The Sacramento Bee from Sacramento, California • 47

jtM 8 I -15 I The Silver Wings Aviation Museum is a joint effort of the civilian and military segments of the aviation community in Sacramento Above an ancient pair of flight boots and a military cap await placement in the cavernous museum at Mather Air Force Base -5 1 3 jM 3- A If i a -k Story By Nan Nichols Sharrer Photos By Ward Sharrer Bee Staff painting of a C-1 40 in a thunder storm is being ready for the Silver Wings Aviation Mu Air Force Plans Silver Wings Museum teiu seum Training Wing at Mather introduced Stephen Williams Sacramento realtor and pilot to the museum project and asked him to form a civilian advisory group to assist in its completion On April 6 the museum advisory committee met for the first time and established its guidelines on implementation of the project Local flying groups agreed the theme should be general aviation centered in the Sac-ramentoarea And it was eventually decided to call the museum the Silver Wings Aviation Museum The California Air Museum being reactivated by Harry Arnold is serving as a vehicle for accepting artifacts and donations and will provide insurance for the artifacts A made Ciffard who is in charge along with Lt Col Edward Walters of organizing this facility will contain artifacts donated by the public through the reactivated California Air Museum a group which was set up to circumnavigate much military paperwork" Groups donating displays include the Sacramento Valley Pilots Association the Ninety-Nines the Experimental Aircraft Association the Air Squadron the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and the Rancho Cordova Chamber of Commerce Mather has alloted a building for this museum and Giffard and Walters have constructed partitions to divide areas for displays Out at Mather Air Force Base where they fly most sophisticated jets and map strat- egies for far-out tomorrows setting aside a place for yesterday too A museum entitled the Silver Wings Aviation Museum has been set up as a joint project of the military and the civilian community And it is hoped this exhibit will be open for viewing by the public in September The project was begun as a Bicentennial effort in November 1975 and the plans have since expanded to fill one cavernous building on the base with displays of aviation memorabilia is designed to depict the history of explains Captain Kenneth Proposed exhibits will include a display on women in aviation an experimental aircraft and changing displays on famous pilots and famous aircraft as well as many photo exhibits An official dedication for the museum is set for late August and a grand opening in September hope to have on hand a display of antique aircraft at that Giffard continues "And Ed Powers of the Nut Tree has promised his support along with photo stores Aerojet Rockwell International the Smithsonian and our Arrangements for group tours will be a vailalbe and it has been suggested visitors will park near Mather main ate and be transported through the aseby bus dating from 1914 This too will he on display Glass cases have been made for display of old military uniforms Platforms have been nailed together to hold engines and instruments no Ion-germ vogue And civilian artists Derrel Fleener Joseph Pearce and Frederick Hull have completed work on fine paintings and silk screen renderings of famous aviators including of course Charles Lindbergh are Giffard admits make this project a success But most of all we want to emphasize that this needs the cooperation of both the Air Force and the community" It is planned that eventually the museum will add an aviation library to be open to the public as well In March of this year Col Attilio Pedroli Wing Commander 323 Flying the Silver Wings A vintage tunic Corps sports worn by a member of the Army Air medal the aerial observer's half wings and a An antique aviator's clock was wound only once rough landing It is on display at every eight days The time piece is mounted on springs Aviation Museum in a wooden box probably to absorb the shock of a 4 4 i.