National Airline History Museum facts for kids
The museum hangar with the Lockheed Constellation on the ramp
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| Established | 1986 |
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| Location | Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, Kansas City, Missouri |
| Type | Aviation museum |
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The National Airline History Museum is an aviation museum. It is located at the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City, Missouri. The museum focuses on the history of airlines in the United States.
Contents
History of the Museum
The museum started in 1986. It was founded by two airplane fans, Larry A. Brown and Dick McMahon. At first, it was called Save-A-Connie. Other aviation fans, including people who worked for TWA, joined them.
They first focused on planes from the propeller age. Now, they also have jet planes, like a Lockheed Tristar. The museum hopes to add more old passenger planes to its collection.
In 2000, the museum got a hangar (a big building for planes) at the Kansas City Downtown Airport.
In 2011, the museum celebrated 25 years. They decided to make big changes. They wanted to meet high standards for museums. This included a new name, a new website, and new exhibits.
In March 2011, the museum changed its name to the National Airline History Museum. This new name helped them get more funding. They also partnered with a coffee shop in Kansas City.
In 2013, the museum announced plans to make its Lockheed Constellation fly again. They also acquired a Douglas DC-8 in 2014. However, they could not store it at the museum.
In 2016, the museum got a Boeing 727. It was stored in Seattle, Washington. But they could not move it to the museum. It was later taken apart in 2021.
The same year, the museum planned to help restore a Northrop Delta plane. In 2020, they got a Ryan PT-22 Recruit. This plane once belonged to actor Harrison Ford.
The museum faced challenges with its location in recent years. In 2023, they were locked out of their hangar.
Amazing Aircraft Exhibits
The museum has five aircraft on display. Two of them can still fly. One plane is being fixed up to fly again. There is also a model of a corporate jet.
Martin 4-0-4
Only 103 Martin 4-0-4 planes were ever built. TWA used 40 of these planes. They flew along the U.S. east coast. Eastern Airlines had the most, with 60 planes.
The museum's Martin 4-0-4 has not flown for many years. In 2011, experts checked the plane. They found it could be flown again. The museum is now working to get it flying.
Douglas DC-3
The museum's DC-3 is being made ready to fly. One of its two engines is fixed. The second engine is still being rebuilt. The outside and inside of the plane are almost finished. New carpet and seats have been put in.
This Douglas DC-3 was built in California in 1941. It was delivered to Transcontinental and Western Airlines in Kansas City. Now, it is back in its original home city.
Lockheed Super "G" Constellation
The Lockheed Super "G" Constellation is also called the "Super-Connie." It was the first Constellation to be fully restored to flying condition. It has not flown to air shows recently.
The plane was given to the museum in 1986. Work is still being done to get the Connie back in the air. It has had successful engine tests. This plane is nicknamed "Star of America."
It has appeared in television shows and movies. It was in the A&E documentary First Flights. Astronaut Neil Armstrong narrated this show. The Connie was also in the movie Voyager (1992). Its inside was used in Ace Ventura When Nature Calls (1995). It also appeared in The Aviator (2004).
TWA's Corporate "Moonliner II" Replica
In 1956, TWA sponsored Disneyland's TWA Moonliner ride. Howard Hughes added a 22-foot-tall (6.7 m) copy of Disney's Moonliner. This copy, called TWA Moonliner II, was placed on top of TWA's building in Kansas City.
The Disneyland Moonliner showed what a future atomic-powered spaceliner might look like. When TWA changed owners in 1962, the Moonliner II was removed. It was sold to a company called SpaceCraft.
The Moonliner II moved to Concordia, Missouri, in 1970. It sat by Interstate 70 for over 25 years. In 1997, a lawyer bought the old Moonliner II. He carefully restored it.
Now, it looks like it did in 1956. It has its original red and white TWA colors. It is on loan to the museum for everyone to see. It is about five miles from its first home on the TWA rooftop.
Lockheed L-1011 Tristar
In 2009, the museum announced it was getting a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. This was one of the last six flying Tristar planes in the U.S. It was given to the museum by Paul Pristo.
The plane flew from Roswell, New Mexico, to Kansas City. It arrived safely on January 30, 2010. This plane first flew in 1972 for TWA. It is very large. It is parked outside the museum's hangar.
The plane is slowly being restored. Its engines were sold before the museum got it. The museum hopes to find new engines. It is possible it could fly again. But keeping it flying is very expensive.
You can see the Tristar from outside. It is open for visitors only during special events.
Simulators
The museum has a flight simulator. It is custom-built and lets visitors experience flying. It is located in the main entrance area of the museum.
See also
