Get Involved at TASM

Special Projects

TASM often has special projects that are on-going. Funding is needed to see these projects to completion. If you are interested in finding out about the current selection of projects click on the links below or contact us by phone (918) 834-9900 for other projects.

Exhibit and Planetarium sponsorships, Granite pavers, and other giving opportunities are available. Please contact the Membership Office at (918) 834-9900 ext. 123 for additional information.

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum is a charitable organization per IRS Code 501 (c) (3). Thank you for your support.

American Airlines DC-3 Flagship
Tulsa Restoration Project

American Airlines DC-3 Flagship

In 2008 TASM became the proud owners of the original American Airlines DC-3 Flagship Tulsa. The aircraft was purchased for the museum by Tulsans Russ Newman and Pete Kourtis in honor of their fathers who instilled their love of aviation in their sons. Melton Truck Lines, Inc. and Utility Trailers, both Tulsa companies, donated the transportation of the aircraft from Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The restoration has become a Tulsa project. The American Airlines Maintenance and Engineering base has taken the fuselage and wing center section to restore. Omni Air International has taken the vertical and horizontal stabilizers as their portion of the project and several other companies have expressed interest in helping. Currently the museum is looking for help in restoring the outer wing panels, engines and propellers. The project will require several hundred thousand dollars to complete the restoration. If you are interested in donating services or funds, please contact Kim Jones at (918)834-9900 ext. 113 or by email at kjones@tulsamuseum.com.

Photo Collection Digitization

Photo Collection

TASM is the custodian of the Tulsa Airport Authority photo collection that documents the airport’s history since its opening in 1928. Part of the collection is known as the Charles W. Short collection. Charlie Short was the airport’s manager from before the airport opened on July 4, 1928 until his death in 1955.

Charlie documented the visitors to the airport through photographs and often had them sign the photograph with a personal inscription. As a result of Charlie’s efforts, the collection has photos of nearly all of the aviation greats from the Golden Age of Aviation (1919 to 1939) and beyond. Some of those greats include, Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Doolittle, Frank Hawks and Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan.

Sometime during the 60’s the airport officials decided to glue these photographs to panels of orange-painted Masonite. The photographs have been rapidly deteriorating ever since. To mitigate their destruction, they are carefully being removed from the panels, digitized and the originals preserved in archival sleeves for future generations. This project is a very expensive proposition and no government funds are being expended in the preservation of the photographs.

Photo Collection

If you would like to make a monetary donation to help us preserve this collection, much of which consists of one-of-a-kind photographs, please contact the Curator, Kim Jones at (918) 834-9900 ext. 113 or kjones@tulsamuseum.com.