Aviation museum fundraiser takes flight

While traveling through Boyertown, Keith Seiwell sought out the museum dedicated to Boyertown native Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, the first chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force whose vast military accolades included commanding the U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe leading to the defeat of Germany during World War II, as well as supervising the bombing of Japan by the B-29, including two atomic bomb missions.

“I thought I’d look for the museum that I was sure would be there,” Seiwell recalled of his 2015 outing. “Although I did find a nice memorial … there was no museum.”

That’s when Seiwell, a 30-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, decided to build a museum dedicated to Spaatz and other military heroes of WWII. Seiwell has drawn inspiration from his father’s military service as a bombardier navigator during WWII and has been fascinated by the aircraft of WWII, building model planes throughout his childhood.

Following years of focus groups, community meetings and fundraisers, Seiwell, at the end of 2018, began building the 6,000-square-foot General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum on land leased from Boyertown Auto Museum.

“It took a community and some special support from a lot of different groups,” Seiwell said.

    Katie Wanner, one of last year’s winners, onboard Panchito (Credit: Katalinas Communications)

    Katie Wanner, one of last year’s winners, poses with Panchito (Credit: Katalinas Communications)
  

  

The fully interactive living history museum opened on Oct. 2, 2021 in Boyertown.

“I wanted to build a museum where people would want to stay,” Seiwell said. “Young people aren’t taught too much about WWII. The best way to really focus on the young people was to develop an interactive museum because of the interest that will bring in keeping the young people engaged.”

As a result, the museum features an immersive escape room, as well as an engaging experience that enables visitors to recreate – in full costume – actual roles of WWII-era machine gunners, bombardiers and more.

“Especially in my experience in the Marine Corps, it’s not to just train people, it’s actually going out and practicing that activity,” he said. “That develops a connection via motor skills, becoming more deeply involved in the exhibits themselves. It gives a better sense of the subject material through practical application. The person would not only receive information but become a part of the exhibit. The lesson would stay with them for a long time and maybe forever.”

To help fund the operating expenses of his museum’s immersive educational experiences, Seiwell, in partnership with the Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation, is selling raffle tickets for four random winners to take a 25-minute flight in Panchito, a vintage, WWII-era B25 Bomber during the Mid-Atlantic WWII Airshow weekend, Saturday, June 7.

“You never are able to keep your museum open by what you get through the gate,” Seiwell said.

The fundraiser began in 2024, netting $4,000 for the museum’s operational expenses. Seiwell hopes to increase that by at least 50 percent this year. In addition to the four winners randomly selected, Seiwell said two alternates will be chosen in case any of the four are unable to make the flight.

Similar to museum visitations, winners can take their flight in cosplay if they wish.

“We allow them to get fully interactive in the flight,” Seiwell said, adding that he hopes raffle buyers will visit the General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum. “No other museum in the United States does what we do. They’re actually participating in history directly.”

    2024 Panchito raffle winner Katie Wanner with the Panchito pilot. (Credit: Katalinas Communications)

    Katie Wanner, one of last year’s winners, poses with Panchito (Credit: Katalinas Communications)
  

  

Learn more

The General Carl Spaatz National USAAF Museum is located at 10 General Spaatz Ave., Boyertown. The museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for self-guided and interactive tours, as well as escape rooms. For more information, visit https://spaatzmuseum.org/. 

The museum’s Panchito raffle is sponsored by Milestone Financial and will continue through May 26. Raffle tickets cost $10 each and can be purchased here https://spaatzmuseum.org/panchito-raffle. All paid visitors to the Spaatz Museum during the raffle period will receive one free raffle ticket as well. 

Winners must be at least 18 years old to fly. Four individual winners will fly from Reading during the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum's WWII Airshow Saturday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m.