The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 62

THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Monday, August 1, 1994 S2. Plans for Burlco air museum starting to take off 20 I 138 BbO' South Jersey News in Brief Millville man charged anew after injured infant dies A 23-year-old Millville man was" charged with homicide after his 5-month-old son died after being found unresponsive in his crib, police said. Shaun McGee was originally arrested and charged with aggravated assault after his son was found, Thursday, but the charges were up-. graded when the child died Friday at Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center in Camden. McGee was watching the child while the boy's mother, Shaniece Robbins, was out, said Sgt.

Norman Franckle. Robbins found the baby lifeless in his crib when she returned a short time later, he said. Police would not discuss the nature of the child's injuries, saying the case remains under investigation. Four hurt as three wrecks occur during rainstorm Three accidents a mile apart that occurred within 20 minutes of one another on Route 322 in Harrison Township sent four people to area hospitals and tied up homebound Shore traffic, police said. The first accident, a rear-end crash, "in heavy traffic during a rainstorm," occurred at 6:12 p.m.

In the center of Mullica Hill. Geoffrey Gian-none, of Mullica Hill, was cited for careless driving. No one was injured, police said. Twelve minutes later, Kimberly Ann Gray, 23, of Pitman, lost control of her pickup truck on a westbound curve by Mullica Hill Lake and slammed head-on into a car driven by Joshua Dennis, 24, of Malvern. Both Gray and Dennis were treated for minor injuries at Under- wood-Memorial Hospital.

Maria Bou-, vier, 24, of Thornton, was admit-' ted in stable condition at Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center. Then at 6:30 p.m., Alfred Stokes, 73, of Pitman, hit a puddle westbound near Cider Press Estates, and his vehicle flipped over. He was being evaluated at Underwood. Harrison Township police attributed the three accidents to a heavy downpour from By Jan Hef lor INQUIRER CORRESPONDENT LUMBERTON The little silver airplane with red trim was gleaming in the midday sun, but Ted Pichel just had to hose it down one more time before he would allow a photographer to snap a picture of his prized T-6 Texan. Pichel, wiping the sweat from his brow on a sweltering day, was understandably fussy.

A bomber pilot in Vietnam, he had spent six years and $150,000 taking apart and restoring the World War II trainer nicknamed Scarlet. The plane is usually parked in a hangar at the South Jersey Regional Airport here, tucked away in the obscurity of cornfields, woods and a dairy farm. But it looks good enough to be in a museum. And now, if all goes as planned, it will be. Pichel's T-6 is among scores of aircraft and other artifacts that one day are to fill the Air Victory Museum at the 114-acre private airfield in Burlington County.

Construction is to begin this month on a hangar that will serve as a temporary museum pending completion of the permanent structure, which is expected to take about two years to build. "It started as a simple museum, like many airports have as an attraction to bring people to the airport," said Charles J. Searock the museum's director and vice president of the airport. The airport's runway is used by individuals, corporations and small charter-plane operators, such as Pichel, and more visitors would mean more business for the airport, the museum planners calculated. But the idea grew and grew, said Searock, until it was decided to build "a museum that did more than exhibit old airplanes." Searock, a retired three-star Air Force general, said the museum 1 would also showcase "technological advances in aerospace" and pay tribute to the teams of researchers responsible for significant breakthroughs In the industry.

For example, the development of the jet engine and the space station will be represented, he said. Simulations, virtual reality experiences, computers and daily joy rides may also be offered, he said. Memorabilia, documents and working models are other planned features of the museum. Another mission is to provide hands-on educational programs at the museum. Stephen L.

Snyder, whose company, AIRCorp (Aviation Industrial Realty Corporation) owns the airport, said education is a primary focus of The retired general the goal "a museum that did than airplanes." The Inquirer MARY O'GRADY Ted Pichel washes his World War II trainer, a T-6 Texan nicknamed Scarlet. If all goes as planned, the plane will become a museum display item in South Jersey. The Air Victory Museum is expected to take about two years to build. A hangar will serve as a temporary museum. VI' stage for exchanges with the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the U.S.

Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Similar arrangements may be made some day with the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, Searock said. A major fund-raising event for the museum will be an air fair at the airport Sept. 17 and 18. Searock said that among the fair activities will be helicopter and airplane rides, paraplane and parachuting demonstrations and a display of fighter planes.

