ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A
DAY...
Early
construction photos of the P-38 Museum, appropriately built in the shape of a
Quonset hut. (See artists rendering at left.)
Thousands of hours of
volunteer work by dedicated P-38 National Association members went into the
construction of the Museum, made possible through the thousands of donated
dollars by many generous people, all sharing a common goal: the preservation of
the P-38 Lightning heritage.
The
P-38 Hangar Museum features the largest and most comprehensive collection of
World War II P-38 material ever assembled under one roof. Over
twenty WWII
organizations are represented. The history of the P-38 from its design to
construction are featured as well as special events, histories of individual
achievements and a life-sized P-38 replica.
Memorabilia of all things concerning the operations and exploits of World War
II's most magnificent fighter aircraft have been donated. Visitors can learn
more about the important part the P-38 played during one of our nation's finest
hours. There is also a continuing media viewing on the development and
construction of the 38, as well as aerial and ground footage of the aircraft.
Squadron histories and hundreds of fantastic photographs (most from private
collections and many never before seen in public) are currently on display.
Photographs give visitors a real "hands on" feeling of what it must have been
like for those brave and daring airmen of over 50 years ago.
Dick Willsie (pictured right), a retired P-38
pilot and one-time President of the Association, and Lee Northrop, of the
475th Fighter Squadron, were the men most
responsible
for making sure the Museum got built.
In Willsie's honor, the meeting area adjacent to the Museum was named the "Willsie
Pavilion." It is where our membership meetings and barbeques used to take place
before we got our own meeting trailer.
The Museum hangar has improved quite
a bit since it was first built, but here are a few more fuzzy construction photos (click to enlarge):

The first load of panels |

Concrete poured |

Hard
at work... |

The
Willsie Pavilion |

The
Finished Product
(Before landscaping and Tony LeVier
Monument Construction) |