what it takes to become a volunteer.
For instance, some of our volunteers
have crewed an SR-71, been air/security policemen, worked for the Nevada Gaming
Commission, wrote and published poetry books, police officer, machinist, 100%
disabled veteran, cattle and horse rancher, animal rescue volunteer, manager of
television studios, electronic
engineering, printer, Army radio communications, pilots of everything from F-86
to C-121, forward air control, command inspector general, ballistic missile
technician, missile maintenance officer, command at many levels, personnel
specialists, secretarial, “scope dope”,
first sergeant, newspaper reporting and editing, squadron chief clerk, senior enlisted advisor, etc., etc., etc.
The point of all this information is
simply this – it matters very little what you have done before, it’s what you
would like to help us accomplish at the Museum.
Other articles have indicated where we need your help, but the bottom
line is that we need help and only you can provide that. Most of our volunteers are doing things here
at the Museum that they never experienced before joining our staff. However, they believe in our mission and want
to be a part of accomplishing that mission.
Call us at 719-556-4915, and join the team!
RAMP RATS REPORT
JERRY KOVACH
.
P-47N: Efforts this month concentrated on
obtaining and making a pilot's stick, stick well boot and throttle grip. WestPac Restoration loaned the museum an
original stick and boot; John Caywood's friend and ace machinist, "Ralph", made a perfect copy of the
stick. The 302nd came through again; MSgt Charlie Huffman, machine shop, made the throttle grip
(unique to the 'N' model), and he arranged for the Life Support folks to make
us the stick boot. Installation of these
parts will make the cockpit 90% complete.
The CF-101B is living up to the Voodoo's reputation of
'leaking' hydraulic fluids. Those of us, who flew it and loved it in cold
weather climes, knew that if didn't leak, lookout for problems! Doors
were dropped and engine areas cleaned up.
Consistent good weather will allow us to do our
outdoor improvements, which are numerous. What is not numerous is our
volunteer staff; the Ramp Rats need help!
DIRECTOR’S REPORT
GAIL WHALEN
I’m going to start by thanking our volunteers and
members who have poured their hearts and other body parts into the Museum this
past year. I wanted to see how many services we could provide to our visitors
and clients, and asked our folks to provide more and more time in support of
that. As always, they not only stepped up, but pushed me out of the way. I love
it!
We entertained more than 8,700 civilian visitors this
year with guided tours, special receptions, and educational experiences for the
younger crowd. Our military users, more than 3,300, continue to utilize the
City Hangar, Airpark and Medal of Honor Park for changes of command, promotion
ceremonies, retirements, and special events.
All of the comments I receive are very complimentary, especially towards
the volunteers and staff (and by staff, I mean Jeff Nash). We can expect to see a lot more college ROTC groups and
local school groups this year as our value to the community continues to grow.
One of the reasons we’re getting more attention from
the
Although it’s been a rough winter, it’s been a good
way to determine if the buildings, newly landscaped grounds, and aircraft
displays can stand a beating. My assessment: not too bad. Our new HVAC system
in the City Hangar performed fabulously until January, when the exterior pipes
froze and the condenser poured water back into the Hangar. It was a terrific
mess, but luckily, the Air Academy High School JROTC was there to save the day
and mop their hearts out. They have visited the museum five times this year,
working various service projects for us. In the
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DAY
In February, we held our second Volunteer Appreciation
Day. Our thanks go especially to Ed
Weaver for organizing everything, to Ron
Gray for stepping up to the microphone to assist as emcee, and Ralph Spraker for stepping in to
represent the Chairman of the Board of Directors. This year, we thought it was
very important to recognize two non-member groups on Peterson Air Force Base
who have been instrumental in the success of the museum: the 302nd Airlift Wing, and the 21st Civil Engineering Squadron (Base
Development Team). These units have provided so much support for us, almost
any time we ask, that a simple thank you isn’t always enough. Both groups have
been very short handed while many of their troops have deployed to
All of our museum volunteers were recognized as well,
and I want to thank them again for their outstanding work and devotion to the
museum. As always, it was difficult to select one person for the Volunteer of
the Year, but Erv Smalley was an easy choice this year.
