The Grissom Air Museum of Peru, Indiana has developed a clever program for maintaining its collection of 26 military aircraft that are all on display outdoors. The Museum’s PROP program allows individuals or groups to adopt a plane and contribute either monetarily or through their labor to contribute to the upkeep of the historic craft that without regular attention would soon succumb to the elements in Indiana’s harsh climate.
(Image Credit: GAM)
(Image Credit: GAM)
Level Three is for those with the resources to provide tax deductible donations that would be used to purchase materials, supplies, and equipment that the museum would use to make needed restorations. Both materials and supplies are consumables, so these items need are in need of constant replenishment.
Level Four, for skilled labor or craftsmen, involves those people who have been trained and have experience in aviation mechanics and/or aircraft restoration. Those with a background in areas such as corrosion control, metal fabrication, or aircraft mechanics, can donate their skill-set and knowledge to an aircraft that needs that type of work done on it.
By enlisting the public and giving them “ownership” of the planes and the opportunity to get a very up close and personal experience with their warbird, interest in the planes is increased along with community involvement, to say nothing of the value of getting needed work done. With a fast growing collection, the Grissom Air Museum has come up with a true win-win program that is fiendishly simple and clever at the same time. The only issue we could foresee with a program like this would be with the facility’s insurance carrier.