Silent Wings Museum Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Silent Wings Museum

Front entrance
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Established	20 October 2001 (2001-10-20)
Location	Lubbock County, Texas
Type	Historical museum
Owner	National World War II Glider Pilots Association, City of Lubbock

The Silent Wings Museum is a special place in Lubbock, Texas. It tells the amazing story of World War II glider pilots. These brave pilots flew planes without engines! The museum is inside an old airport building from the 1950s and 1960s.

History of the Glider Pilots
Museum Exhibits
- What You Can See
Education and Learning
- Research Library
Gallery
See also

History of the Glider Pilots

The museum is built where the World War II South Plains Army Air Field once stood. This is where glider pilots trained from 1942 to 1945. After their glider training, they also learned to fly regular planes.

What Were Gliders?

Giant "silent wing" gliders carried soldiers and supplies. They had no engines, so they made no noise. This helped them fly behind enemy lines without being noticed.

Lubbock was chosen for the Army's glider school for good reasons. It had a dry climate and warm weather. The skies were usually clear, and the local community was very welcoming. The dry air in the South Plains often creates upward air currents. These currents are perfect for gliders to fly. Today, the museum and the nearby Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport cover the old training area.

Forming the Association

In 1971, former pilots from the U.S. Army Air Force came together. They formed the National World War II Glider Pilots Association, Inc. Their main goal was to create a place for glider pilots to meet. They also wanted to save the history of the U.S. glider program.

Finding a Glider

One of their first big goals was to find and fix a WACO CG-4A glider. (You can learn more about it at CG-4 Hadrian). Some former glider pilots heard about one sitting on a tire store in Fresno, California. After World War II, this huge aircraft was sold as military surplus. It was put on top of the building to be used as an advertisement.

In 1979, the pilots bought the glider. They worked hard to restore it. It was ready just in time for their yearly reunion in Dallas. After the reunion, they started planning to build a museum. This museum would be a home for the CG-4A glider.

Opening the Museum

The first Silent Wings Museum opened on November 10, 1984. It was located in Terrell, east of Dallas. By 1997, everyone realized they needed a more lasting home for the museum.

The city of Lubbock offered a new site for the museum. Many of the pilots had trained there originally. The pilots agreed to the new location. The Terrell site closed in January 2001. In October of that year, the new Silent Wings Museum opened. It was at the old South Plains Army Air Field site. The restored CG-4A glider became the main attraction.

Museum Exhibits

The museum has a theater that shows a 15-minute film. It's called Silent Wings: The Story of the World War II Glider Program. After the film, visitors can explore different areas. These include the Timeline, Hangar, and Combat Galleries.

What You Can See

The museum has many interesting items. You can see photographs and artifacts. A fully restored WACO CG-4A glider is on display. There's also a TG-4 trainer and airborne equipment. You can even see a small copy of a barracks from the Lubbock Army Air Field. A special project is the British Horsa Glider restoration. It's a living exhibit, meaning you can see it being worked on!

Education and Learning

The Silent Wings Museum offers many programs to schools and groups. They also have speakers who can visit and share stories. These programs can be made to fit what a group wants to learn.

Research Library

The Adams Research Library is inside the museum. It has a large collection of old papers and books. These are all about the World War II military glider program. If you want to do research, you can schedule a time to visit.