Christmas Fundraiser Garnered More Than $435,000

Good news comes from the Commemorative Air Force: its annual 12 Planes of Christmas fundraiser that concluded on January 1, 2025, raised over $435,854 including more than $40,000 dedicated to the Restoration Grant Fund. Donations are continuing to roll in as people are passionate about preserving aviation history.

Multiple aircraft met or exceeded their fundraising goals with the generosity of more than 1,700 donors who are avid about moving those restoration projects forward. The funds will go directly to supporting the preservation and operation of historic aircraft and providing living history experiences for generations to come.

Preparation for the campaign began last summer with a call for applications for aircraft to feature. The CAF’s American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum Board reviewed submissions and made their selections for the CAF marketing team to focus on crafting stories for the aircraft as well as generating social media and video messaging to engage support.

Alan Brooks, Chairman of the American Airpower Museum Flying Board said, “We are humbled and inspired by the outpouring of support. Each year, the heartfelt comments from donors remind us that our work is deeply personal—honoring fathers, uncles, and heroes who served. This year was no different, and the impact of these contributions will be felt across our organization.”

The success of the campaign points to the power of coordinated efforts between CAF Headquarters and the various CAF Units on marketing strategy, sharing progress and updates with local communities and national audiences.

FMI:  commemorativeairforce.org/