Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center

During 2000, the museum working group determined that a new Travis Air Force Base museum was not only necessary, but was also in the best interests of both the Air Force and the local community. A new site was identified: some 16 acres near the Travis Air Force Base hospital. The Campaign for the "Aviation Museum of the New Millennium" began and an artist's conception of the new museum building was created.[1]

Unfortunately, after the September 11, 2001 attacks, security changes on base and other considerations resulted in a search for another base site.

From 2004 to 2009, guidance and advice on the challenges of building a new museum were obtained from many sources, in particular the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Omaha, Nebraska, the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington and the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

In the spring of 2010, Colonel James C. Vechery, Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base officially confirmed that a parcel of property on Travis Air Force Base accessible to the general public would be the home of a new Air Force-owned and operated Air Museum.

In April 2011, the foundation had raised approximately $1 million of the required $34+ million. Many companies and persons have donated, including Jelly Belly Candy Company, which is headquartered in Fairfield, California, and an endorsement by actor Tom Hanks.[3] In July 2011, a new design plan for the proposed expansion was released by the fundraising committee, Wings of Valor Capital Campaign.

As of 2014, The Foundation has found a lot near the Nut Tree Airport. This area will give the military and non-military public a chance to view the history of the collection.[4][5]

This area of the museum covers training equipment and aircraft that have been involved with Travis Air Force Base throughout the years. Museum artifacts include an F-100 simulator, T-37 simulator, BT-13 Valiant, and PT-19.[42]

This area of the museum is an informational and educational dedication to the Wright Brothers, the founders of modern powered flight.[43]

This exhibit highlights the 94th Aero Squadron and its service in France in 1918-1919 during World War I. The exhibit also retains original copies of the Stars and Stripes newspaper from that era.[44]

The inter war exhibit is a dedication to peacetime flight in America between the World Wars. It covers the 1927 Grand Canyon flights, Billy Mitchell's Bombers, the "Spirit of St. Louis", and a display of an AT-17 Bobcat trainer.[45]

This section of the museum houses exhibits on the Flying Tigers, the Doolittle Raid, Women Airforce Service Pilots, a Fat Man atomic bomb, and two aircraft displays, a L-4 Grasshopper and Waco CG-4 glider.[46]

This museum exhibit is extensive, and covers the Berlin Airlift, early Strategic Air Command operations of the base, and miscellaneous information about the accomplishments of Travis airmen during that time.[47]

Travis Air Force Base played a large role in the Korean War. The museum mirrors this with a display of a C-119 Flying Boxcar (outside), display of General Robert F. Travis's B-29 Superfortress crash artifacts, and information on how Travis Air Force Base became the "Gateway to the Pacific".[48]

This area of the museum covers operations of the time, such as Operation Homecoming. There is also a dedication to Vietnam nurses.[49]

The museum highlights the fact that Travis Air Force Base was the home of some significant modern aircraft. There are displays on the C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy, strategic airlift, and aerial refueling.[50]

This section of the museum houses dedications to the Mercury space program, the Gemini space program, and a display of an X-15 prototype rocket engine.[51]

This exhibit contains displays about various humanitarian missions throughout the years, including Operation Babylift, in which South Vietnamese orphans were flown out of Vietnam in 1975.[52]

The museum also houses many original pieces of art, various aircraft engines, both radial/reciprocating and turbine, an AGM-28 Hound Dog cruise missile, military uniforms, a military coin collection, and an extensive research library.[53]