Warbird Information Exchange

Hi guys

I have a very specific problem.

I am a book dealer in the UK. I have an elderly customer in the US to whom I frequently sell books. His intention was to donate the entire collection to his local aviation museum (I believe in Spokane Washington). However, he has been hit by a double misfortune - his wife is sick and had to go into a home, and the museum has told him that the reading room / library may not be a secure area - therefore books could easily go missing.

This is not the outcome he wanted - many of the books are very rare and expensive (I should know as I sold him quite a few)

The guy is a veteran, a former F-86 Sabre mechanic

Are there any museums that would be willing to take the collection on? I am just making tentative enquiries at the moment, and I will pass any information on to the relevant party.

Thanks for your help!

Richard

Oddly enough, I'm in the Spokane area and I believe I know which museum you're referring to.
If it's the same one, they recently had a sale of some donated books (nothing too rare or valuable, but I gave them $20 for 3-4 and a few old Air International magazines) as a fund raiser.

I'll be facing the same issue in 10 years, I'd like to donate my books (which include many autographed volumes) as a collection, but it seems few museums have the space or personnel to care for them.

I made a similar enquiry on this forum.
I'd like to find a museum that has a good educational or research program, however I'm afraid that the books will eventually go missing or sold off at $1 or 2 apiece to raise money. I have some books I bought from CAF squadron which have that history.

One regional museum that MIGHT be interested is the Western Antique Automobile and Aviation Museum in Hood River, Oregon.
Another might be the Hill Aerospace museum in Utah, but I don't know if they have a library or education program.
None of the universities in this area have aviation engineering programs.

If he's interested in selling any separately, I'd be pleased to look them over, just PM me.

Thanks for the info. I don't think he wants to sell them as he's gone out of his way to buy them from me over the years. Just unfortunate that the museum seems to be messing him around.

Will try contacting those museums you mentioned

Please let me know what you find out...when I recently revised my will, the destination of my aviation collection was "to be determined".

Don't be too upset with the museum, if it's the one I'm thinking of, it's just getting off the ground and right now it's being run by volunteers who have more ambition than experience.

Thanks, will try and remember to update you