Fort Worth Aviation Museum

Fort Worth Aviation Museum
Location Fort Worth, Texas, United States
Type Aviation Museum
Director Jim Hodgson
Website www.fortworthaviationmuseum.com

The Fort Worth Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located next to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.[1] The museum was rebranded in 2013 and was previously known as the Veterans Memorial Air Park.[2]

Mission

The Fort Worth Aviation Museum (FWAM) is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of aviation in Fort Worth, the North Texas region, and around the world.[3][4] The museum displays aviation artifacts and provides historical interpretation on a variety of military topics. FWAM operates under the charter of the OV-10 Bronco Association, Inc.,[5] a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation.

In addition to an air park with twenty-four airplanes, FWAM houses two museums. Along with the B-36 Peacemaker Museum,[6] the Forward Air Controllers' Museum[7] tells the stories of Forward Air Control (FAC) used in Close Air Support (CAS), the history of the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, and the history of aviation in North Texas with an emphasis on Air Force Plant #4 (now known as Lockheed Martin).[8]

FWAM's motto is "Bringing Aviation History to Life", and its mission is summarized as "Preservation, Inspiration, Education", or PIE.[9]

Aircraft

The VMAP aircraft collection consists of twenty-five warbirds dating from 1943 to the present:[10][11][12]

A newly restored McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum in the colors of VMFA-333 in 2013.
ModelManufacturerSerial #Notes
A-4 Skyhawk Douglas 147715 type: A-4C[13]
A-4 Skyhawk Douglas 158073 type: TA-4J[14]
A-7 Corsair Ling-Temco-Vought 154479 type: A-7B[15]
A-12 Avenger McDonnell Douglas
General Dynamics 		Mockup nickname: "Flying Dorito"[16][17][18][19]
BT-13 Valiant Vultee 8408 year: 1943[20]
CH-53 Sea Stallion Sikorsky 153715 type: CH-53A; nickname: "Patches"[21][22]
F-4 Phantom McDonnell Douglas 64-0825 type: F-4C[23]
F-4 Phantom McDonnell Douglas 153821 type: QF-4S; nickname: "Scooby"[24]
F-5 Tiger Northrop 74-1558 type: F-5E Tiger II[25]
F-8 Crusader Vought 146898 type: RF-8G[26]
F-14 Tomcat Grumman 159600 type: F-14D; nickname: "Christine"[27]
F-18 Hornet McDonnell Douglas 162826 type: F/A-18; former Blue Angels airplane[28]>[29][30]
F-102 Delta Dagger Convair 56-2337 type: TF-102A; nickname: "Hewy"[31]
F-105 Thunderchief Republic Aviation 60-5385 type: F-105D; nickname: "Fireball Express"[32]
F-111 Aardvark General Dynamics 68-0009 type: F-111E; nickname: "Balls 9"[33]
O-1 Bird Dog Cessna 51-16953 type: O1-A (L-19A)[34]
O-2 Skymaster Cessna N/A type: O-2A; nickname: "Kudy Jay"[35]
O-2 Skymaster Cessna 67-21430 type: O-2A[36]
OH-58 Kiowa Bell Helicopter 71-20606 type: OH-58A[37]
OV-10 Bronco North American
Rockwell 		Mockup type: OV-10A; original factory mockup[38]
OV-10 Bronco North American
Rockwell 		68-03825 type: OV-10A[39]
OV-10 Bronco North American
Rockwell 		155426 type: OV-10A[40]
T-33 Shooting Star Lockheed 53-5215 type: T-33A[41]
T-37 Tweet Cessna 57-2261 type: T-37A[42]

Programs

Landmark and Historic Sites Report

To expand community knowledge of aviation and it cultural and economic impacts on North Texas, the FWAM prepared a list of North Texas Aviation Landmarks and Sites. The list outlines twenty-five of some of the more important sites and presents a priority for officially recognizing those locations.[43][44]

First Flight Park

The Museum worked with the City of Fort Worth to establish First Flight Park in August 2013.[45] The park is near the site of the first powered aircraft flight in Fort Worth by Roland Garros and the Moisant International Aviators in January 1911. A Texas Historical Commission marker was placed on the site in January 2014.[46]

Historic Aviation Preservation Project

VMAP promotes the rich aviation heritage of the North Texas region through the Historic Aviation Preservation Project, or HAPP. VMAP is actively involved with the City of Fort Worth to identify and preserve areas, items and landmarks of significance to the history of aviation in North Texas and show how aviation transformed the region from cattle and oil into one of the premier aviation centers of the world. This includes cataloging and preserving items acquired from the recently defunct Fort Worth Air and Space Museum Foundation.[47]

Aviation Book Fair

In partnership with the Fort Worth Public Library, FWAM sponsors an annual book fair called "Women, Pilots, and Writers in Aviation."[48] Many of the featured authors[49] are on hand to sign books and talk about their work.

BroncoFest

FWAM holds an annual reunion for Forward Air Controllers and Pilots who flew in the OV-10 Bronco.[50]

References

  1. ↑ Fort Worth Aviation Museum (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  2. ↑ "City News". Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Fort Worth's Forgotten History: Veterans Memorial Air Park". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "North Texas Magazine, June 2013". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  5. ↑ OV-10 Bronco Association (1998). "OV-10 Bronco Association". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  6. ↑ B-36 Peacemaker Museum (2010). "B-36 Peacemaker Museum". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  7. ↑ Forward Air Controllers' Museum (2007). "Forward Air Controllers' Museum". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - About VMAP". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - Membership Information". Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  10. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - Aircraft". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  11. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "VMAP Aircraft Photo Gallery". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  12. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "VMAP Aircraft Wiki". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  13. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-4 Skyhawk (Gray)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  14. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-4 Skyhawk (Tan)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  15. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-7B Corsair II". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  16. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-12 Avenger II". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  17. ↑ "Warbird News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  18. ↑ "Fort Worth Business Press". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  19. ↑ "Rambler News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  20. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - BT-13 Valiant". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  21. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - CH-53 Sea Stallion". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  22. ↑ "City News". Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  23. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-4 Phantom II (Air Force)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  24. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-4 Phantom II (Navy)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  25. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-5E Tiger II". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  26. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - RF-8 Crusader". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  27. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-14D Tomcat". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  28. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-18 Hornet". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  29. ↑ "NBCDFW". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  30. ↑ "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  31. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-102 Delta Dagger". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  32. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-105D Thunderchief". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  33. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-111 Aardvark". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  34. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-1 Bird Dog". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  35. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-2 Skymaster (Black)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  36. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-2 Skymaster (Gray)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  37. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OH-58 Kiowa". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  38. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Mockup)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  39. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Air Force)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  40. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Marine)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  41. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - T-33 Shooting Star". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  42. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - T-37 Tweet". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  43. ↑ "City News" (PDF). Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Where to Find Local Aviation Landmark Sites". Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  45. ↑ "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  46. ↑ "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  47. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - HAPP". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  48. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "Women, Pilots, and Writers in Aviation Book Fair 2012". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  49. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "North Texas Aviation Writers". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  50. ↑ Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - BroncoFest IX". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
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