Southern Museum of Flight facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Southern Museum of Flight

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Established	1966 (1966)
Location	4343 73rd Street North Birmingham, Alabama 35206
Founder	Mary Alice Beatty

The Southern Museum of Flight is an exciting aviation museum in Birmingham, Alabama. It's a place where you can see almost 100 real airplanes up close! Besides the aircraft, the museum has a huge collection of engines, models, and historical items that tell the story of flight.

The museum is also home to the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame. This special section honors the amazing pilots and aviation pioneers from Alabama.

What's Inside the Museum?

The museum has many fascinating exhibits. You can see displays that honor famous pilots and important moments in flight history.

The Sunken Bomber

One of the museum's most incredible stories is about a B-25C Mitchell bomber. During a training flight in 1943, the plane crashed into Lake Murray in South Carolina. Luckily, the crew escaped safely before the bomber sank 150 feet (46 meters) to the bottom of the lake!

For many years, the plane was a secret destination for scuba divers. Then, in 2005, a team decided to bring it back to the surface. A group called the Lake Murray B-25 Rescue Project carefully raised the plane from the water. The entire rescue was filmed for the TV show Mega Movers on the History Channel. Today, you can see the remains of this historic bomber at the museum.

Honoring Heroes and History

The museum features several important exhibits:

• Tuskegee Airmen: A special diorama (a 3D model scene) honors the Tuskegee Airmen. They were the first African-American military pilots in the United States Armed Forces and are famous for their bravery during World War II.
• Korean War Jets: This exhibit showcases the powerful jet aircraft that flew during the Korean War.
• Vietnam War Helicopters: Here, you can learn about the helicopters that played a crucial role in the Vietnam War.

Museum Location

The Southern Museum of Flight is located on the grounds of the Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport. The museum has plans to expand by opening a second location at the Grand River Technology Park, near the Barber Motorsports Park.

Amazing Aircraft on Display

The Lockheed A-12 was a super-fast spy plane.

A MiG-15, a famous jet fighter.

This Mi-25 helicopter was captured in Operation Mount Hope III.

The museum's collection includes planes from different eras, from early flight experiments to modern jets.

Military Aircraft

These planes were built for military use, including fighters, bombers, and trainers.

Civilian Aircraft

This collection features planes used for travel, sport, and farming. It also includes replicas of some of the most famous aircraft in history.