Crimea_River
Marshal
The Flying Heritage and Combat Armour Museum in Everett Washington, home to some of the rarest flying warbirds on the planet, issued a disturbing note today on their FB Page:
"The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many cultural organizations, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events to achieve their mission. Given so much uncertainty, we have made the very difficult decision to suspend all operations of Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum for now.
Our mission has always been to celebrate humanity's spirit during the world conflicts of the 20th century by returning the rare aircraft, vehicles and artifacts within the museum to working condition enabling the public to experience them firsthand. The current global situation is making it difficult for us to serve our mission and we will spend the months ahead reassessing if, how, and when to reopen.
Thank you to our members, donors, community and corporate partners and our employees and volunteers who have made Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum so special.
For more information, please visit flyingheritage.org."
The bold lettering is mine and its the word "if" that really stuck out. Since Paul Allen's passing, I had always wondered whether or not the operation was sufficiently funded from his estate. Not long after, the organization started seeking donations on the FB page - not a good sign.
Those of you who may have been following what this museum is up to would know that they had recently completed an Me-262 with original Jumo-004 engines to flying condition. Last seen, the aircraft had been undergoing trials off site but never got off the ground due to a nagging issue with the engines. They were also completing the restoration of what would have been the only flyable Ju-87 in the world. I also know of another one-of-a-kind WW2 LW bird that was beginning to be restored. Just a year or two ago they completed a hangar expansion to display more of their artifacts.
Let's hope that this wonderful organization finds a way to get back to its former glory.
"The COVID-19 crisis has had a devastating effect on many cultural organizations, especially those that rely on public gatherings and special events to achieve their mission. Given so much uncertainty, we have made the very difficult decision to suspend all operations of Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum for now.
Our mission has always been to celebrate humanity's spirit during the world conflicts of the 20th century by returning the rare aircraft, vehicles and artifacts within the museum to working condition enabling the public to experience them firsthand. The current global situation is making it difficult for us to serve our mission and we will spend the months ahead reassessing if, how, and when to reopen.
Thank you to our members, donors, community and corporate partners and our employees and volunteers who have made Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum so special.
For more information, please visit flyingheritage.org."
The bold lettering is mine and its the word "if" that really stuck out. Since Paul Allen's passing, I had always wondered whether or not the operation was sufficiently funded from his estate. Not long after, the organization started seeking donations on the FB page - not a good sign.
Those of you who may have been following what this museum is up to would know that they had recently completed an Me-262 with original Jumo-004 engines to flying condition. Last seen, the aircraft had been undergoing trials off site but never got off the ground due to a nagging issue with the engines. They were also completing the restoration of what would have been the only flyable Ju-87 in the world. I also know of another one-of-a-kind WW2 LW bird that was beginning to be restored. Just a year or two ago they completed a hangar expansion to display more of their artifacts.
Let's hope that this wonderful organization finds a way to get back to its former glory.
