BAM director stands by comments about city, Lockheed

As printed in the Burbank Leader, June 15, 2002. By J. Ron Dickson

Re: Lockheed didn't abandon its history, June 12.

Mary Jane Strickland questions my assertion that the "city (of Burbank), Lockheed or Airport Authority have done nothing to preserve any physical part of the Lockheed plant".

I believe the statement is correct. To my knowledge, there is no physical remnant of the once great Lockheed facilities (A-1, B-1, B-6, C-5, etc), including the birthplace of the Lockheed Skunkworks. Nor is there any land from our former aviation production efforts that is dedicated to the memory of our aviation history.

The loss of the "Earhart/Hughes" hangar in 1998 (1993) was a crushing blow to our history and I personally believe that allowing the loss of that heritage (the "physical plant") is to "toss away (our) great (aviation) history".

She is correct when she states that the Lockheed Company gave money and services to help establish a very nice display of Lockheed history and a time capsule at the Burbank Historical Society. I am a member of the Society and I enjoy going there to look at their wonderful museum and talk with the dedicated and knowledgeable docents. I congratulate the former Lockheed-Burbank Company for it's past support of the Historical Society and Lockheed's fine aviation history.

However, as a long time member of the nonprofit Burbank Aviation Museum group I support its goal of establishing a world class aviation museum on or near the Burbank airport to preserve and present the story of the men and women who made that history. To that end, I am aware of no positive action from the City, the airport or Lockheed, indeed no discussion at all with our group other than, "No, we can't or won't be helping you".

Lockheed-Martin has no plans to help anyone establish an aviation museum here. Look at their corporate Web site today, and you won't see the word Burbank mentioned anywhere. They have officially solicited memorabilia from their former Burbank employees, ostensibly to help establish a museum somewhere, and where are those items? Palmdale, Bethesda, Texas? Much of that history happened here in Burbank and I would like to see our history displayed here.

I understand that the airport authority will not allow any outside non profit museum effort within it's boundaries because it would conflict with it's 'for profit' tenants.

To my knowledge, the City has never responded to the BAM group in any positive way about the possibility of a physical location in this area or official support of any kind.

Mary Jane is correct when she mentions "…Mr. Dickson's frustration in not getting one of Lockheed's hangars for an air museum...". She's exactly right, and I feel just as frustrated about the many acres of redeveloped land in the area that have not been set aside to preserve our heritage. Burbank has been a progressive and thriving independent city since 1911, the same time that aviation came to the west coast at the Dominguez aviation meet. That's why people like my parents chose to live and work here. Perhaps the City is redeveloping to grandly and losing an important part of our heritage in the process.

By far the biggest frustration is that, while there are many individuals, including Mary Jane, who support the museum goals and who believe they are justified and should most certainly come to fruition, no one has taken the initiative to talk with us about possibilities. Is there a realistic place in the area for this effort or not?

As an individual, I see the history of aviation in the San Fernando Valley as larger than just a Burbank story, as my web site and letters in the past year have tried to express. As a Director in the BAM effort, I suggested the non-profit group rethink its Burbank affiliation but that idea was soundly rejected, so they (we) remain on a course to establish an aviation museum named the Burbank Aviation Museum.

From the aircraft parts manufacturers in Sunland to the Griffith Park Airport in the south, from the Cal Tech wind tunnel in Pasadena to the Rocketdyne-Santa Susana test site in the west, from L.C. Brand to Lockheed to space, that's the story. That's the aviation history of the San Fernando Valley, including the hub of it all, Burbank. Best of luck to the Burbank Historical Society and to the Burbank Aviation Museum group. Together, it's our great heritage.

J. Ron Dickson

Burbank

As printed in the Burbank Leader, June 15-16, 2002. By J. Ron Dickson