UNITY IN LEARNING ROSIE THE RIVETERS HANGAR UPDATE Bosch Community Foundation Learn about the real women behind Important updates on the Hangar enriches education the famous icon Construction Project $6.00 A PUBLICATION OF THE YANKEE AIR MUSEUM WINTER 2019 Introducing our newest Air Adventures fleet member UH-1H HUEY WINTER 2019 inside COVER Introducing the UH-1H Huey 06 Yankee Air Museum introduces a new flyable aircraft to their Air Adventures program. FEATURES 20 32 Unity in Learning Boosting Ypsilanti Rosie the Riveters: Schools The Women, The Myth, The Legend Bosch Community Learn about the real women behind the iconic Foundation enriches Rosie the Riveter and the volunteer movement she education by encouraging spurred on at the Museum. hands-on education at Yankee Air Museum. DEPARTMENTS 23 26 From the Director Unity in Learning Construction 4 Lab Class Update on Hangar 12 Curator’s Corner Opportunities Project Learn about the exciting Important updates on 14 Upcoming Events educational programming the Hangar Construction offered through Unity in Project for the Historic Learning at the Museum. Flying Aircraft Collection. 19 Spotlight: Deep Landings Exhibit Opening © 2019 Yankee Air Force, Inc. / The Yankee Air Museum and the National Museum of Aviation and Technology are trademarks of the Yankee Air Force, Inc. WINTER 2019 3 YANKEE AIR MUSEUM ONLINE All New & Ready to Explore 47884 D Street Belleville, MI 48111-1126 We’ve recently completed a website update! 734-483-4030 There are so many new features to browse and explore. www.YankeeAirMuseum.org Book a tour, renew your Yankee Air Museum Membership, check out the wide variety of events happening in 2019 and Smithsonian Affiliate 2020, read all the details on the aircraft you’re going to fly in your upcoming Air Adventure, and even help us build a YANKEE AIR MUSEUM YANKEE AIR MUSEUM hangar for our aircraft. There’s so much to explore at the all 2019 STAFF 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS new and improved YankeeAirMuseum.org Kevin T. Walsh Executive Director Raymond Hunter Julie Osborne Chairman Curatorial Director William Rands III Les Klima Vice Chairman Senior Accountant Randy Hotton Dave Callanan Treasurer Outreach Services Director Paul Hakala Robert A. Bovitz Aircraft Maintenance Director Karl Couyoumjian Megan Favio Director of Air Adventures, Peter DeLoof Membership & Communications Brian Higgins Ashley Myers Bob Hynes Thunder Over Michigan Director James Rucker of Guest Experiences, Analytics & Insights David R. Steiner Sarah Lewkowicz Ellsworth Stout Retail/Visitor Experience Manager Rob Wood Steve Hopper Event Support Harold ‘Speed’ Gant Christina Warren Director Emeritus Customer Service Center Associate William Hanney Irene Korich Director Emeritus Development Administrative Assistant Richard Stewart Sarah Richards Reyes Director Emeritus Membership Assistant A publication of the Yankee Air Museum PUBLICATION CREDITS Editor Kevin Walsh Contributing Writers Julie Osborne, Kevin Walsh, Wildesign.Graphics Publication Design Wildesign.Graphics Editorial Photography Yankee Air Museum and Ann Arbor Hands On Museum Printing Courtesy of Inland Press Questions or comments? Please email Approaches editor, Kevin Walsh at [email protected] SUPPORTED BY 4 APPROACHES // YankeeAirMuseum.org OPEN YEAR-ROUND! ©2019 YANKEE AIR MUSEUM DIRECTOR’S NOTE A potent punch to the Yankee Air Museum’s Air Adventures program In the early evening hours of Thursday, September 26th, with no fanfare and only a small maintenance crowd present, the latest addition to the Yankee Air Museum’s Air Adventures fleet arrived. After traveling four days by specialized truck and trailer from the restoration shop in Olympia, Washington, the Yankee Air Museum’s pristinely-restored, flyable UH-1H Huey Helicopter (s/n 66-01126) was gently offloaded by Connelly Crane Rental Corporation and welcomed into the Museum’s Air Adventures family. But why a Huey, and why now? I think William S. Burroughs said it best, “If You’re Not Growing, You’re Dying.” The key to most successful businesses is engaging in diversity of its product line and strategically expanding its business model. Not negating the current needs for a new hangar for the Historic Flying Aircraft Collection, the Museum cannot cease doing business as an aviation institution and would be remised to lose focus on continuing to look for additional revenue streams. It is all about asset allocation. We have to constantly be asking, “what return on investment are we getting out of an asset?” or “what asset can we invest in to provide a better ROI?” After years of exploring the concept of adding a Huey helicopter to the Museum’s Air Adventures program, an idea has become a solid reality. But where will we see the additional ROI with a Huey? The Huey helicopter broadens our reach to safely go into airfields with shorter runways and even grass