WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio has pledged a total of $75,000 over three years toward the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force’s planned fourth building, which will house presidential aircraft and space program memorabilia.

The Air Force Museum Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money to support and expand the Air Force museum, announced the Vectren donation Friday. Colleen Ryan, a former base commander of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, is president of Vectren Energy Delivery, a Dayton-based company that is the region’s primary natural gas supplier.

Museum officials hope to start construction of the 224,000-square-foot building by early 2013 and open it in mid-2014. The $47 million project will house exhibits covering the history of America’s space program, the museum’s collection of aircraft used to transport U.S. presidents, and “global reach” displays including Air Force cargo and tanker planes. It will also host offerings to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs.

The Vectren gift caps a year of noteworthy corporate donations toward the new building. They include Boeing Co.’s $5 million pledge, Lockheed Martin Corp.’s $10 million, and Alenia North America’s $50,000. Corporate pledges typically have been spread over multiple years.

The Air Force Museum Foundation has $37 million raised toward the planned building, said Lin Erickson, the foundation’s chief development officer. That includes $16.7 million in corporate and individual pledges, plus revenues from the foundation-operated gift shop, IMAX theater, cafeteria and Morphis simulator ride attraction at the museum, Erickson said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.