Australian National Aviation Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Moorabbin Air Museum

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Established	1962
Location	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Type	Aerospace

The Moorabbin Air Museum is a cool place to visit if you love planes! It's an aviation museum located at Moorabbin Airport in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The museum started way back in 1962. Back then, it was called the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group. Their first big goal was to save a World War II Bristol Beaufighter plane.

Today, it's a full-fledged museum with a huge collection of aircraft. Until October 2021, it was known as the Australian National Aviation Museum. In 2021, the museum had almost 60 aircraft and 25 engines!

History of the Museum

The Australian Aircraft Restoration Group began in 1962. It was a volunteer group made up of people who loved aviation history. They wanted to save old planes.

The first home for their collection was on a farm. Then it moved to a service station near Lillydale, Victoria. A Wackett trainer plane was even displayed there. In 1965, land was set aside for the museum at Moorabbin Airport.

The museum's early collection included both privately owned planes and those the group bought. One of the first planes they got was a DAP Mark 21 Bristol Beaufighter. This plane was once used as playground equipment. It was almost scrapped, but the group saved it in April 1962.

Soon after, the Lucas family donated a CAC Wackett plane. Then came the oldest complete aircraft in the collection. This was a De Haviland DH.60G Gypsy Moth.

The year 1963 was very busy for the group. In January, they bought an Avro Anson plane. In May, they got a Gloster Meteor from the government. Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) gave them a de Havilland Tiger Moth in mid-1963. They also found a CAC Wirraway at a dump and saved it.

In 1964, most of the planes moved to a service station. Later that year, many aircraft went to a market garden near Moorabbin Airport. In October 1964, a Percival Proctor was donated. The government agreed to let the group lease land at Moorabbin Airport. A fence was put up on May 20, 1965.

In 1966, the group collected a Curtiss Kittyhawk fuselage. The most exciting arrival was in February 1967. A former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Fairey Firefly was flown to Moorabbin.

For the next 20 years, the museum grew. More and more aircraft joined the collection. The museum decided to focus on planes important to Australian aviation history. This helped them build a unique collection. They have everything from gliders to World War II planes. They also have jet fighters, crop dusters, and large airliners.

Growing the Collection and Protecting Planes

By the early 1980s, the museum had 30 impressive aircraft. But they learned a tough lesson. Just collecting and restoring planes was not enough. The museum was still an open-air display. The weather was damaging the aircraft. Planes need protection from the sun and rain.

During the 1970s and 1980s, there were ideas to fund a National Aviation Museum. The Moorabbin Air Museum was part of these talks. But by the late 1980s, it was clear these plans wouldn't happen. The museum directors knew they had to act themselves.

In 1988, they sold extra items to raise money. This money was used to build a huge hangar. It was 8,000 square feet! The hangar was finished in April 1989. Three years later, it was made even bigger, to 12,000 square feet. They also built a library, workshop, and a shop.

The Moorabbin Air Museum has won several awards over the years. One big award was a Certificate of Merit in 1985. Besides saving planes, the museum has helped many young people. Many former members now work in aviation or museums. Their experience at the museum helped them a lot.

The museum has achieved a lot, but there's still more to do. Between 1980 and 2000, the collection grew by about one plane each year. The museum now owns 52 aircraft. This makes it the largest aircraft owner at Moorabbin Airport. It has more planes than many airlines and air forces! But only one-third of the planes are under cover. The rest are stored, on loan, or displayed outside.

In September 2021, the museum got a lease for land across from its current site. This adds about 4000 square meters of space. A new building will be built there. This new facility will finally protect all the aircraft indoors. It will be the first time in the museum's history that all planes are under cover.

Aircraft in the Collection

The Moorabbin Air Museum has a wide variety of aircraft. Many of these planes have a special connection to Australian aviation history. Here is a list of some of the aircraft you can find there:

See Also

• List of aerospace museums

Images for kids

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  A RAAF Gloster Meteor

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  A RAN Fairey Gannet

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  An Ansett Douglas DC-3

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  A TAA Vickers Viscount

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  An Air Express Bristol Freighter