Warbird Information Exchange

As long as they can field strip a .50 in sub zero weather at 30,000 feet in a fire fight, to clear jammed round, they can crew on my ship any day.

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Andrew King
Air Museum Director with no Museum to Direct
Open to Suggestions

I really wish that they would have picked the name of an actual aviation hero to rename this museum. Really unfortunate.
You have to be a real ego maniac to usurp the honor when so many are infinitely more deserving.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Unfortunate? A 65 million donation sounds quite deserving to me. Chuck Yeager center perhaps?

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Zero Surprise!!...

Yeah, he wrote a check . Great-thanks. But did he ever risk his life for aviation? Did he develop some new aviation tech or complete a record breaking feat? Flew a combat mission?

No. He just wrote a check.

James H. Doolittle comes to mind as a worthy aviation hero.

But that is how it is in the US, you can buy anything, including honor, just write a check. How about a little humility?

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Tony perhaps there's a different way to view this. I wouldn't say he bought anything, I would say he paid for quite a bit and perhaps this building with his name on it wouldn't be the building it is today to have his name on it if it weren't for the 65 million reasons "others chose" to put his name on it.

FWIW you can call any building any name you want if you donate that kind of gift. Whether it was him or others who made the decision to name the building after him, I could care less quite frankly. The generosity of his gift to the center is quite enough for me to show nothing more than appreciation and humility. He earned it in my book. Enough said.

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Zero Surprise!!...

Thanks Mark. Point taken. His donation was actually $60 million, not 65, which of course is welcome nonetheless.

Let's say you wrote a check to the museum. And the board comes up says, "Mark, we want to name the museum after you". Would you really be comfortable with that? Now Mark, I don't know you but for what I read on here. But it would be my guess that you would have the humility and the decency to say no and mention to the board that there are others more deserving. I guess I'll have write a few more checks before I can really complain.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Smithson just wrote a check too. Freer? Sackler, they just had piles of old oriental crap lying around.Hirshhorn? buncha wierd pictures, right?

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

I see nothing wrong with the name. Look at all of the hospitals, college buildings, theatres, symphony halls, and athletic venues that are named for people who wrote huge checks but were not doctors, professors, actors, musicians, or athletes. Happens all the time. Egotistical? Only if the donor is still alive. But so what? If it weren't for their generosity and philanthropy, the deed would likely have gone undone and the need would likely not have been fulfilled.

YOMV.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida

Correct you are Tony, you don't know me and no one else here on this kooky website does either. I'm not sure humility and decency would have anything to do with it, but I probably would have suggested something on the lines of the MNUSAF Veterans Memorial Center or something along those lines, but that's just me, and I suppose we can never have enough memorial buildings right?

Also FWIW I've done my fair share of donating funds to what I think are worthy causes, including a few warbird organizations, and all I got was a few lousy t-shirts ... Lol

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Zero Surprise!!...

One last thing because I find this conversation to be a bit interesting, and then I'll shut up and go back to posting old airplane photos.

I'm a firm believer in rewarding those who make an effort to do Good. Whether that be to change your life for the better, to show heroism, compassion and service to your fellow man ... on and on. ... But I'm not one to shower you with accolades because you may feel you deserve it. That's for me to decide and not you, vise versa. One must earn their praise, not demand it. It's the old adage of "don't tell me what your going to do, show me what you have done"

Not the direction I personally would take but I think the man earned his right to have his name on a building. He's just as much a hero for his philanthropy as someone who breaks the sound barrier. Hero's come from all directions of life for all different reasons.

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Zero Surprise!!...

Thanks Mark. I'll think about what you and the others posted.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Not a problem Tony, your opinions are just as valid and hold just as much weight as the rest of us, don't ever forget that my friend.

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Zero Surprise!!...

I like this name

The American Aviation Museum of America
by Udvar-Hazy

Has a ring to it!

2 cents have been given.

Well...allrightythen. Don't have to tell me to have fun...this will be my third time to Udvar-Hazy, first time with my new camera and three extra sets of batteries Was hoping to spend the night in the DC area to go back for a second set of photos, but there appears to be a big, nasty storm coming this way. Maybe I could talk one of them there hot chix into letting me spend the night in their hangar? Hmmm.....

All photo requests have been duly noted and I shall do my best to take care of those first.

I can't help but to feel like a little kid at Christmas in anticipation

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Earn my respect and never lose it.
Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

You are right about that. Sexy and classy.


Chappie

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Brrring. Dispersal? TWO SECTIONS SCRAMBLE!!