TRAVIS HERITAGE CENTER REOPENS TO BASE VISITORS
Aviation museum was closed for year during the pandemic
After a one-year hiatus, due to the coronavirus, the history of the United States Air Force came alive again at the Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center Monday when the aviation museum reopened for visitors.
However, as Director Kevin Sullivan reminded the crowd during a speech, volunteers still worked hard during that time to update the museum. The gift shop was relocated to the front, and a new exhibit displaying a restored O-2A Super Skymaster used during the Vietnam War was set up.
“We still managed to get a lot of work accomplished here doing this time during the year we were closed,” he said.
Previously called the Travis Air Museum, the Heritage Center opened in 1986 as a way to preserve and educate others on the history of the Air Force with a particular emphasis on Travis. On the grounds, visitors will find a wide variety of aircraft spanning several decades and numerous artifacts ranging from past uniforms to debris recovered from missions to photos of past U.S. presidents visiting the base.
Sullivan, who assumed the position of director in October, said there were plans to continue to update the museum before it eventually relocates just off base to make it more accessible to the general public. One plan was to make the exhibits more interactive, including by bringing in tablets and touchscreens to allow visitors to learn more about a particular aircraft or artifact.
“It will bring up fact sheets, specifications for it,” he told The Reporter.
Another plan is to convert the old gift shop, located on the righthand side of the building, into a classroom offering training for firstyear airmen.
“We’re trying to make us as valuable as we can for both the Air Force community and surrounding area,” Sullivan said.
Bob Whitehouse, president of the Travis Heritage Center Foundation, said the new gift shop was a proud accomplishment. The new shop continues to sell shirts, mugs, books, toy aircraft, and other souvenirs, now in a prime location easily noticeable to anyone entering or leaving the building.
Whitehouse was also excited about working with the 60th Air Mobility Wing on efforts to establish a new Heritage Center off the base to make the center more open to the public. Currently, the center is only open to those who already have access to the base, in
cluding active duty airmen, veterans, spouses, and retirees. During non-COVID times, those without military IDs must present valid identification and complete a background check to apply for a visit. Plans for the new museum include space to host banquets, weddings, and other events.
“In the not-too-distant future, we hope to be able to announce a location and plans for building a new Heritage Center that will be something that both the community and the base can be proud of,” he said.
Col. Zach Jiron, vice commander of the 60th Air Mobility Wing, expressed gratitude toward the many
volunteers who put in thousands of hours to shape the center.
“I know what this building’s like in the summer, and I know what it’s like in the winter,” he said. “In the winter, you’re in here with your winter coats on, and in the summertime, you’re sweating it out, but thank you for everything that you do every day.”
Volunteer David Trojan even conducted a tour of the museum, showcasing the various artifacts inside and outside. The indoor highlights included the debris recovered from the 1950 plane crash that killed Brigadier General Robert Travis — the base’s namesake —, a Piper L-4 Grasshopper — the first plane to land at the base —, exhibits on the Tuskeegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots, and a Fat Man atomic bomb from Travis’ plane.
The outdoor portion of the museum continues to house a diverse array of aircraft. These include a C-124, a transport plane used in the ‘50s and ‘60s; an A-26K Invader, an early firebomber used in World War II; an SA-16 Albatross, an amphibious plane that could land on water and was used for rescue operations; a C-119 Flying Boxcar, a transport plane which could drop troops by parachute and was primarily used during the Korean War; a B-29 Superfortress that downed two Japanese planes during World War II; a C-47 similar to the ones used in the Normandy invasion; and a C-7 Caribou used for training during the Vietnam War which had been extensively restored over the years.
Sullivan said he was very happy for the museum to be open again.
“I started here in October, and it was closed the whole time,” he said. “It’s really quiet in there. It will be nice to have visitors back.”
Trojan said it was also a nice opportunity to showcase the hard work volunteers have done.
“We’ve been doing restoration work this past year,” he said. “It’s nice to finally show off the work we’ve been doing.”
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more information, visit Travisheritagecenter.org.