Pacific Coast Air Museum Explained

Pacific Coast Air Museum
Map Type:California
Location:Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, California
Type:Aviation museum
Founder:Harrison Rued
President:Lynn Hunt

The Pacific Coast Air Museum is an aviation museum located at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California. The museum displays a varied collection of over 30 American military, propeller, and jet aircraft.

History

The museum was founded in 1989, having emerged from a group associated with EAA Chapter 124.[1] Late the following year, three members of the museum were killed when a PV-2D they were flying crashed into Clear Lake.[2] Nevertheless, the museum expanded, acquiring a number of aircraft in the 1990s including an Il-14 and an F-8 in 1993, an A-6E in 1994, an F-16N and F-14 in 1995 and a UH-1H in 1996.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

The museum merged in 1999 with the Redwood Empire Aviation Historical Society, a smaller organization. In late 2001, the museum, which had rented a variety of hangars and tie-down spots for its collection of aircraft, at the Sonoma County airport, began the process of moving to a larger facility.[8]

In December 2010, the museum acquired an F-15 Eagle which, after launching from Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, was one of the first fighter aircraft over New York City during the September 11 attacks. The museum planned to fully restore the plane and make it the centerpiece of an exhibit.[9]

The museum intends to build and move to a new larger facility, still at the airport. One possibility is a location on Airport Boulevard at the main entrance to the county airport, a five-acre garden tilled by inmates at Sonoma County's low-security jail.[10]

Facility

The museum building is the former dope and fabric shop for Santa Rosa Army Airfield.

Next to the museum, immediately to the north, is the airplane hangar used in the 1963 Hollywood all-star comedy movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In the movie, stunt pilot Frank Tallman flies a Beech 18 through the airplane hangar, with only 23 feet of clearance from wingtip to wingtip, and only 15 feet from the top of the tail to the hangar ceiling. Known as the Butler Building, the hangar was built during World War II, and is still in use today.[11]

Exhibits

A model room includes dioramas of Santa Rosa Army Airfield and Santa Rosa Naval Auxiliary Air Station and a model of the .[12] Other objects include an R-4360 engine, SR-71 parts, an F-4N simulator and DC-6 and RF-8G cockpits.[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

Collection

Aircraft

Other

Events

Beginning in 1989, the museum held an annual 2-day weekend open house.[63] By 2000, the event had become an airshow known as Wings Over Wine Country.[64] It continued until 2020, when it was cancelled due to the inabiloty to attract a demonstration team.[65] [66]

It currently holds a Wings and Wheels Car Show.[67]

Programs

The museum offers an aviation summer school, a merit badge in aviation program for Boy Scouts and an oral history program.[68] [69] [70]

