To acquire, restore, maintain and operate a collection of world war II aircraft for the education and enjoyment of the present and future generations.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
71¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 9,000 volunteers and 43 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $750K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
71%
of spending
Fine: 71% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.5M
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $788K
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$11.3M
28% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 28% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$30.0M
+37% vs prior year
Spent
$28.7M
To programs
71%
Net assets
$28.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$30.0M
FY2024▲ +37%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$22.8M
FY2021$23.9M
FY2022$23.9M
FY2023$22.0M
FY2024$30.0M
Expenses
$28.7M
FY2024▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$18.3M
FY2021$22.7M
FY2022$24.4M
FY2023$24.9M
FY2024$28.7M
Net assets
$28.7M
FY2024▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$24.3M
FY2021$27.2M
FY2022$28.0M
FY2023$27.0M
FY2024$28.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2009.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 71% · $20.3M Management & general 8% · $2.4M Fundraising 21% · $6.0M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

19 people listed on the 990; $1.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President (term Ended in 2024)
$339,501Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$247,327Pt VII · Sec A
President (term Began in 2024)
$213,977Pt VII · Sec A
VP Development
$149,006Pt VII · Sec A
VP Safety
$139,232Pt VII · Sec A
VP Membership
$135,068Pt VII · Sec A
VP Education
$125,150Pt VII · Sec A
VP Marketing
$109,097Pt VII · Sec A

Henry Coates’s $340K as President (term Ended in 2024) is at the 53rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Henry Coates$339,501$292,706$265,024$233,891$230,724
Lance Linguist$247,327$230,156$218,599$201,466$175,568
Gerald D Oliver$213,977$156,305$143,786$134,785$123,849
Rozelyn Beck$149,006$127,439$121,280$114,579$105,331
Jim Lasche JR$139,232$114,665$108,173$101,323—
Craig Tuminaro$135,068$121,543$113,530——
Nathan Huegen$125,150————
Leah Block$109,097$103,401———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Commemorative Air Force executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Preserving and operating World War II aircraft for education and enjoyment.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $20.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Airshows are premiere aviation events where warbirds (aircraft) gather to reenact historic battles. Additional attractions of these shows include; junior aces kids tent (providing games, arts & crafts and other fun activities for children), famed ghost squadron aircraft displays, special shows for special people on fridays, preceding the…

$20.3Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 1 grant · $1.6M · 2024–2024

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$30.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$12.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.5M
Money outPt IX
$28.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$20.3M
Managementcol C$2.4M
Fundraisingcol D$6.0M
Owns and owesPt X
$28.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.3M
Total assetsLn 16$40.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$379K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$98K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$12.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$539K
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.5M
Gains on assetsLn 7$86K
Total revenueLn 12$30.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$7.8M
SavingsLn 2$4.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$12.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.7M
Other assetsLn 15$5.0M
Total assetsLn 16$40.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$11.3M
Net assetsLn 32$28.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 543
VolunteersI 69,000
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$11.3M$12.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.6M$3.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.8M$7.7M
Total assetsLn 16$39.6M$40.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$12.6M$11.3M
Net assetsLn 32$27.0M$28.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.6M$3.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$820K$820K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.1M$732K$563K$818K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$45K$17K$9K$18K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$353K$99K$108K$145K
Payroll taxesLn 10$216K$58K$93K$65K
Legal feesLn 11b$91K$91K
Accounting feesLn 11c$113K$244$112K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.9M$1.1M$77K$691K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$332K$5K$321K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$3.0M$506K$36K$2.4M
Information technologyLn 14$13K$7K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$1.4M$1.3M$54K$1K
TravelLn 17$2.4M$2.4M$23K$37K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$159K$324$7K$152K
InterestLn 20$208K$208K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$1.1M$1.1M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$594K$594K
InsuranceLn 23$1.8M$1.8M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6.4M$4.9M$25K$1.4M
All other expensesLn 24e$2.0M$1.7M$164K$149K
Total functional expensesLn 25$28.7M$20.3M$2.4M$6.0M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $30.0M$28.7M$1.4M$28.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $22.0M$24.9M−$2.9M$27.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $23.9M$24.4M−$455K$28.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $23.9M$22.7M$1.2M$27.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $22.8M$18.3M$4.5M$24.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $30,020,664 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,865,225$15,616,077
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,224,071$12,353,675
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $635,138$538,509
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,249,980$1,512,403
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $21,974,414$30,020,664
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$3,619,516
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,314,771$3,545,792
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $761,332$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $20,801,369$21,490,428
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $24,877,472$28,655,736
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,903,058$1,364,928
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $30,020,664 across 14 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,838 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$1,327,494
VIII-1c Fundraising events$98,295
VIII-1d Related organizations$3,719,522
VIII-1e Government grants$378,669
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$10,092,097
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$15,616,077
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $12,270,410$12,270,410
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $452,476$452,476
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $10,356$10,356
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $381,404$381,404
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $86,033$86,033
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $448,194$448,194
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $752,876$752,876
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $13,012,944 · Unrelated business $11,392 · Excluded from tax $1,380,251$30,020,664
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $28,655,736 across 21 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,619,516$3,619,516
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $819,991$819,991
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $732,277 · Management $562,511 · Fundraising $817,579$2,112,367
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $17,236 · Management $8,939 · Fundraising $18,359$44,534
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $99,444 · Management $108,338 · Fundraising $144,770$352,552
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $57,837 · Management $93,101 · Fundraising $65,410$216,348
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $90,942$90,942
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $244 · Management $112,421$112,665
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,123,486 · Management $77,171 · Fundraising $691,392$1,892,049
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,805 · Management $320,922 · Fundraising $6,071$331,798
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $505,821 · Management $36,397 · Fundraising $2,420,884$2,963,102
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,585 · Fundraising $6,862$13,447
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,300,367 · Management $54,278 · Fundraising $1,199$1,355,844
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,389,763 · Management $23,303 · Fundraising $36,675$2,449,741
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $324 · Management $6,790 · Fundraising $152,144$159,258
IX-20 InterestPrograms $207,611$207,611
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $1,122,355$1,122,355
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $593,937$593,937
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,804,945$1,804,945
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,934,329 · Management $24,686 · Fundraising $1,440,971$6,399,986
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,679,806 · Management $164,069 · Fundraising $148,873$1,992,748
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $20,291,630 · Management $2,412,917 · Fundraising $5,951,189$28,655,736
Part X · Balance sheet $39,970,314 assets, 19 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $9,497,252; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $11,281,515$7,839,540
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$4,435,117
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $78,001$25,261
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $360,881$420,113
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $887,567$981,059
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,288,354$622,407
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,826,690$7,734,574
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $2,628,383$3,454,053
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $9,920$9,491
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $15,216,288$4,951,447
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $39,577,599$39,970,314
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,872,611$1,840,630
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $483,093$395,145
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $10,213,023$8,948,452
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $12,568,727$11,316,753
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $24,979,790$26,265,270
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,029,082$2,388,291
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $27,008,872$28,653,561
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $39,577,599$39,970,314
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $28,653,561 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$30,020,664
XI-2 Total expenses$28,655,736
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,364,928
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$27,008,872
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$279,761
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$28,653,561

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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