Museum of Aerial Firefighting Needs Help

The Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting in Greybull, Wyoming is running out of time. On August 22 and 23 the former Hawkins and Powers assets will be auctioned off and any chance of the museum retaining historic firefighting aircraft will be gone forever. Museum curator Ralph Reiner needs to raise $900k in order to purchase 6 examples of the aerial firefighting aircraft used by Hawkins and Powers. The museum is a 501 (C)(3) non profit corporation making donations up to $1 million tax deductible.

The museum's goal is to preserve firefighting tankers. After the closure of Hawkins and Powers in 2005, the museum was left to stand on its own. Since then the museum has operated out of a log cabin that was built in 1902 and still does not have electricity.

Many historic aircraft such as the C-119 used in the remake of the movie, Flight of the Phoenix, starring Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson and Giovani Ribisi; a KC-97 used in the Berlin Airlift, and the only remaining flyable C-82 Packet are still in Greybull but may not be for much longer. Since the commercial value of the aircraft being auctioned is limited it is expected that items not sold to private collectors or other museums will be sold as scrap.

The museum has a tentative lease for 12 acres adjoining a Wyoming Highway Department Rest Area on Hwy 20 and intend to build a building for displays that can't be kept outside as well as pads for the aircraft to sit on. However, as the auction nears the chance of the museum retaining any of the aircraft at all is getting slimmer.

The museum is on a major vacation travel route to the east of Yellowstone National Park and would give travelers a chance to stop and see a part of aviation history. The Museum's website is http://www.tctwest.net/~flight and e-mail address is flight@tctwest.net

The auction is being hosted by Great American Group whose website is www.greatamerican.com

From left to right, Consolidated PB4Y Tanker 124, Fairchild C-119, Consolidated PB4Y Tanker 126 and a Boeing KC-97.

From left to right, Fairchild C-82 Packet and
two Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars.

Copyright © 2004 - 2025 Images of Light Internet Press Service (ILIPS), Silver State News Service, Golden State News Service, Copper State News Service, Silver State Photo News, Golden State Photo News, Copper State Photo News, Tankertown & Mark S. "Bear" Daniels