People Behind The LaFayette Foundation

James J. Parks was the original founder and inspiration behind the effort to successfully preserve World War I aviation history. James J. Parks was an Eagle Scout, and a life long supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. Andy Parks (also a Boy Scout and founding board member of The Lafayette Foundation) and his Father shared a common vision of preserving and passing on the history of the men and women who served their countries during the Great War.

In 1997, Andy Parks became President of the Foundation. Following in his Father’s footsteps, Andy has continued to expand the collection and is now concentrating on developing the flying side of the collection.

Here is a very short video where Andy introduces the mission of the museum:
   Windows version     Quicktime version

Andy Parks added three SE5a’s, a Fokker DrI, and a Sopwith Pup to the collection’s Fokker DVII--a replica that Andy and his father James built during the 1970’s. In 1999 Andy moved the planes to Platte Valley Airport.

In 2001 Mike De Santi donated property to the foundation to build a hangar to house the collection and planes. Mike has since been instrumental in much of the work on the planes, including maintenance and even construction of new ones. Mike is currently involved in building a Fokker DVIII replica.

During the fall of 2002 with cash donations made by Harry Combs and Andy Parks, and a construction loan, the foundation was able to build an 80 x 60 facility to house the aircraft and memorabilia collection under one roof. This is the facility you see in the below photograph.