SECRETARY’S REPORT 129 
Works Agency and to submit a report at the next Board meeting. 
Following a full and detailed discussion of this report, the Advisory 
Board approved the basic study and building plan presented and in- 
structed the Chairman to proceed with the building study to determine 
costs. 
PLANNING 
STORAGE OF MUSEUM MATERIAL 
Immediately following the selection by the Advisory Board of a 
portion of the Douglas plant near Park Ridge, Ill., for the storage of 
Air Museum material, negotiations were begun to obtain this facility. 
Following the termination of World War II this Douglas plant, which 
had been built during the war by the Government, was taken over 
by the U. S. Air Force and used in part as a storage facility and in 
part as headquarters of the Air Arm of the Illinois National Guard. 
Subsequently, control and management of the property was placed 
in the hands of the Air Defense Command of the United States Air 
Force, where it rested at the close of the year. 
While negotiations for storage space in this building were under 
way, attention was given to plans for the Museum’s operating organi- 
zation at Park Ridge. ‘The protection, preservation, and maintenance 
of the stored Air Museum material will constitute the principal re- 
sponsibilities of this field organization. There is planned, therefore, 
for this field service a staff of 14, consisting of an associate curator 
with administrative and aircraft-maintenance experience, in charge, 
an aircraft technician, 10 guards, and 2 skilled laborer helpers. 
MUSEUM SITE AND BUILDING 
As indicated earlier in this report real progress was made during 
the year on the investigation of sites and a building for the Air Museum. 
The staff worked closely with the Office of Design and Construction of 
the Public Buildings Administration, contributing realistic concepts 
of a functional museum structure from knowledge gained through 
many years’ experience in the engineering and industrial museum 
field. The staff furnished, too, much factual material representing 
considered judgment as to the essential requirements of the proposed 
building. In this connection the incorporation of a place of honor for 
the Wright Brothers’ original aeroplane of 1903 was given full con- 
sideration. The advice and suggestions of Mr. Loening, Board mem- 
ber, regarding this important matter were most helpful. 
The entire museum structure will require in excess of 500,000 square 
feet of exhibition area, providing for an expected initial collection of 
some 200 full-size aircraft, and for future expansion of the collection. 
