Founded Museum With His Wife, Gift Includes 70 Vintage Military Aircraft

The Military Aviation Museum has been gifted an incredible $100 million donation by Gerald and Elaine Yagen, who also opened the Museum in 2008 as a private collection.

The gift includes 70 vintage military aircraft that Yagen collected over the years, the property the Museum is situated on as well as the historic buildings that were relocated there, and $30 million to establish the Museum’s endowment, which is earmarked to ‘Keep Em Flying’ as the Museum says.

Jerry Yagen explains, “In the beginning, I saw this as my personal challenge to preserve history and these beautiful warbirds. I just didn’t want to see them disappear to time. I never believed so many would volunteer so much to help Elaine and I do this. I realize it is no longer an individual challenge.”

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin praised the family for the extraordinary donation: “Thank you to the Yagen family for their generous donation to the Virginia Military Aviation Museum, which will preserve history for generations to come and enhance the Commonwealth experience for Virginians and visitors. It's due to great Virginians like the Yagens that our Commonwealth is the best place to live, work, and raise your family."

The aircraft are considered priceless pieces of military history. All were restored to airworthy condition and are both on display and flown regularly. The Museum has a 4,800-foot grass runway, several original World War II structures relocated from Europe, and a maintenance facility. The Museum, its aircraft, buildings, and runway sit on 130 acres near Virgina Beach, Virginia.

The aircraft span the first 50 years of aviation, from just after the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903 up to the post-Korean War period of the mid-1950s. With this gift, the Museum is transitioning into a public facility, where the aircraft will be kept available for displays, rides, and educational programs well into the future.

Jerry Yagen founded the Aviation Institute of Maintenance and Centura College, which now operates more than 20 campuses in the U.S.

FMI:  www.militaryaviationmuseum.org/