| History advocates hoped city, airport or Lockheed Co. would step up with
space. Lolita Harper The Leader AIRPORT DISTRICT - Forced recently to vacate
its spot at the Portal of the Folded Wings at Valhalla Memorial Park, the
Burbank Aviation Museum is searching for support to keep the city's rich
aviation history alive. The nonprofit group hoped to get support from the
city, the Lockheed Co. or the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority
in the form of land or an abandoned structure where it could display its
memorabilia. Unfortunately, those hopes have been replaced with reality.
"With all the old aviation sites, there have been plenty of empty buildings
- plenty of opportunities - but too much red tape." said museum President
Les Copeland. Aviation enthusiast Ron Dickson said he understands the city
can't just give buildings away, but was disappointed there was no support
from Lockheed or the airport authority. Dickson said he had spoken to airport
deputy director Randy Berg about possible space in a proposed new terminal.
"It's just too early to know now," Berg said. "We don't even know the plans
for the new building." Berg and airport authority spokesman Victor Gill
both said the airport plans to devote substantial resources to preserving
aviation history. "We would like to have preservation through exhibit space
so that visitors would have an idea of the history," Gill said. Burbank's
aviation history includes flights by great aviators like the Lindberghs,
Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post. Lockheed also produced numerous aircraft
in Burbank that were integral to the country's success in World War II,
the Korean War and during the Cold War. It's not only the planes that Dickson
believes should be remembered, but also the people who designed, built and
flew them. "I wanted a place where the old-timers could come and sit and
talk so we could document their stories, because when they're gone, the
history is gone," Dickson said. Preservation of Burbank's aviation history
is extremely important said Mary Jane Strickland, founder of the Burbank
Historical Society. "[Aviation} was such an integral part of Burbank's history,"
Strickland said. "It brought thousands of jobs and changed the face of the
city." The Burbank Historical Society has no room to display any of the
memorabilia from the Burbank Aviation Museum. The museum houses a $35,000
Lockheed display, funded by Lockheed. The museum is out of space, Strickland
said. "It's a shame they don't have a space of their own," she said. "But
your talking a lot of money, and it's hard to do." +++++ END +++++ |