Castle Air Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 20 June 1981 |
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| Location | 5050 Santa Fe Drive Atwater, California 95301 |
| Type | Military aviation museum |
| Founder | Gen. James P. McCarthy |
Castle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California, United States adjacent to Castle Airport, a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base which was closed in 1995, after the end of the Cold War. It is one of the largest aerospace museums displaying vintage aircraft in the western United States.
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History and information
The museum opened with 12 aircraft on 20 June 1981 as a branch of the United States Air Force Museum system. When Castle Air Force Base was closed in April 1995 and became Castle Airport, the museum similarly became private. The loss of federal funding eventually caused financial problems for the museum.
It currently displays over 60 restored World War II, Korean War, Cold War, and modern era aircraft. The outdoor museum covers 11 acres (45,000 m2), and among the exhibit highlights are a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (one of only 19 surviving), a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, and the massive, ten-engined Convair RB-36H Peacemaker, one of only four surviving and the largest mass-produced piston aircraft in history. An indoor museum features artifacts, photographs, uniforms, war memorabilia, aircraft engines, and a restored B-52 Stratofortress flight deck. A crew of volunteers restores and maintains the aircraft on display. The museum also hosts a periodic Open House in which visitors can view the interiors of certain planes.
In May 2008, the museum reached its 50th displayed aircraft milestone with the addition of a Douglas A-4L Skyhawk. The aircraft was shipped to the museum in August 2006, and restored at a cost of $12,000.
In October 2013, the Museum received a retired VC-9C aircraft that had previously served during several administrations as an alternate Air Force One and Air Force Two aircraft when use of the primary VC-137 or VC-25 was impractical. Vice Presidents such as Al Gore, Dick Cheney, and First Ladies such as Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Clinton, as well as Presidents Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, were among the individuals who used the plane.
Alleged paranormal occurrences
The B-29A Superfortress exhibit is reported to be haunted by a spirit named "Arthur." Museum management has reported that visitors, including paranormal investigators, have heard knocking and footsteps from inside the plane. In addition, lights in the aircraft have been known to turn on and off, and the propellers are known to turn even though they are locked in place. An apparition has been photographed on several occasions, and paranormal researchers have detected anomalous readings on equipment. The paranormal occurrences have been featured on an episode of UPN's Real Ghosts (1995).
Collection
| Name | Role | Class | Introduced | Country of Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck | Interceptor | Jet | 1952 |  Canada |
| Avro Vulcan B.2 | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1956 |  United Kingdom |
| Beech C-45G Expeditor | Utility | Propeller | 1937 |  United States |
| Beechcraft YT-34 Mentor | Trainer | Propeller | 1953 | United States |
| Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress | Bomber | Propeller | 1937 | United States |
| Boeing B-29A Superfortress | Bomber | Propeller | 1944 | United States |
| Boeing B-47E Stratojet | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1951 | United States |
| Boeing B-52D Stratofortress | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1955 | United States |
| Boeing CH-47D Chinook | Transport | Helicopter | 1962 | United States |
| Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker | Tanker | Jet | 1957 | United States |
| Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter | Tanker | Propeller | 1951 | United States |
| Boeing WB-50 Superfortress | Bomber/Weather Reconnaissance | Propeller | 1948 | United States |
| Cessna O-2A Skymaster | Observation | Propeller | 1967 | United States |
| Cessna T-37B Tweet | Trainer | Jet | 1957 | United States |
| Cessna U-3A Blue Canoe | Utility | Propeller | 1957 | United States |
| Consolidated B-24M Liberator | Bomber | Propeller | 1941 | United States |
| Convair F-102A Delta Dagger | Interceptor | Jet | 1956 | United States |
| Convair F-106A Delta Dart | Interceptor | Jet | 1959 | United States |
| Convair HC-131 Samaritan | Transport | Propeller | 1950 | United States |
| Convair RB-36H Peacemaker | Strategic Bomber/Reconnaissance | Jet/Propeller | 1949 | United States |
| Convair B-58A Hustler | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1960 | United States |
| Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger | Trainer | Jet | 1956 | United States |
