Indiana Aviation Museum facts for kids
| Established | September 28, 2000 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | October 29, 2010 |
| Location | Valparaiso, Indiana |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Collection size | 9 aircraft |
The Indiana Aviation Museum was a special place in Valparaiso, Indiana. It was located right at the Porter County Regional Airport. This museum was all about airplanes! It opened its doors on September 28, 2000, and showed off many amazing military and civilian aircraft. The museum was open every year from May through October. It closed permanently on October 29, 2010.
Amazing Airplanes on Display
The museum had a fantastic collection of airplanes. These planes were given to the museum by James Read, who was the founder and president. The collection started with a T-34 Mentor plane that needed some work to get it ready.
Soon, more awesome planes joined the collection. These included a speedy P-51 Mustang, a PT-17 Stearman trainer, and a powerful T-28 Trojan. Other planes like the Cessna A-37A and the AT-6G Texan also became part of the museum. There were also civilian planes, such as a Lake L-4 amphibian and an RV homebuilt aircraft.
Museum's Aircraft Collection
Here are some of the cool planes that were part of the museum's collection:
- 1941 PT-17 Stearman
- This plane was a two-seat trainer used during World War II. It was painted in the colors of the Army Air Corps. People often called it the "Stearman." This particular plane was sent to the USAAF on July 30, 1941. It helped train pilots in Albany, Georgia.
- 1945 P-51D Mustang
- The museum's P-51D Mustang was a famous fighter plane. It served with the Air National Guard in North Dakota, Alabama, and Kentucky. It was a very important aircraft during World War II.
- 1952 AT-6G Texan
- This was another two-seat advanced trainer aircraft. The Naval version of this plane was called the SNJ. It even had a special hook for landing on aircraft carriers! The museum's AT-6 was given to the USAF on June 11, 1952, for pilot training.
- 1953 DHC 1 MK22 Chipmunk
- This was a British primary trainer aircraft.
- 1955 T-28B Trojan
- The T-28B was used by the Navy as a trainer. The U.S. Army also used it for taking photos from the air. This two-seat advanced trainer took the place of the World War II AT-6 trainer.
- 1957 T-34B Mentor
- This was a propeller-driven, single-engine, two-seat primary trainer aircraft.
- 1943 L-2 Grasshopper
- This small plane was used for observation and liaison during World War II.
- 1967 A-37A Dragonfly
- This was a light attack aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force.
- 1991 Van's Aircraft RV-4
- This is a popular type of homebuilt aircraft.
Why the Museum Closed
The Indiana Aviation Museum closed its doors on October 29, 2010. It had been open for ten years. The owners, Jim and Cathy Read, decided it was time for a younger generation to continue the important work of preserving these amazing aircraft.
