TILLAMOOK AIR MUSEUM: COMMUNITY SHOWS UP FOR VOLUNTEER EVENT; FRIENDS OF TILLAMOOK AIR MUSEUM CONTRIBUTES $50,000

What an incredible evening!

Nearly 80 volunteers took time out of their evening this past Friday night, October 9th to join us at the Tillamook Air Museum, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Thanks to all of you, we accomplished an amazing amount of work! We moved airplanes, cleaned exhibits, helped get our gift shop ready, and tackled countless other projects as we prepare to reopen our doors.

Friday night was a wonderful reminder of just how special our community truly is. Seeing so many people come together, roll up their sleeves, and give their time to help the museum was both humbling and inspiring.

We also want to extend a HUGE thank you to some wonderful organizations and businesses who helped make the evening possible!

Friends of the Tillamook Air Museum (FOTAM) SAVE Hangar B for organizing food and beverages for our volunteers and their continued support and dedication to the Museum.

Main Street Pizza for generously providing food for our hardworking volunteers.

Safeway of Tillamook for keeping everyone refreshed with beverages throughout the evening.

Christenson Electric of Portland for generously donating their time and expertise to help us address some important electrical needs as we prepare to reopen.

Civil Air Patrol, Tillamook County Composite Squadron

We cannot thank everyone enough for your generosity, hard work, and willingness to help. After everything we’ve been through over the past ten months, your continued support means more to us than we can possibly express.

We still have work ahead of us, but thanks to your efforts, we’re one big step closer to welcoming visitors back through our doors.

To everyone who showed up, lent a hand, or contributed in any way, THANK YOU! We are incredibly fortunate to have so many wonderful people standing behind the Tillamook Air Museum.

𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒!

We’re proud to share that Friends of the Tillamook Air Museum (FOTAM) has donated $50,000 to Vintage Aviation Museum to help repair the storm-damaged roof of historic Hangar B!

Every dollar of this gift came from you. It was raised one donation at a time through FOTAM’s volunteer-led Save Hangar B campaign: individual gifts, GoFundMe contributions, merchandise sales, and local events. To every volunteer who worked a table, every neighbor who chipped in, and every person who shared a post: thank you. This is your gift to Hangar B.

Where the money goes

These funds will go directly toward roof repair to close the large hole torn in Hangar B’s roof by last December’s storm. Sealing that opening is the most urgent step in protecting the hangar, and the aircraft inside it, before winter weather sets in.

Who does what

We know there have been a lot of changes, so here’s how it works now:

Vintage Aviation Museum (VAM), a Utah-based 501(c)(3), is now the museum’s owner and operator, and plans to bring most of its aircraft collection to Tillamook.

The Port of Tillamook Bay continues to own the land and leases it to VAM.

Tillamook Air Museum staff is staying on and caring for the hangar, the aircraft, and the collection day-to-day.

FOTAM / Save Hangar B is a separate, volunteer-run nonprofit that raises funds for the museum and Hangar B.

And one thing will never change: this is, and will always be, the Tillamook Air Museum.

Why more funding is still needed

We’ve heard your questions, and they’re fair ones. The change in ownership did not come with a repair budget. As a nonprofit, VAM can often get work done faster and for less than a government agency can, but donations are what pay for it.

FEMA approved funding to the Port for debris removal and asbestos abatement only, with the Port covering a 25% match. The roof repair itself is not covered. It’s also only the first step in protecting one of the largest wooden clear-span structures in the world.

$50,000 is a strong start, but it’s not the finish line. We promise to keep you updated regularly on what’s been raised, what it’s paying for, and what comes next.

How you can help