Chico Air Museum facts for kids
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The Chico Air Museum is a cool place in Chico, California, where you can learn all about airplanes and space! It's a nonprofit museum, which means it's run by people who want to share their love for aviation, not to make money. The museum is located at the Chico Municipal Airport. Its main goal is to collect, keep safe, and show off amazing aircraft and items from aviation and space history. They want to teach and inspire everyone, especially young people, about flying and how aviation has changed over time.
Awesome Exhibits
The museum is housed in a big building called a hangar. This hangar was built during World War II and was once part of the Chico Army Airfield. Inside, you'll find many different airplanes, cool artifacts, and displays.
There's also an outdoor area where you can see more planes up close. The museum has a huge collection of scale models of planes, too! If you love to read about aviation, they have a large research library.
The museum's hangar is right next to the Chico Air Attack Base. This is a busy place during fire season. You might get to see different types of air tankers (planes that fight fires) landing, reloading with water or fire retardant, and taking off again! It's an exciting sight to watch.
Become an Airman Docent!
In 2016, the museum started a special program just for kids and teens called the Airman Docent Program. If you are under 18 years old, you can volunteer as a museum docent. This means you can help out at the museum, learn even more about aviation, and share what you know with visitors. It's a great way to get involved!
Planes You Can See
The Chico Air Museum has many different types of aircraft on display. Here is a list of some of the amazing planes you might see there:
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
- North American F-86 Sabre
- LTV A-7 Corsair II
- Vultee BT-13 Valiant
- SPAD S.XIII
- Grumman AF-2S Guardian
- Aero L-29 Delfin
- Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
- Lockheed P-2 Neptune
- Piasecki H-21 Workhorse
- Bell 47
- Antonov AN-2
- Thorp T-211
- Taylor Titch
- Pitts Model 12
- Schreder Airmate HP-11
- Rotary Air Force RAF 2000
- Link Trainer
Photo gallery
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An aerial view of the Chico Air Museum
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Another view inside the Chico Air Museum
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A Pitts 12 plane on display
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An exhibit about the history of the Chico Army Air Field
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A BT-13 Valiant plane being moved from the museum hangar. This is the only plane at the museum that can still fly!
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An A-7D Corsair II plane in the outdoor display area
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An AF-2S Guardian plane waiting to be restored
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A special ceremony for the F-86 Sabre "Mama Inez" plane, honoring Korean War veterans
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An A-7D Corsair II plane after being repainted
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The museum's A-7 plane next to an F/A-18E plane. Both planes were featured in a magazine!
See also
- List of Aerospace Museums
- Chico Army Airfield
