Pacific Coast Air Museum facts for kids
 |
|
| Established | 1989 |
|---|---|
| Location | Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, California |
The Pacific Coast Air Museum in Santa Rosa, California, is a special place that helps people learn about and save aviation history. It's a non-profit organization, which means it's not run for money. The museum collects, fixes up, and shows off many different historic aircraft. You can see over 30 American military planes, including propeller planes and jets.
Contents
Exploring the Museum
The museum is located near the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport. Inside, you'll find exhibits that tell the story of local aviation. There's also a library where you can read about planes and a gift shop with aviation-themed books, clothes, and toys.
Amazing Aircraft on Display
The museum has a cool collection of military aircraft. These planes are from big wars like World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. You can see planes like the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. There's also a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, often called a "Huey."
You can also find some unique aircraft. One is a Bede BD-5, which is one of the world's lightest jet aircraft. Another is a handmade copy of the famous Pitts Special S1, an aerobatic plane known for amazing stunts.
The "First Responder" F-15 Eagle
In 2010, the museum got a very special plane: the USAF "First Responder" F-15 Eagle. This jet was one of the first fighter planes to fly over New York City and Washington, D.C. on 9/11. It was sent from the Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts. The museum plans to fix up this plane completely. It will have a "Minuteman" emblem on its tail. This F-15 will be a main part of an interactive exhibit where you can learn more.
The Famous Movie Hangar
Right next to the museum, you can see an airplane hangar that was used in a famous 1963 Hollywood movie. The movie was called It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. In the film, a stunt pilot named Frank Tallman flew a Beech D-18 plane right through this hangar! He flew at about 150 knots (which is very fast). There was only 23 feet of space for the wings and 15 feet for the tail. This hangar, called the Butler Building, was built during World War II and is still used today.
Fun Activities and Events
The museum offers many activities for visitors. They teach classes about aviation history and how planes fly. They also have a summer school for kids interested in aviation. If you're a Boy Scout, you can even earn an aviation merit badge here! The museum also has a "Master Storyteller" who shares aviation stories. They are very involved in community events and support many local groups.
"Wings over Wine Country" Air Show
Every August, the museum hosts a big 2-day air show called "Wings over Wine Country." More than 20,000 people come to watch! You can see military jet teams perform amazing stunts. There are also skydiving shows, hang-gliding, and biplane aerobatics. You can even tour all the museum's airplanes. One special plane is the A-26 Invader attack bomber. It's the only aircraft that fought in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War!
Museum History
The Pacific Coast Air Museum started in 1989. In 1999, it joined with a smaller group called the Redwood Empire Aviation Historical Society. The museum used to rent different hangars for its planes at the Sonoma County airport. In 2001, it began moving to a larger space to show off its growing collection.