If the museum idea takes off, it will be carrying some passengers. "I think it could be wonderful for the township if it comes off as planned," said Lumberton Planning Board member Kathy Uhrman, whose panel one day soon must approve the museum. "It could generate visitors through the town and bring in money to the local merchants." air Victory museum said was more exhibit old An architectural drawing of the aviation museum that will be built adjacent to the South Jersey Regional Airport, in Lumberton. on the dirt site of the hanger while architectural drawings have been rendered for the museum, whose shape evokes the Air Force's "star and bars" insignia. If the museum seems out of place, Searock doesn't see it that way.

"We seem as though we're out here in the countryside, but we're actually midway between Boston and Washington and there are seven million people who live within 30 miles of us," he said. While the proposed shape of the museum and its name a tribute to the role of aircraft in U.S. technological and wartime superiority suggest a military bent, Searock said displays will not be limited to military aircraft. For now, however, that's all they seem to have. Already at the airfield are three restored planes besides Pichel's T-6 Snyder's Super Pinto, a two-seat tandem Navy trainer dating back to the '50s, and an F-104 Star-fighter and F-86 Sabre, both interceptors built in the 1960s.

Jeff Davis, an airport employee helping in the restorations, said the project was challenging because it is "hard to get parts. If you can't find them, you have to make them." The planners also are making arrangements to borrow an F4 Phantom fighter, an A-7 Corsair bomber and a RA-5 Vigilante reconnaissance plane, all of which are on display now at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Lakehurst. Jess Parnell, commander of air operations at Lakehurst, said the aircraft, whose engines have been removed, were on loan from the Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensa-cola, Fla. Parnell said he has sought permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to have the aircraft transported to Lumberton by an Army helicopter unit as part of training exercises.

A Messerschmitt ME-262, owned by the Navy, also will be featured by the museum, Searock said. He said the World War II German warplane is being restored in Texas. The museum planners have set the the museum, which is his brainchild. "We need to educate America's kids about our aerospace heritage," he said. His hope is that the museum will generate "mysterious excitement to young kids" so that they will fill the shortage of engineers, scientists and military leaders in the country.

Snyder became interested in aviation as a child by designing model planes. He is now a pilot, a parachutist, an inventor of parachute and paraplane devices, and the owner of several aviation-related ventures. The proposed museum could cost more than $2 million to construct, Searock said. It will be built mostly with private and corporate contributions. Searock said government grants are being investigated but few are available.

The first phase, a $500,000, hangar that is to be used for storage and restoration after the permanent structure is built, is slated to be finished by the end of the year. The hangar will display a small collection of aircraft during work on the permanent museum. "This is a dream that we hope will come true someday," Searock said. Ground already has been broken a fast-moving storm. Pakistani seaman drowns after fall in Port Elizabeth A Pakistani merchant seaman returning from shore leave drowned after stumbling and falling into the water at the marine terminal in Port Elizabeth, authorities said.

Bill Cahill, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said the body of Lai Chaman, 47, was pulled from the water at 12:22 a.m. Saturday. Cahill said Chaman fell in the water as he and several of his shipmates returned to their vessel, the Saudi Hofuf, from a night out around 10 p.m. Friday. As Chaman's crewmates got out of the van that had returned them to the terminal, they heard a splash and called police, who discovered the body after a search, Cahill said.

State's newspapers seek piece of political-ad pie The New Jersey Press Association has launched an advertising campaign saying U.S. Sen. Frank Lauten-berg and Republican challenger Gar-abed Haytaian should empty some of their campaign coffers onto newspaper advertising pages to be "more in touch with New Jersey voters." The association is doing it with two full page ads: one showing the two candidates on a soapbox talking to residents of Pennsylvania and New York, and the other showing them spilling buckets of money onto those two states. The ads urge the candidates not to "waste campaign dollars." The newspaper lobby argues that by advertising in the New York and Philadelphia television markets, statewide candidates are spending big bucks on a message that reaches more out-of-state residents than New Jerseyans. "The media gurus are so geared towards television, it's difficult to change their minds," said John O'Brien, executive director of the NJPA.

