The $55 million is the Michigan Aerospace Foundation's 15-year goal. The foundation is the fund-raising arm of the museum. The foundation hopes to raise $12 million in time to begin construction on a new hangar, maintenance facility and museum no later than 2007.
If the entire $55 million can be raised the long-term plans call for a dozen new buildings, possibly including a conference center, hotel and restaurant--even a school aimed at getting young people interested in aviation.
"This was in the works well before the fire," said Dennis Norton, president of the foundation, the fund-raising arm of the museum. Willow Run has a special place in local aviation history. During World War II, Ford's Willow Run plant produced more than 8,000 B-24 bombers. At the height of production a new bomber rolled off the assembly line every 55 minutes.
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