Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum facts for kids
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| Former name | Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor |
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| Established | 1996 |
| Location | Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Collections | Aviation |
| Collection size | 43 aircraft |
| Founder | John Sterling |
| Public transit access | Roberts Hawaii |
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is an exciting place in Hawaii that teaches us about airplanes and their history. It used to be called the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. This museum started in 1999 as a non-profit group, which means it focuses on sharing knowledge rather than making money.
The museum is located on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. This island was a very important place during World War II. Many of the museum's exhibits show what happened during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. You can even see damage from that attack on the museum's buildings!
The first part of the museum, called Hangar 37, opened on December 7, 2006. It holds many of the museum's amazing airplanes and displays. The museum also works to save historical buildings, like the Ford Island control tower. Visitors get to the museum by taking a special bus from the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.
Contents
History of the Museum
The idea for an aviation museum in Hawaii began a long time ago. In 1983, a museum called the Pacific Aerospace Museum opened at the Honolulu International Airport. However, it closed down later due to airport expansion plans. Some of its exhibits and educational programs were saved and became part of the new museum.
A very important person named Senator Daniel Inouye had a big dream for Ford Island. He wanted to bring the island back to life and make it a place where people could learn about history. Part of his plan was to build the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor. Before 1998, you could only get to Ford Island by ferry boat! Senator Inouye helped get special laws passed to make the island more accessible and to fund new buildings, including the museum.
The museum officially started construction on March 21, 2006. It opened its doors on December 7, 2006, which was the 65th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Famous people like former US President George H. W. Bush, General Chuck Yeager (a famous test pilot), and General Paul Tibbets (who piloted the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima) were part of the museum's board.
The museum is quite large, covering 16 acres on Ford Island. It uses two old airplane hangars, Hangar 37 and Hangar 79. In 2012, the museum became connected with the Smithsonian Institution, which is a very famous group of museums in the United States. This means it's recognized as an important place for history and learning. In 2013, the museum welcomed its one millionth visitor! In 2021, a new Aviation Learning Center opened, offering even more ways to learn.
Museum Buildings and Restoration
The museum is working hard to fix up the Ford Island control tower. This tower is very important because it was where the first radio alert about the attack on Pearl Harbor was sent. The tower is 158 feet tall and is a national historic landmark. It needs a lot of repairs because its steel stairs and beams are old and rusty. The museum has received grants and donations to help with this big project. You might have even seen this tower in movies like Tora! Tora! Tora! and Pearl Harbor!
Hangar 37 was once a place where seaplanes were kept. It survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and was the first building the museum developed. This huge building has nine different exhibits, a movie theater, flight simulators where you can pretend to fly, a gift shop, and a restaurant. It cost $11 million to fix up this hangar.
Hangar 79 is even bigger! It was built in 1939 and is used for restoring old airplanes. It also has many exhibits, including ones about the flying tigers and MiG Alley. You can see helicopters, jets, and other aircraft here. Look closely at the hangar's glass windows—you might still see bullet holes from the Japanese planes during the attack!
Amazing Exhibits
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The museum has many incredible airplanes and artifacts. In 2009, a Douglas SBD Dauntless plane was restored thanks to a donation from Fred L. Turner, a former CEO of McDonald's.
One very special airplane on display is a Boeing N2S-3 Stearman. This is the plane that former US President George H. W. Bush used for his flight training and his very first solo flight!
You can also see parts of a Japanese A6M2 Zero plane. This plane crashed on Ni'ihau island after the second wave of the Pearl Harbor attack. It is displayed exactly as it looked after the crash. The museum also has parts of a tractor that was used to dig trenches on the island. These trenches were made to stop Japanese planes from landing there.
Another Japanese A6M2-21 Zero, similar to the planes used in the attack, is also at the museum. This plane was found in 1968 and was even able to fly again in 1985! It was later sold to the museum in 2006.
On April 11, 2013, parts of a B-17 bomber arrived at the museum. This plane, nicknamed "Swamp Ghost", almost got destroyed during the Pearl Harbor attack! It was supposed to fly to Hickam Field on December 7, 1941, but it had engine trouble and was delayed, which saved it from the attack. Later, it was used in a bombing mission in 1942. After that mission, it was attacked by Japanese fighters and crashed into marsh water.
The plane stayed in the swamp for 64 years, which is how it got its nickname. It was finally recovered in 2006 and arrived in the United States in 2010. The museum bought it in 2011, and it's now being carefully restored outside Hangar 79.
In 2012, the museum showed off a huge diorama (a 3D model) of the Battle of Midway. This model is 10 feet tall and 40 feet wide! It took three years to build and helps visitors understand this important battle.
Aircraft Collection
The museum has a large collection of different aircraft, including:
- Aeronca Model 65TC
- Bell AH-1 Cobra
- Bell OH-58 Kiowa
- Bell UH-1 Iroquois
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Swamp Ghost)
- Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (nose section)
- Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
- Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
- Boeing N2S-3 Stearman
- Convair F102A Delta Dagger
- Curtiss P-40E Warhawk
- Douglas A3D/NTA-3B Skywarrior
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain
- Douglas SBD Dauntless
- General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
- General Dynamics F-111C
- Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat
- Grumman F-14D Tomcat
- Grumman TBM Avenger
- Lockheed F-104A Starfighter
- Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
- McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle
- McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
- Mitsubishi A6M2 Model 21 Type 0
- North American B-25B Mitchell
- North American F-86F Sabre
- North American F-86L Sabre
- North American F-100 Super Sabre
- North American T-6 Texan
- Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter
- Republic F-105 Thunderchief
- Republic RC-3 Seabee
- Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King
- Sikorsky HH-34J Choctaw
- Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion
- Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk
- Stinson L-13
The "East, Wind, Rain" Film
In 2008, students from Hawaii Pacific University created a 12-minute film called East, Wind, Rain. This film helps visitors understand the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. It even won an award in 2010!
Awards and Recognition
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is highly regarded. TripAdvisor, a popular travel website, listed it as one of the top aviation attractions in the United States. In 2007, the museum received an award for its excellent work in restoring Hangar 37, helping to preserve a historic building.
See also
- List of aerospace museums
- List of museums in Hawaii
