Hide Article Text (OCR)
MUSEUMFROM A1March, Labar said. Many of the retirees are expert mechanics, metalsmiths and have a wealth of knowledge about aviation and military history.“Our volunteers are ail getting up in their 80s,” he said. Despite their expertise, a lot of the aircraft restoration work at the museum is too difficult for the senior citizens.Another factor is the climate in the Valley, an issue cited by the Confederate Air Forcewhen its headquarters moved from Harlingen to Midland in 1991, Labar said. “We’re losing the battle with salt air.”Salt air from the nearby Gulf of Mexico causes pitting and corrosion on alumnuin aircraft, he said.The islands,” or superstructures, of two aircraft carriers, the USS Iwo Jima and USS Cabot, will be turned over to naval museums, if possible, Labar said, “We’re negotiating with 10 museums that want the Iwo Jima. We’re talking tothe Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg about the Cabot.”The islands,” which were the command centers of the aircraft carriers, were saved from ship-breaking companies at the Port of Brownsville. The Iwo Jima became famous as the recovery ship for the Apollo 13 astronauts.Houston died of a heart attack in November 2002 while working on a project to restore the Cabot and convert it into an indoor museum and movietheater.Since his death, several aircraft have been sold or transferred to other Texas Air Museum locations, partly due to a shortage of hangar space in Rio Hondo, Labar said. They included a pair of large Russian An-2 transport planes and a powerful AT-6 Texan” advanced trainer.There are three aircraft he will try to find museum homes for in the Valley, Labar said. A tiny Aerobat (lying wing, built by an inventor at the formerPan American Airways hangars in Brownsville, should go to the Commemorative Air Force Rio Grande Valley Wing in Brownsville, and two ultralight aircraft built at EMAir in Harlingen, the Greenwood Witch” and a Toucan, should stay in Harlingen, Labar said.As the museum's collection outgrew Texas Dusting Service’s hangar and other buildings, land was purchased next to the business where two more buildings were constructed.Labar said he hopes volunteers who have supported the Texas Air Museum at Rio Hondo will direct their energies into helping the CAF in Brownsville, Brownsville's Children's Museum, the struggling Rio Grande Valley Museum in Harlingen or other museums.Right now I feel real sad,” Labar.said. I’ve been here nine years and I've enjoyed every minute of it.”
Newspaper Details
Valley Morning Star
Harlingen, Texas, US
Fri, Feb 11, 2005
Page 20
Full Page
Clipped by
Blake W.
NA, 09 Aug 2023
Other Publications Near Harlingen, Texas
Valley Morning Star
Harlingen Star
Harlingen Valley Sunday Star Monitor Herald
Harlingen Rio Grande Farmer
Harlingen Valley Weekly Star
