National Museum of World War II Aviation

The National Museum of World War II Aviation is an aviation museum located at Colorado Springs Airport in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

History
The origins of the museum date to the founding of WestPac Restorations at Rialto Municipal Airport in Rialto, California in 1997 by Bill Klaers and Alan Wojciak. Due to the planned closure of the airport in 2014, Jim Fry convinced the owners to move the business to Colorado Springs Airport, where he had built three hangars in 2006. There the National Museum of World War II Aviation was established. It opened to the public six years later in October 2012.

In 2014, the museum received two grants totaling $6 million to build a 60,000 sqft "Aviation Hall". In 2016, Jim Slattery loaned 15 aircraft to the museum. In early 2018, it received an official "national museum" designation from the United States Congress. The museum began construction on a new 40,000 sqft hangar in November 2018. The museum received donations of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning and Stinson V-77 Reliant in late 2019.

Construction of the 40,000 sqft Kaija Raven Shook Aeronautical Pavilion was completed in 2019.

Exhibits
The museum has a series of exhibits that trace the history of the United States' involvement in World War II.

On display

 * Aero L-39 Albatross
 * Beechcraft E18S
 * Beechcraft T-34B Mentor
 * Brewster F3A Corsair
 * Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso
 * Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
 * Cessna L-19 Bird Dog
 * Douglas AD-5 Skyraider
 * Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless
 * Fairchild PT-19
 * Grumman F3F
 * Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat
 * Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat
 * Grumman G-44 Widgeon
 * Grumman HU-16 Albatross
 * General Motors TBM Avenger
 * General Motors TBM Avenger
 * Howard DGA-15
 * Lockheed P-38 Lightning
 * North American T-6 Texan
 * North American T-28 Trojan
 * North American TB-25N Mitchell
 * Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
 * Stinson L-5B Sentinel
 * Stinson V77 Reliant
 * Vought F4U Corsair
 * Waco JYM

Under restoration

 * Beechcraft Model 18
 * Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
 * Fairchild PT-19
 * Grumman F6F Hellcat
 * Grumman F6F Hellcat
 * Lockheed P-38 Lightning
 * Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
 * North American B-25 Mitchell
 * Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
 * Vought F4U-4 Corsair
 * Vultee SNV-1

Land vehicles
In addition to its aircraft, the museum also maintains a collection of land vehicles:


 * Chevrolet Crash Truck
 * Ford GPW
 * White M2A1
 * White M3A1