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Click on thumbnail photographs for best viewing
Artist's view of the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum planned gallery expansion to three times the current size. Since the Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum construction and dedication in 1992, the number of items to be exhibited has grown significantly. To increase the number of exhibits, an expansion is required. The present area for displays, storage, and restoration is 5,000 square feet. The planned expansion will more than double the area for exhibits. A large gallery will be added to the south end of the present building, and will include meeting and library rooms in addition to the expanded exhibit area. Some retrofitting of the present building will be done also. The Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum is an Indiana not-for-profit corporation. If you desire to contribute to the expansion fund, your contribution is tax deductible and you will help preserve the military history of this community. Contributions can be sent to: Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum 4770 Ray Boll Boulevard Columbus, IN 47203. The Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum, Inc. is a 501C3 non-profit organization. C-45 Expeditor #52-10571A
A C-45 Expeditor 1/8 scale model aircraft is now on display at the museum bringing the fleet of one of a kind large scale aircraft currently on display to 12. Some of these hand crafted models have wing spans up to 15-feet.
Pond Knob crash site in West Virginia 2010 photo. Pilot's daughter in the 2010 photo, Sandra Holtkamp with local host for her trip to the crash site, Rick Bradford.
Pond Knob crash site and parts of the 1958 Bakalar C-45 aircraft crash still remain on the mountain. Photos by Sandra Holtkamp. This scale model aircraft represents the one in the 7 September 1958 crash where four lives were lost. The aircraft stationed at Bakalar Air Force Base was assigned to CONAC 10th AF 2466th ARFC. The Bakalar pilots were, Major George A. Smith and Captain Edward E. Holtkamp, both of Columbus Indiana. Also CAP (Civil Air Patrol) members from West Virginia were lost in the crash 30-miles southeast of Charleston, West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. William Hamilton of Huntington, West Virginia were on board at the time of the crash. According to former Bakalar AFB Commander, Major General John Hoff (Ret.) ROTC personnel also flew the Bakalar C-45's to maintain their flying hours. There were two C-45 aircraft assigned to the air base according to former base staff. During the 1950's, 900 C-45's were rebuilt for the Air Force, received new serial numbers and were designated C-45G's and C-45H's. The C-45's were used for administrative and light cargo duties. This is the military version of the Beechcraft Model 18. They had two Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 hp engines with a cruising speed of 150 mph. Scroll down toward the bottom of this web page to see more about the museum's unique collection of large scale aircraft.
The William "Bruce" Dalton family at the museum for the media center dedication and open house event April 25, 2010. Bruce's widow, Wanda in the center of the photos surrounded by her family.
The media center mural is a stylized painting of this photo of WWII Pilots ready for take-off in a CG4-A Glider, With glasses is Howell Lindsey on the left and Paul Lowry on the right.
The interior of the William Bruce Dalton Media Center with the port hole and trim work completed. The port holes have flashing red lights in them that simulate tracer fire.. Chairs will be placed in the middle between the glider benches along the wall. They are actual CG-4A benches with seat cushions made to represent that time. The media center interior is a simulation of being inside a WWII Glider.
This WWII photo is of Bruce Dalton at the controls of a CG4-A Glider. The museum's media center is named in his memory.
Pictured here is the July 14, 2009 groundbreaking for the museum media center addition. Pictured left to right are Hal Harlan, friend of the Dalton family and major donor, Columbus Indiana Mayor Fred Armstrong, Wanda Dalton, widow of Bruce Dalton and Tom Vickers, museum volunteer and one of the original planners of the museum.
The exterior of the media center almost completed and the electrical wiring on the interior in process of being completed.
This view is another electrician wiring the interior. This is an all metal building, the same type construction as the original museum gallery. The media center entrance cut into the existing hall way leading to the current museum gallery.
Bruce Dalton in his uniform during WWII. The media center is to be built onto the right side of the existing museum building as pictured here in the artist rendering. Bruce was a WWII Glider Pilot and one of the original Museum Volunteers. He passed away in 2007. Bruce worked tirelessly raising funds for museum projects and one of his dreams was the expansion of the museum. The media center is the first part of his dream and the museum gallery expansion building fund raising is in progress. If you want to help with the financial assistance for the building project, contact us for information.
Museum Board President, Gordon Lake receives a grant check from Lorraine Smith of the Heritage Fund of Columbus. This grant will help with the media center building project.
This is the actual Bakalar Air Force Base Officers Club price list circa late 1960's that was recently donated to the museum. This project took only a little cleaning and straightening and is now on gallery display. Building T112 Base Security Gate This completed project is a scale diorama of the air base front gate as it was in the late 1950's with the guard house, road, and C-47 aircraft at the entrance. This display is on display in the museum gallery.
Building T-112 as it appeared in the 1960's The museum staff completed a B-17 Bomber Group miniature diorama which is on display. If you have the time, talent or desire to help with any of these projects, contact the museum. We are always searching for memorabilia for the museum. If you have photographs, equipment, parts, or any thing related to the former Atterbury Army Air Field/Bakalar Air Force Base and wish to donate to the museum, please contact us.
Charles Abbott, puts the finishing touches on the C-45 before it is lifted into display position in the museum gallery. Museum Volunteer John Walter and Charles Abbott watch as the C-45 is placed on display
The Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum Volunteers at work on museum projects. In the first photo museum volunteers L to R Jim Porter, Bruce Dalton, John Walter, Phil Bender and John Hodel work on a Plexiglas heat box. In the middle photo Joe Grube works on another Wright Flyer model. This is a smaller flying model (we hope). Phil Bender installs newly formed Plexiglas window in the CG-4A Glider nose. The marker sat near the control tower for many years and was moved to the museum entrance. After lifting it out of it was found to be cut at an angle and had been imbedded in the soil to level it. Concrete was poured under the marker to keep it on the level in it's current location.
Museum volunteers Bob Goedl, John Hodel and Jim Porter work on the frames for the Century of Flight Timeline display that is in the museum gallery. Glen Leonheart working on the panel one area where the timeline starts with the Wright Flyer. Photos of the completed Timeline.
Jim Porter paints some of the Century of Flight Timeline panels. John Walter holds one of the supports and Bob McCubbin fastens the top brackets that will hold the panels. Glenn, Charles and Joe
Wright Flyer, L-4 Grasshopper, B-24J Liberator Bomber, CG-4A Glider, P-51D Mustang Fighter and P-47D Thunderbolt Fighter
B-25 Mitchell Bomber, B-17G Flying Fortress Bomber, C-119G Flying Boxcar Transport, C-47 Gooney Bird Transport, C-46 Commando Transport, C-45-H "Expeditor", and a real McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II Jet Fighter on permanent display in front of the museum on Bakalar Green. |
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Send your questions or comments about this web site or
the museum to:
lakegc@aol.com Atterbury-Bakalar Air Museum
4742 Ray Boll Boulevard Columbus, Indiana 47203
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