Hill Aerospace Museum facts for kids
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The L.S. Skaggs Gallery at Hill Air Force Base Museum in 2024.
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| Established | 1981 |
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| Location | Hill Air Force Base, Roy, Utah |
| Type | Military aviation museum |
| Collection size | 70+ aircraft |
| Visitors | 265,000 annually |
The Hill Aerospace Museum is an exciting place to visit in Roy, Utah. It is located at Hill Air Force Base. This museum teaches you all about the history of airplanes and flying in Utah. It's a great spot to see many different types of aircraft up close!
Contents
Museum History
The idea for the museum started in 1984. Workers began building an "Aerospace Park and Museum." The museum first opened its doors in 1987. It was in an old warehouse from World War II.
In 1989, an old chapel from the base was moved to the museum. It was given a new purpose there. By 1991, the museum had grown even more. A new office building and a large hangar for airplanes were opened.
The museum also found and brought back old airplane parts. These included pieces of B-24, B-26, P-38, and P-40 planes. They were found in Alaska in the mid-1990s.
In 1996, the museum became home to the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame. This special place honors important people in Utah's aviation history. The museum continued to grow in 1999. A second display hangar was opened. It was called the Lindquist-Stewart Fighter Gallery. The first hangar was also updated and renamed the Hadley Gallery. In 2004, a new exhibit opened. It was about the Women Airforce Service Pilots, brave women who flew planes during the war.
In 2015, many of the outdoor display airplanes were repainted. This made them look fresh and new. The Utah Aviation Hall of Fame was also updated in 2016.
A cool new classroom was finished in 2019. It was built inside the body of a C-130 airplane! In 2021, the museum started a big expansion. They built a new area to fix up old planes. They also received money to build a third large hangar. This new hangar, called the L.S. Skaggs Gallery, opened in May 2024. It allows the museum to display even more amazing aircraft.
What You Can See and Do
Learning Center
The museum has a special learning center. It is called the Marc C. Reynolds Aerospace Center for Education. This center is unique because it is located inside a real C-130 airplane body! It's a fun place for students to learn about science and aviation.
Research and Archives
The museum also has a library. It is called the Major General Rex A. Hadley Research Library and Archives. Here, you can find lots of information. It has technical details and historical facts about the airplanes on display.
Special Exhibits
The museum features many interesting exhibits. Some exhibits tell the stories of famous Utah aviators. These include Brigadier General Leon C. Packer and former senator Jake Garn. You can also learn about "nose art" from the 509th Composite Group. This is special artwork painted on the front of airplanes. There are also exhibits about the Eighth Air Force.
Aircraft Collection
The Hill Aerospace Museum has a huge collection of over 70 aircraft! You can see many different types of planes. These include fighter jets, bombers, and transport planes. Some of the planes you might see are:
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
- Boeing B-29 Superfortress
- Boeing B-52G Stratofortress
- Curtiss P-40N Warhawk
- Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II
- General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon
- Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (a stealth plane!)
- Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (one of the fastest planes ever!)
- Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
- McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle
- North American P-51D Mustang
- Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
- Rockwell B-1B Lancer
This is just a small list of the many amazing aircraft you can explore at the museum!
See also
- Hill Air Force Base
- List of aerospace museums
