Quonset Air Museum facts for kids
MiG-17 on display at the Quonset Air Museum.
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1992 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2015 |
| Location | North Kingstown, Rhode Island |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Founder |
|
The Quonset Air Museum was an exciting aviation museum. It was located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, at the Quonset Point Air National Guard Station. The museum started as the "Rhode Island Aviation Heritage Association." It was founded by Robin Foote, who became its first chairman and president.
The museum had a large collection of items. These included military vehicles, missiles, and many different aircraft. There were also over 5,000 smaller aviation artifacts. The museum kept a huge collection of books, magazines, and photos. It also had manuals, documents, and even aircraft blueprints.
Some of the most special aircraft were on display. One was the very last Curtiss XF15C. This was a unique plane that used two types of engines. Another special plane was a C-1A Trader with two tails. This particular C-1A was the last plane to fly from Naval Air Station Quonset Point when it closed in 1974.
History of the Museum
The Quonset Air Museum had an interesting history. It recovered a F6F-5 Hellcat plane from Martha's Vineyard. This happened on December 4, 1993. The U.S. Navy later said the plane was taken without their permission. After some discussion, the museum was allowed to keep the aircraft on loan from the Navy.
In 2004, an Antonov An-2 plane from the museum was given to the Antonov Foundation. The next year, David H. Payne Sr. became the museum's president.
The Museum's Home
The museum was located in Painting Hangar #488. This building was once part of the Naval Air Station Quonset Point. The hangar was very large, about 50,000 square feet. It was also special because it was one of only three such hangars. These hangars were built using wood and brick during World War II.
In March 2015, heavy snow caused part of the hangar's roof to collapse. Because of the damage, the building was declared unsafe.
Plans for a New Museum
In January 2016, there were plans to open a new museum. The museum was supposed to move out of the damaged hangar by April 2. However, they were given more time. Later, in June, a request for $4 million in state funding did not happen. On December 16, 2016, it was announced that the museum would not reopen.
Many of the aircraft from the collection were moved to other museums. However, one large plane, a P2V, was too big to move. It was taken apart in May 2018.
Aircraft Once on Display
Many different types of aircraft and vehicles were once shown at the museum. Here are some of them:
- Bell AH-1S Cobra (a type of helicopter)
- Bell OH-58A Kiowa (another helicopter)
- Bell UH-1 Huey (a famous helicopter)
- Curtiss XF15C (a unique prototype plane)
- Douglas AD-5W Skyraider (a powerful attack plane)
- Douglas A-4M Skyhawk (a small attack jet)
- Douglas F3D-2Q Skyknight (a night fighter jet)
- FV433 Abbot SPG (a type of military vehicle)
- General Motors TBM-3E Avenger (a torpedo bomber)
- Grumman A-6E Intruder (an attack jet)
- Grumman C-1A Trader (a transport plane)
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat (a famous fighter jet)
- Grumman F6F Hellcat (a World War II fighter plane)
- Hughes OH-6 Cayuse (a small helicopter)
- Lockheed P2V Neptune (a large patrol plane)
- LTV A-7D Corsair II (an attack jet)
- M35 Recovery Truck (a military truck)
- McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II (a jet that can take off vertically)
- McDonnell Douglas F-4A Phantom II (a fast fighter-bomber jet)
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F (a Soviet fighter jet)
- MIM-14 Nike-Hercules (a type of missile)
- Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King (a large helicopter)
- Silkworm missile (a type of missile)
- Type 74 37 mm AA gun (an anti-aircraft gun)
- ZPU-4 Type 56 AA gun (another anti-aircraft gun)
