The museum was founded by Steve Snyder, the president of Steve Snyder Enterprises and a former Air Force reservist, in 1989, with the goals of "airpower advocacy", "education" and "honoring the winners".

[1] The previous year, he had purchased the South Jersey Regional Airport at a bankruptcy auction.

[3][a] The museum began acquiring additional aircraft and on 25 February 1995 an A-7 and an F-4 arrived by helicopter from Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst.

[6] Then, on 19 June 1999, before construction could begin on additional buildings, Snyder was killed in the crash of his F-86 at the airport.

[7] As a result of the crash, plans for expansion of the museum and the airport were opposed by local residents.