An incredible amount of time and frustration goes into creating and maintaining
a website, and Erv has
single-handedly steered this ship since its inception. It is probably the
single most valuable tool we have to reach the widest national, and apparently,
international audience for the museum. Add to that his scary knowledge of
almost all the ADC interceptors, and his willingness to brave the artic
elements in pursuit of updating current museum events, and I think you’ll agree
that Erv Smalley is the choice for
Volunteer of the Year.
I’ve been asked to explain the Director’s Awards,
which really is just a silly way for me to thank a few individuals who have
gone out of their way to help more than usual each year, or who’ve provided
some of the best entertainment for the rest of us on occasion. Ed Weaver received a Portable
Confession Booth, because he really does receive everyone’s whines and
complaints and ideas with calm and cool resolve. Erv Smalley accepted the Polar Bear Award for his service beyond
the call of duty on a December day when the F-101 aircraft was pulled off its
pylon. When the entire base was evacuated because of the winter storm, Erv remained on site and shot photos
until the Voodoo was gone. Then he snuck over to my office looking for a warm
bathroom and cup of coffee. Ed Mika
accepted for Jerry Kovach the
Howling Head Plush Toy. Jerry
graciously escorted a film crew from the Cheyenne Mountain Resort up to and onto
to the P-47. The individual who was being filmed on the P-47 became so excited
about the shoot, that she began vocalizing in a manner eerily reminiscent of a howling coyote. So we found a plush
toy that howled and screamed when it hits the floor. We thought Jerry might like that. Charlie McCarthy, Jack McKinney and Gus Freyer received stick-on Superman
insignias. Charlie and Jack rebounded magnificently from
personal challenges this year. I just gave it to Gus because he lives so high in the mountains and suspiciously
seems to miss all the snowstorms. So I fantasize his house must look like
Superman’s Arctic lair.
AIR FORCE DESIGN AWARD
The 21st
Civil Engineering Squadron’s Base Development
Team, the folks who are responsible for developing our museum complex,
submitted the design of the Medal of Honor Park for a design award this year.
The Medal of Honor Park took the top award for the entire Air Force. This is
very competitive award, and very unusual that a squadron level design team won.
They called to thank the Museum Foundation, many of whom had key inputs into
the design. We know it’s the finest example in the country.
ADOPT-A-PLANE
JEFF NASH
The Adopt-A-Plane program was briefed to the Wing
Commander and unit commanders in January, and we’ve had seven groups respond to
the call with the following adoptions: P-40 – 76th Space Control Sq;
T-33 – 16 & 18 Space Control Sqs; F-86 – 21st SW Director of Staff; F-94 – AFSPC A-2; F-4 – 21st Civil Engineer Sq; F-15 – 21st Aerospace Medical Sq
& Air Academy HS JROTC; and EB-57 – 544th Information Operations
Sq.
The idea is to have adopting units assist the Museum in cleaning and minor maintenance. We hope to have a kick-off in mid-April.
MY FAVORITE MEMORIES ARE ...
JON CHEL
I was working the Peterson Base Main Gate on Christmas
Eve; I wore a Santa Suit, General Chappy
James drove into the gate and stopped; he had his mother in the care and
she was sooo excited to talk to Santa. I
made a dream come true for her (she passed away shortly after). General James personally made sure I was made
aware of this special treat for her.
Again, at the main gate, I was looking
down the road and found a small aircraft landing on the road instead of at the
airport.
We had a small aircraft crash on the
runway and I was the Law Enforcement Officer on the flight line. A partner and I responded with the USAF Fire
Department. Once we were relieved, I
asked the driver on the fire rig to get permission to cross an active runway to
return to the base. He told me it was
clear, so as I started to cross the runway I had a strange feeling. I looked left and right and it was clear, but
failed to look up and left – I was nearly hit by landing fighter aircraft.
(ED’s
Note: Jon’s memories came to us via
e-mail. We would like to have your
memories, too, of time spent at Peterson AFB or Pete Field. Address them to www.petemuseum.org)
NEW MUSEUM VISITING HOURS
New hours for visiting the museum are
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The Peterson Air and Space Museum
Newsletter is published by the Colorado Springs Peterson Air and Space Museum
Foundation, Inc., a private entity no way connected to or with the United State
Air Force. Contents of the Newsletter
are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the
Jerry M. Drennan, BGen (USAF, Retired),
President
Jack L. McKinney, CMSgt (USAF, Retired),
Editor
Peterson
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