Magazines tell stories. Unlike a newspaper article or a 45-second report on the evening news, magazines afford the writer the ability to explore their subjects at a more in-depth level. Even in this day and age of the “news snippets” approach to journalism, magazine articles continue to play an important part in serving substance over style to the reader. . . if anyone today can find the time to read more than a few paragraphs.
The USS Midway Museum was recently gifted a treasure trove of journalistic substance through the donation of nearly complete sets of “Airpower” and “Wings” magazines. Published for more than 35 years starting in 1971, these two publications were globally respected for their detailed and scholarly approach to the military aviation industry and its history.
“Wings and Airpower, published in alternating months, each featured very carefully researched articles on selected aircraft and often never before published photographs,” said Cliff Chambliss, a former Civil Air Patrol pilot. “From 1971 to 2007, they were a pair of excellent magazines.”
The publications, unfortunately, were discontinued when circulations fell below a level that was economically sustainable. Over the course of its existence, however, 428 magazines were produced.
An aviation enthusiast from Long Beach donated his wonderfully well-preserved collections of the two magazine’s to Midway’s curatorial department.
“I first discovered Wings and Airpower in the magazine rack at a local convenience store,” said Richard Williams, a U.S. Air Force veteran. “I was impressed by the number of photographs included in the articles. To ensure I got a copy each and every month, I decided to subscribe to both. I have always had an interest in airplanes. Growing up, my dad would take me to the Long Beach Municipal Airport to watch the commercial and private aircraft land and take off. Wings and Airpower magazines fueled that interest.”
“As a warbird enthusiast, I have known about these magazines since the 1970s, and have read them off and on as I encountered them,” said David Hanson, Midway’s curator. “I was pleasantly surprised to find that someone had gone to the effort to amass such a collection.”
While it’s not unusual for someone to save an issue or two of a magazine, it’s rare to collect every edition.
“I decided to save the magazines because I placed a great deal of value on their content,” said Richard. “I also appreciated the effort it took to produce each issue month after month. What I liked about the magazines was the number of photographs that accompanied the narrative. There was also the possibility I might want to revisit them at some time in the future.”
It’s been nearly 20 years since the periodicals were last published and Richard has been searching for nearly that long to find a long-term home for the magazines.
“I knew that someday I would have to dispose of them, but I felt they were too valuable to just be thrown in the trash,” said Richard. “I wanted someone to get as much enjoyment out of them as I did. I had called book stores, a private collector and three other air museums. I was very excited when the Midway said they were interested in my collection.”
“I was very happy that he had decided that the Midway Museum was where it needed to be housed,” said David. “These magazines are full of history and information about a wide variety of military aircraft, so they will be a good addition to our library collections.”
The mission ahead for Midway’s library team is to try to find the handful of issues of the magazine that are currently missing from the collection. In the final year of the magazine, a few issues were very hard to find as the publisher stopped printing as many copies as they had previously done.
“The completist in me wants to find those last three missing issues to have the full collection,” said David. “I think we can eventually find the missing issues, so the sets will be totally complete.”
The magazines, which are in good condition, will be kept in Annex 1 of Midway’ library, which is the space where all of the museum’s magazine collections are stored. For Richard, knowing the magazines will now be made available to any interested reader and researcher brings him as much peace of mind as it does satisfaction.
“I am glad the Midway accepted my collection and that the magazines I have enjoyed so much have found a happy home,” said Richard. “My hope is that future visitors, aviation buffs and researchers will find them as enjoyable and informative as I have.”
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