Airpower museum gets $1M to display tanks

Sometime this spring you may see large World War II tanks and other pieces of artillery moving across the field near Republic Airport in East Farmingdale. Not to worry. No attack will be under way.

The American Airpower Museum, located at the airport, has received $1 million from the Empire State Development Corp., New York's economic development arm, to build an 8,000-square-foot Quonset annex close to the museum's large hangar to display the war equipment. Spokesman Gary Lewi said the museum must still raise another $1 million for the construction, but most of the money is already committed.

The museum displays mostly World War II aircraft; the artillery pieces are the latest addition. The primary attraction will be an M4 Sherman tank on loan from the Kadish Museum of American Armor, a collection owned by Lawrence Kadish of Old Westbury.

"This period Quonset annex will significantly improve our ability to be a destination center along the Route 110 corridor," Lewi said. "We will be able to preserve both armor and airpower."