Cold war expansion

Air Classics, Aug 2001

The USAF Museum took a major step on I June toward enhancing its identity as the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum and Middle America's largest free tourist attraction when it broke ground on the 190,000-square-foot Eugene Kettering Gallery. The ceremony took place behind the Museum's Modern Flight Hangar.

Opening in 2003, the third building will be part of the Museum's Cold War Expansion, enabling the Air Force's national historical intitution to exhibit more aircraft and affording the museum additional space to create a Cold War Gallery. The gallery will portray the USAF's vital role in helping American democracy triumph over Soviet communism anal will explore significant geopolitical changes and technological innovations the era produced.

In early April, the Corps of Engineers announced the awarding of the $16.6 million contract to Monarch Construction for the building of the third hangar, or Phase I of the museum's Cold War expansion. This phase represents the centerpiece of the expansion, with the other two to include a tower to house the museum's world-class collection ot Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and new space gallery.

The scheduled 2003 opening of the building coincides with major events at the museum and around Dayton celebrating the Centennial of Flight. Museum officials plan to roll out for permanent public exhibit a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.