runways to provide Air Adventures in locations unreachable today. Additionally, the Huey allows us to fly Air Adventures from non-aviation events and/or non-aviation locations. This very concept provides markets that were unserviceable with any other type of aircraft. We know through the proven popularity of Huey flights, that the aircraft provides easy walk-up sales and a price point that is within reach of the majority of guests. In that, we increase our engagement level and per capita for each person visiting the Museum or special event we are affiliated with. Lastly, when you look at the generations who have served our nation, the next largest group of active veterans are now our Vietnam veterans. It is important that our Museum continues to connect to this group of distinguished veterans. What better way to represent their service than through the single-most iconic aircraft that supported their conflict? Without a doubt, we could go on about the reasons that the Yankee Air Museum needed to add a UH-1H Huey to our Historic Flying Aircraft Collection, but I think we will let the results of the program speak for themselves. Bring on the 2020 flying season! 6 APPROACHES // YankeeAirMuseum.org FLIGHT DISCOUNT WITH MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP RIIDDE AA R E OO EE NN V IIV TT GG HH EE A A DD VV E E EE NN D TT II D UU SS RROOUUSS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON GIVE THE GIFT THAT CREATES EXCITEMENT • BUILDS ANTICIPATION • AND OVER DELIVERS! Order a gift card today at YANKEEAIRMUSEUM.ORG/FLY Waco Biplane B-25 Yankee Warrior C-47 Hairless Joe B-17 Yankee Lady (734) 483-4030 | 47884 D Street | Belleville, MI 48111 NEW ACQUISITION FOR THE MUSEUM Whup… whup... whup... For many across the country, that noise is the unmistakable signature of the military helicopter UH-1 Iroquois, but more known by its nickname, the Huey. For thousands of American troops in faraway places, that noise meant that help was on the way. As it grew louder and closer, even when the chopper tilted down and blew dust or rain or grass into their faces, they welcomed it. 8 APPROACHES // YankeeAirMuseum.org NEW ACQUISITION The whup-whup-whup noise of the Huey lifted troops into and out of combat, brought desperately needed supplies, rushed the wounded to hospitals, and filled more roles than any other aircraft of the Vietnam era. Vietnam truly was a helicopter war. They seemed everywhere in the sky, and their courageous crews seemed eager to go back and back again, becoming symbols together of American strength and determination. The Yankee Air Museum is proud to announce that it has added a UH-1H Huey to its Historic Flying Aircraft Collection. Soon, that unmistakable sound will take to the skies over Willow Run Airport and Washtenaw County, to allow countless guests the thrill of what is was like to fly this extremely versatile aircraft that remains the most identifiable symbol of the Vietnam War. WINTER 2019 9 NEW ACQUISITION This aircraft served in combat from October, 1967 through December, 1971. The motto of the 240th AHC was “Go Greyhound and leave the flying to us,” a play on the bus company’s famous motto. Our new Huey, serial number 66-01126, was purchased to us,” a play on the bus company’s famous motto. The by the U.S. Army in March, 1967. This aircraft served in credit goes to Major Glen Hoffman, the first in-country combat from October, 1967 through December, 1971. commander of the 240th AHC. In an effort to build morale, Throughout much of its time in Vietnam, 66-01126 served Hoffman took a long shot and in March, 1967 sent a letter with the 240th Assault Helicopter Company, known as the to the CEO of the Greyhound Bus Company explaining “Greyhounds, Mad Dogs, and Kennel Keepers.” The 240th the idea of why they had chosen the name Greyhounds, AHC operated UH-1C gunships, armed with mini-guns and “Based on the idea of speed and dependability and rockets in the gun platoon with the call sign “Mad Dog,” — in line with the famous Greyhound buses — safety and a transport or slick platoon flying UH-1H slicks whose and service to our passengers.” His letter ended with a call sign was “Greyhound.” The maintenance platoon was request: “We would be proud to have Greyhound sponsor known as the “Kennel Keepers.” our company.” In a time when sponsoring a helicopter company in Vietnam could be construed as supporting When you see the new Huey, you may recognize a the war (and thus a big public relations risk), Hoffman familiar logo on the aircraft: that of a Greyhound. Yes, that was stunned when he received a care package from the Greyhound — The Greyhound Bus Company. The motto Greyhound Bus Company that included fifty seventeen- of the 240th AHC was “Go Greyhound and leave the flying inch Greyhound logos. The bus company’s employees 10 APPROACHES // YankeeAirMuseum.org NEW ACQUISITION “Six Hours in Hell,” on May 2, 1968.