A division of the museum called Flight Wing maintains a some of the aircraft in airworthy condition.[71]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Santa Rosa Press-Democrat . April 9, 1999. Chris Smith . Aviation Collections Join Forces.
  2. News: Smith . Chris . WWII Aircraft Hobbyists Stress Safety in Wake of Lake Accident . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 14 October 1990 . B1, B4.
  3. News: Norberg . Bob . Museum Lands Two More Planes . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 13 July 1993 . B1–B2.
  4. News: A6-E Intruder Touches Down at Fair . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 1995 . 31.
  5. News: Sweeney . James W. . Top Gun Training Jet Rolls Into County Airport . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 25 January 1995 . B1.
  6. News: Norberg . Bob . Jet of Desert Storm New Highlight of Museum . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 13 July 1995 . B1, B6.
  7. News: Smith . Chris . Vietnam-Vintage Chopper Added to SR Museum . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 25 May 1996 . B1–B2.
  8. News: Santa Rosa Press-Democrat . December 5, 2001 . Tom Chorneau . Air Museum May Get a New Home.
  9. News: Smith . Chris . 9/11 Fighter Jet is Coming Here – To Stay . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 10 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160306031034/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/csp/mediapool/sites/PressDemocrat/News/story.csp?cid=2252603&sid=555&fid=181 . 6 March 2016.
  10. News: Santa Rosa Press-Democrat . May 31, 2007 . Bob Norberg . Museum on the Move?.
  11. News: LeBaron . Gaye . Putting the Army Air Base Back on the Map . 16 September 2024 . The Press Democrat . 23 September 1990 . A2.
  12. Web site: Museum Collections . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  13. Web site: R-4360 Wasp Major Engine . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  14. Web site: SR-71 Blackbird Components . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  15. Web site: Blue Angels Cockpit . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  16. Web site: DC-6 Cockpit . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  17. Web site: RF-8G Crusader Cockpit . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  18. Web site: AW109 Helicopter . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  19. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Beech D45, s/n 144071 USN, c/n BG-378, c/r N8767V . Aerial Visuals . 16 September 2024.
  20. Web site: BD-5J Bede . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  21. Web site: UH-1H Huey . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  22. News: Vietnam-Vintage Chopper Added to SR Air Museum . Chris Smith . The Press Democrat. May 25, 1996.
  23. Web site: T-37 Tweet . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  24. Web site: F-106 Delta Dart . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  25. Web site: General Jumper visits Pacific Coast Air Museum . October 18, 2004 . 2012-09-22 . Lindsey Hahn . U.S. Air Force . https://archive.today/20121212204537/http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123008961 . 2012-12-12 . dead .
  26. Web site: A-4E Skyhawk . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  27. Web site: A-26C Invader . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  28. Web site: C-118 Liftmaster . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  29. Web site: F-16N Viper . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  30. Web site: A-6E Intruder . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  31. Web site: C-1A Trader . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  32. Web site: EA-6B Prowler . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  33. Web site: F-14A Tomcat . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  34. Web site: HU-16E Albatross . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  35. Web site: S-2A Tracker Airtanker . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  36. Web site: AV-8C Harrier . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  37. Web site: IL-14 Crate . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  38. Web site: Lockheed Jetstar . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  39. Web site: T-33 Shooting Star . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  40. Web site: A-7 Corsair II . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  41. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Vought A-7A-4c-CV Corsair II, s/n 153241 USN, c/n A150 . Aerial Visuals . 16 September 2024.
  42. Web site: F-4C Phantom II . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  43. Web site: F-15 Eagle . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  44. Web site: F/A-18A Hornet . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  45. Web site: F-86H Sabre Jet . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  46. Web site: RF-86F Sabre . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  47. Web site: Airframe Dossier - North American T-2C Buckeye, s/n 158313 USN, c/r N59CV . Aerial Visuals . 16 September 2024.
  48. Web site: T-28C Trojan . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  49. Web site: F-5E Tiger II . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  50. Web site: T-38 Talon . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  51. Web site: Pitts Special S1 . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  52. Web site: F-84F Thunderstreak . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  53. Web site: F-105F Thunderchief . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  54. News: Bob Norberg . The Press Democrat . August 6, 2009 . Warplane honors 3 aviators .
  55. Web site: H-34 Choctaw Helicopter . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  56. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Sikorsky CH-34C Choctaw, s/n 57-1708 USAF, c/n 58-0868 . Aerial Visuals . 16 September 2024.
  57. Web site: SH-60F Seahawk . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  58. Web site: Stinson 108 Voyager . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  59. Web site: F-8U Crusader . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  60. News: Dudnick . Laura . Iconic Jet Could Soon Be Soaring at Sunset Park . 16 September 2024 . San Francisco Examiner . 20 July 2024 . 6.
  61. Web site: D-21 Drone . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  62. News: Cold War drone comes to Sonoma County . July 4, 2009 . Bob Norberg . Press Democrat.
  63. News: Air Museum Open House Takes Wing This Weekend . 16 September 2024 . Sebastopol Times & News . 26 August 1992 . B3.
  64. News: Pacific Coast Air Museum Presents 11th Wings Over Wine Country Airshow Aug. 19-20 . 16 September 2024 . Cloverdale Reveille . 9 August 2000 . 7.
  65. Web site: [Homepage] ]. Wings Over Wine Country . 16 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200524042024/http://www.wingsoverwinecountry.org . 24 May 2020.
  66. News: Airshow Planned at County Airport . 16 September 2024 . Cloverdale Reveille . 15 August 2001 . 8.
  67. Web site: Wheels & Wings Car Show . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  68. Web site: Aviation Summer School . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  69. Web site: Merit Badges . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  70. Web site: Oral History Program . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.
  71. Web site: Flight Wing . Pacific Coast Air Museum . 16 September 2024.

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