"Television works, and it works in most places across the country. But New Jersey is different." New Jersey has only one VHF television" station, WWOR in Secaucus. South Jersey South Jersey Is a section of local news and sports gathered by members of The Inquirer's bureau In Cherry Hill and published every Monday through Readers are invited to call the bureau on weekdays at the numbers listed below to comment on the newspaper, report a news tip, place an advertisement or conduct other business. Editor MattGolas Deputy Editor Daniel R. Biddle Night Regional Editor Mark Wagenveld Projects Editor Julie Busby 1 Sports Editor Don McKee Photo Editor Lex Henkels Burlington Co.

Editor Porus Cooper Camden Co. Editor John Hilferty Gloucester Co. Editor. Barbara Mathews-Bowen Night Editor Michael Coakley Night Editor Ewart Rouse Advertising Manager Tricla McLane-Perotti Circulation Manager John Petracci Address: South Jersey Inquirer 53 Haddonfield Suite 300 Cherry Hill, N.J. 08002 Telephones: News 779-3840 FAX 779-3221 Advertising 779-3801 Circulation 1-800-523-9068 Sports 779-3900 To report sports results: 1-800-756-4570 mm.

fc Restoration specialist Jeff Davis works on a mid-1950s Super Pinto plane for display at the planned Air Victory Museum. Davis sometimes can't find the parts he needs. So he just makes them. Plan to build casino in A.C. with public money advances Motorcycle club calls off fund-raising event Through the grapevine, the group heard that the Pagans might show up.

More violence was feared. The city housing authority gave tentative approval. Foes call the project improper, maybe illegal. package." The outlet mall and casino would be built on a 30-acre site at the north end of the Boardwalk between Delaware and Connecticut Avenues, next to the Showboat Casino Hotel. Financing plans call for the city to sell $67 million in bonds to underwrite the project which the Casino Association of New Jersey has denounced as inappropriate and possibly illegal.

The addition of the rink and cinema appeased authority Chairman John Whittington. "To bee tlidi you Iia've ciuucj lliw liietuwi'd uitu rink and presented a different proposal is a relief," he told developer Bruce Ratner on Thursday. Casino Association officials couldn't be reached for comment. Chairman Nicholas Ribis and the executive director, Thomas Ballezzi, were out of town, and director of government relations Patrick Killian declined comment. Ratner said the public funding shouldn't bother anyone because the company would compensate the city for the debt service on the bonds by paying taxes on the development.

Hackettstown event after an argument with bikers belonging to the Tri-County Motorcycle Club escalated to a shootout. Three people were injured. Colfer said Blue Star members considered increased security or inviting police-oriented motorcycle clubs, but decided they "didn't want to take a chance" on the Paeans' altendine the rally. Township Police Chief Michael Leach said the cancellation was a moot point, because he wouldn't have signed Blue Star's permit request. "We wanted to give bike clubs the chance to cool down," he said.

"We would not have wanted the next bike rally in Warren Township." Tom Torok has the day off. His column will resume when he returns. ASSOCIATED PRESS WARREN TOWNSHIP A local Motorcycle club said it canceled a "planned fund-raising event because of concern that an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in a recent shooting might show up. Bob Colfer, president of the Blue Star Motorcycle Club, said the 22-tnptnhpr prnnn wnntprl tn hold 100-mile ride and rally to raise money for its yearly expenses and for contributions to the Watchung Hills Elks Lodge. But word reached the bikers, most of whom live in Somerset and Middlesex Counties, that members of the Pagans motorcycle gang might show up, as they did at a Hackettstown rally July 17.

"Word came back to us through the underground bikers who know bikers to do nothing, to shut down," said Colfer. "It's the safest thing to do, unfortunately." Two Pagans were killed at the ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTIC CITY A hotly contested plan to use $67 million in public money to build a new casino has moved a step closer to reality with preliminary approval by the city housing authority. Forest City Ratner a subsidiary of Cleveland-based retail developer Forest City won a non-binding vote of approval on Thursday for its $360 million casino-mall plan after including plans for a roller-skating rink and movie theater in the project. The casino project, which also calls for a 700-room hotel, still needs final approval by the authority and a separate vote by the City Council, project spokesman Carl Zeitz said Friday. "It's an indication the agency is looking favorably on the project," Zeitz said.

"There are, of course, details to be worked out. Final terms need to be settled on any changes and the financing.