Adding a new hangar and restaurant...
As the collection of aircraft at the Palm Springs Air Museum continues to grow, there's a need for more space to house these restored relics from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars.
As part of the long-term build-out of the 10-acre property on Gene Autry Trail — adjacent to Palm Springs International Airport —plans are underway for a new 20,000 square-foot hangar, two-story restaurant and additional parking. Officials also want to create new entrances to the air museum and airport tarmac.
On Wednesday, the Palm Springs Airport Commission approved the site layout, presented by the museum's managing director, Fred Bell.
"This isn't the architectural — just where we're going to start laying everything out," Bell told The Desert Sun.
The new hangar will be situated south of where the current air museum building and its two hangars now sit.
The new facility will be named in honor of U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen Kenneth Miles — a highly-decorated Vietnam War veteran and a philanthropist noted for his leadership at the air museum.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen Kenneth Miles, pictured early
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen Kenneth Miles, pictured early in his career, was a philanthropist noted for his leadership at the air museum. (Photo: Provided photo)
Miles, a Palm Desert resident who died April 27, 2014 at the age of 86, was a career military man with more than three decades of service. Miles, a combat pilot, flew 337 missions from 1967 to 1968 over Vietnam alone.
He was the recipient of the Silver Star, the third-highest honor given to military members for valor in combat, and numerous other military awards including two Distinguished Flying Crosses.
After retiring from the military, Miles served on the board of the air museum. In 2010, the museum named its state-of-the-art Aviation Science Center in his honor.
During an air museum gala in February 2014 that honored decorated veterans, Miles pledged $250,000 for a new museum hangar that will house Korean and Vietnam War-era aircraft.
"We've been working almost since literally when he passed away on moving this project forward and getting the design done," Bell said. "We still have to do a great deal of fundraising for this project."
Bell said about $1 million has been raised, about half of what's needed but enough to "start the planning phase."
The Palm Springs Air Museum plans another 20,000 square-foot hangar, two-story restaurant, parking spaces and second entrances into museum and tarmac. The drawings were prepared by Lusardi Construction Company. On Friday, a restored F-86 Sabre jet fighter aircraft was dedicated in honor of Miles, who flew the aircraft in combat during the Korean War. The aircraft is painted in the colors of Miles' original plane.
"We're building on Gen. Miles' vision in expanding the museum into the Vietnam and Korea-era and his vision of having a place that was a centralized point to display the airplanes," Bell said. "We have grown to the maximum of what we can house internally, so this is a natural progression for us."
The Palm Springs Air Museum was named by CNN as one of the top 14 air museums in the world. The air museum is only one of five in the United States to make the list.
"The next step is to keep building on that kind of reputation and add coverage and a way to protect these extremely rare jets and aircraft that we're restoring now," Bell said.
Three aircraft with the Presidential Aviation Experience exhibit — chronicling the Bush family history — will be housed in the new hangar.
The World War II-era Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger patrol bomber was the type flown by former President George H.W. Bush.. The EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare jet was flown in to the museum from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN- 77), where it was retired in November.
And the recently-acquired Cold War-era F-102 Delta Dagger interceptor aircraft, which former President George W. Bush flew with the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group while serving with the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.
The Palm Springs Air Museum recently acquired a Cold War-era F-102A Delta Dagger interceptor aircraft which will undergo extensive renovations. This aircraft last flew with the Minnesota Air National Guard.
A two-story restaurant — 5,000 square-feet of space downstairs and 3,000 upstairs — will be located on the south side of the new hangar and will include outdoor seating.
"We do a lot of special events at the museum — catered events — and we have the (hangar) doors open," Bell said. "Everybody comments on what a spectacular view the museum has. It's an uninhibited view of San Jacinto and the mountains and the airport."
Officials also want the city to approve another driveway into the air museum from Gene Autry Trail.
"We're also going to add another entry to the tarmac so bigger planes can come in. If we had a military C-17 that wanted to come in for a display ... we can get larger aircraft down here," Bell said.
Currently, planes that enter the air museum grounds have to turn around on a large cement pad in order to exit. A pathway will be created between entrances on the museum property so the planes can taxi in one way and and out the other.
"This takes us to the next level of being able to offer a world-class facility in Palm Springs," Bell said. "We're unique in that we're one of the few flying museums left in the United States."
The Palm Springs Air Museum is still collecting donations for the projects.
Information: (760) 778-6262 or visit palmspringsairmuseum.org
Denise Goolsby is The Desert Sun's columnist for history and profiles. She can be reached at
Denise.Goolsby@DesertSun.com and on Twitter @DeniseGoolsby
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