Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum

Hangar #1
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Established	1997 (1997)
Location	Lower Township, New Jersey
Type	Aviation museum
Collection size	20+ aircraft
Founder	Dr. Joseph Salvatore

The Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum is an exciting aviation museum where you can explore amazing aircraft! It's located at the Cape May Airport in Lower Township, New Jersey, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States.

History of the Museum and Airfield

The Cape May Airport, where the museum is found, was built by the U.S. Navy between 1941 and 1942. It opened in April 1943 as Naval Air Station Rio Grande. This name came from its closeness to the town of Rio Grande, New Jersey.

However, there were problems with mail and phone calls. People often confused it with Rio Grande City, Texas. So, in June 1943, the Navy decided to rename it Naval Air Station Wildwood.

In the mid-1990s, a person named Dr. Joseph Salvatore bought Hangar #1. This hangar was in very bad shape back then.

The museum is inside this Hangar #1. This building is a great example of how U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft hangars looked in the 1940s. Many hangars like it are still used today! The museum's hangar is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special historical building.

The museum's collection of aircraft mostly focuses on World War II. During that time, the U.S. Navy used this place for training. But you can also see military aircraft from more recent times. These include planes from the Cold War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

In 2012, the museum was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. In 2014, a Humvee used by the United States Coast Guard in Afghanistan was loaned to the museum. This was a cool addition!

In 2022, a special R-2800 WWII aircraft engine was given to the museum. It was found in the ocean! Later that year, the museum got a new roof. The museum even closed for a short time in October 2023 to finish the roof repairs.

Aircraft on Display

A Bell UH-1 helicopter on display.

A Stearman biplane, used for training.

The museum has over 20 aircraft in its collection. You can see many different types of planes and helicopters. These aircraft tell stories from different periods of aviation history.

Events at the Museum

The museum hosts a fun event every year called AirFest. It's an airshow where you can see amazing flying displays!

See also

• List of museums in New Jersey
• List of aerospace museums
• List of maritime museums in the United States