The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Groundbreaking
New Yankee Air Museum to rise from ashes
By Austen Smith, Heritage Newspapers
PUBLISHED: April 19, 2007
YPSILANTI — Monday's winds would have been perfect to fly a kite, or perhaps a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress.
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Pilots, historians, astronauts and politicians gathered at Willow Run Airport amid blustery conditions to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Yankee Air Museum.
Originally constructed in 1981, the museum displayed history about World War II, Willow Run Airport and the adjacent B-24 bomber plant.
Much of that history, however, was lost on Oct. 9, 2004, when a devastating fire torched the museum's hangar. The fire caused $4 million in damage, destroying the building and eight display aircraft.
"And, a lot of things that could not be replaced," said Bob Hynes, public relations officer for the Yankee Air Museum.
At the ceremony, across the street from where the original museum once stood, Hynes introduced politicians and business leaders throughout the state, including members of the governor's office and top-ranking officials from General Motors. Everyone gathered to listen to people tell the history of the museum and to celebrate the organization's new building.
"We're so pleased to see this day come," said Lester Robinson, Detroit Metropolitan Airport's chief executive officer.
"I can't imagine Willow Run without the Yankee Air Museum."
General Motors donated $2 million to help with the $32 million project to construct new facilities for the museum.
Robert Lutz, GM's vice chairman of product development, spoke at the event.
He said the Michigan economy and slowing auto industry in the United States doesn't allow his company to support every cause.
"It's important to help what causes we can (support)," Lutz said, adding that GM chose to support the Yankee Air Museum "for one simple reason."
"The history is too valuable to just let it go up in smoke," he said.
Dennis Norton, who was the museum's first president in 1981, is the president of the Michigan Aerospace Foundation. He said the foundation was created five years ago, before the fire, to construct new facilities.
The 25-year plan for the museum is to construct 12 new buildings. Norton said the first five buildings, which are planned for completion in five years, will be "the heart" of the museum.
"It will be a major tourist attraction," he said.
By the time the plan is finished, he said the new site will be a much bigger operation.
After the first ceremonial shovel of dirt was lifted from the site, three aircraft from World War II flew overhead. The planes circled in the sky and landed near the ceremony. Visitors were allowed to inspect and climb inside the aircrafts.
"My grandpa flew in that," said 11-year-old Andrew Anderson, while pointing at a bull turret on the bottom of a B-17 parked near the ceremony.
Anderson's other grandfather, Stanley Opperman, who served in World War II but not as a gunner, is a lifetime member of the museum. He said he and his grandchildren used to visit the museum before the fire.
"I'm definitely excited," Anderson said of the new museum.
Anyone interested in donating to the Michigan Aerospace Foundation is asked to call 1-734-971-2750, or visit the Web site www.michiganaerospace.org.
For more information about the Yankee Air Museum, visit the Web site www.yankeeairmuseum.org.
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