| Curtiss C-46D Commando | Transport | Propeller | 1941 | United States |
| de Haviland Canada L-20 Beaver | Utility | Propeller | 1948 | Canada |
| Douglas A-26B Invader | Bomber | Propeller | 1943 | United States |
| Douglas A-4L Skyhawk | Attack Fighter | Jet | 1956 | United States |
| Douglas B-18 Bolo | Bomber | Propeller | 1936 | United States |
| Douglas B-23 Dragon | Bomber | Propeller | 1939 | United States |
| Douglas C-47 Skytrain | Transport | Propeller | 1941 | United States |
| Douglas R5D-4 Skymaster | Transport | Propeller | 1942 | United States |
| Douglas RA-3B Skywarrior | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1956 | United States |
| Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar | Transport | Propeller | 1949 | United States |
| Fairchild C-123K Provider | Transport | Propeller | 1956 | United States |
| General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon | Fighter | Jet | 1978 | United States |
| General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1967 | United States |
| Grumman F-14D Tomcat | Fighter | Jet | 1974 | United States |
| Grumman HU-16B Albatross | Amphibious Rescue | Propeller | 1949 | United States |
| Grumman S-2 Tracker | Anti-submarine Warfare | Propeller | 1954 | United States |
| Kaman HH-43B Huskie | Firefighting/Search and Rescue | Helicopter | 1953 | United States |
| Kawasaki KAQ-1 | UAV/Target Drone | Propeller | 1950 |  Japan |
| Lockheed C-130A Hercules | Transport | Propeller | 1954 | United States |
| Lockheed C-56 Loadstar | Transport | Propeller | 1940 | United States |
| Lockheed F-104B Starfighter | Interceptor | Jet | 1958 | United States |
| Lockheed F-80B Shooting Star | Fighter | Jet | 1945 | United States |
| Lockheed F-94A Starfire | Interceptor | Jet | 1950 | United States |
| Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon | Bomber/Maritime Patrol | Propeller | 1941 | United States |
| Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird | Strategic Reconnaissance | Jet | 1966 | United States |
| Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star | Trainer | Jet | 1948 | United States |
| Martin B-57 Canberra | Strategic Bomber/Reconnaissance | Jet | 1951 | United States |
| McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle | Fighter | Jet | 1976 | United States |
| McDonnell Douglas VC-9C | Executive Transport | Jet | 1968 | United States |
| McDonnell F-101B Voodoo | Fighter | Jet | 1957 | United States |
| McDonnell F-4E Phantom | Fighter | Jet | 1960 | United States |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 | Fighter/Interceptor | Jet | 1956 |  Soviet Union |
| North American AT-6 Texan | Trainer | Propeller | 1937 | United States |
| North American B-25J Mitchell | Bomber | Propeller | 1941 | United States |
| North American B-45A Tornado | Strategic Bomber | Jet | 1948 | United States |
| North American F-100 Super Sabre | Fighter | Jet | 1954 | United States |
| North American F-86H Sabre | Fighter | Jet | 1949 | United States |
| North American RA-5C Vigilante | Strategic Bomber/Reconnaissance | Jet | 1961 | United States |
| North American T-39 Saberliner | Trainer/Utility | Jet | 1962 | United States |
| Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler | Electronic Warfare | Jet | 1971 | United States |
| Northrop F-89J Scorpion | Interceptor | Jet | 1950 | United States |
| Northrop T-38 Talon | Trainer | Jet | 1961 | United States |
| Republic F-105B Thunderchief | Fighter Bomber | Jet | 1958 | United States |
| Republic F-84C Thunderjet | Fighter Bomber | Jet | 1947 | United States |
| Republic F-84F Thunderstreak | Fighter Bomber | Jet | 1954 | United States |
| Ryan BQM-34 | UAV/Target Drone | Jet | 1955 | United States |
| Saab J35 Draken | Fighter | Jet | 1960 |  Sweden |
| Vought RF-8G Crusader | Fighter/Reconnaissance | Jet | 1957 | United States |
| Vultee BT-13 Valiant | Trainer | Propeller | 1939 | United States |
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| AGM-28 Hound Dog | Cruise Missile |
| GAM-63 Rascal | Nuclear Air-to-Surface Missile |
| MB-1C | B-58 Nuclear Weapons Pod |
| MK. 17 | Thermonuclear Bomb |
| NASA "Hyperglider" | Experimental Vehicle |
| Norden Mk. XV | Declassified Bombsight |
Hidden aircraft collection
Castle Air Museum has several aircraft that cannot be displayed outdoors, as their fabric coverings do not hold up in the San Joaquin Valley weather. The museum is working to raise funds for a suitable building to display these and other items that they do not currently have indoor space to display.
- Piper L-4
- Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- Bell H-13 Sioux
- Ryan PT-22 Recruit
- Fairchild PT-23
- Schweizer SGS 1-26 (TG-3)
- Cessna UC-78
Restoration efforts
The museum has recently received several aircraft which are currently under restoration before they will be displayed on the museum grounds:
- Convair B-58 Hustler
- Douglas SBD Dauntless
- Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
- Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon
- Castle Air Museum Visitor's Guide
