Castle Air Museum is a military aviation museum located in Atwater, California, United States adjacent to Castle Airport, a former United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base which was closed in 1995, after the end of the Cold War. It is one of the largest aerospace museums displaying vintage aircraft in the western United States.
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Established | 20 June 1981 |
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Location | 5050 Santa Fe Drive Atwater, California 95301 |
Coordinates | 37°21′53″N 120°34′41″W / 37.36475°N 120.577944°W |
Type | Military aviation museum |
Founder | |
Website | www |
History and information
editThe museum opened with 12 aircraft on 20 June 1981 as a branch of the United States Air Force Museum system.[3] Only four months later, an additional four aircraft were placed on display.[4] Then in 1983, an audit criticized leadership for poor accountability of resources, displaying aircraft outside the museum's mission, and lack of security.[5] When Castle Air Force Base was closed in April 1995 and became Castle Airport, the museum similarly became private.[6][7][a] The loss of federal funding eventually caused financial problems for the museum.[9]
It currently displays over 80 <www.castleairmuseum.org> restored World War II, Korean War, Cold War, and modern era aircraft. The outdoor museum covers 11 acres (45,000 m2), and among the exhibit highlights are a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (one of only 19 surviving), a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, and the massive, ten-engined Convair RB-36H Peacemaker, one of only four surviving and the largest mass-produced piston aircraft in history. An indoor museum features artifacts, photographs, uniforms, war memorabilia, aircraft engines, and a restored B-52 Stratofortress flight deck. A crew of volunteers restores and maintains the aircraft on display.[10] The museum also hosts a periodic Open House in which visitors can view the interiors of certain planes.
In May 2008, the museum reached its 50th displayed aircraft milestone with the addition of a Douglas A-4L Skyhawk. The aircraft was shipped to the museum in August 2006, and restored at a cost of $12,000.[10]
In October 2013, the Museum received a retired VC-9C aircraft that had previously served during several administrations as an alternate Air Force One and Air Force Two aircraft when use of the primary VC-137 or VC-25 was impractical.[11] Vice presidents such as Al Gore and Dick Cheney, and First Ladies such as Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Clinton, as well as presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, were among the individuals who used the plane.[11]
The museum received an F-16 in February 2016.[12]
In 2021, the museum received 5 aircraft from Naval Air Museum Barbers Point, which had closed two years prior.[13][14][15]
A McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II was moved to the museum in July 2023.[16] The museum opened the Copper Wings Cafe in July 2023.[17] A UH-12 was donated to the museum in December 2023.[18] The following May it received a TBM Avenger that had been ditched off Daytona Beach in 2022.[19]
In June 2023, the museum announced that it had received a $2 million donation to support the construction of a new Aviation[20] Pavilion.[21]
Alleged paranormal occurrences
editThe B-29A Superfortress exhibit is reported to be haunted by a spirit named "Arthur."[22] Museum management has reported that visitors, including paranormal investigators, have heard knocking and footsteps from inside the plane. In addition, lights in the aircraft have been known to turn on and off, and the propellers are known to turn even though they are locked in place. An apparition has allegedly been photographed on several occasions, and paranormal researchers claim to have detected anomalous readings on their equipment.[23] The paranormal occurrences have been featured on an episode of UPN's Real Ghosts (1995).
Collection
edit- Aircraft on Display[24]
- Avro-Canada CF-100 Mk.V Canuck
- Avro Vulcan B.2
- Beech C-45G Expeditor
- Beech YT-34 Mentor
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
- Boeing B-29A Superfortress
- Boeing B-47E Stratojet
- Boeing B-52D Stratofortress
- Boeing F/A-18C Hornet
- Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter
- Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker
- Boeing WB-50 Superfortress
- Cessna C-150
- Cessna O-2A Super Skymaster
- Cessna T-37B Tweet
- Cessna U-3A
- Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
- Consolidated B-24M Liberator
- Convair B-58A Hustler
- Convair F-102A Delta Dagger
- Convair F-106A Delta Dart
- Convair HC-131 Samaritan
- Convair RB-36H Peacemaker
- Curtiss C-46D Commando
- de Havilland Canada L-20 Beaver
- Douglas A-26B Invader
- Douglas A-4L Skyhawk
- Douglas B-18 Bolo
- Douglas B-23 Dragon
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain
- Douglas R5D-4 Skymaster
- Douglas RA-3B Skywarrior
- Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless
- Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar
- Fairchild C-123K Provider
- General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon
- General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark
- Grumman A-6E Intruder
- Grumman F-14D Tomcat
- Grumman HU-16B Albatross
- Grumman S-2 Tracker
- Lockheed C-56 Lodestar
- Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star
- Lockheed F-80B Shooting Star
- Lockheed F-104B Starfighter
- Lockheed F-94A Starfire
- Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk[25]
- Lockheed MC-130P Combat Shadow
- Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
- Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
- Martin EB-57A Canberra
- McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle
- McDonnell Douglas VC-9C
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
- McDonnell F-4E Phantom II
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
- North American AT-6 Texan
- North American B-25J Mitchell
- North American B-45A Tornado
- North American F-86H Sabre
- North American F-100 Super Sabre
- North American RA-5C Vigilante
- North American T-39 Saberliner
- Northrop F-89J Scorpion
- Northrop T-38 Talon
- Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler
- Republic F-84C Thunderjet
- Republic F-84F Thunderstreak
- Republic F-105B Thunderchief
- Saab TF 35 Draken
- Schweizer TG-3A
- Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- Vought RF-8G Crusader
- Vultee BT-13 Valiant
- Helicopters[24]
- Complementary Exhibits[24]
- AGM-28 Hound Dog - Cruise Missile
- GAM-63 Rascal - Nuclear Air-to-Surface Missile
- MB-1C - B-58 Nuclear Weapons Pod
- Kawasaki KAQ-1 - UAV/Target Drone
- MK. 17 - Thermonuclear Bomb
- NASA "Hyperglider" - Experimental Vehicle
- Norden Mk. XV - Declassified Bombsight
- Ryan BQM-34 - UAV/Target Drone
References
editFootnotes
edit- ^ Around the same time, an effort to have the museum's B-24 transferred to the Imperial War Museum Duxford was blocked.[8]
Citations
edit- ^ Miller, Brittany (29 June 2023). "Air Museum unveils Cliff James Memorial". Merced County Times. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
- ^ Yawger, Doane (26 November 2011). "Man instrumental in Castle's success has a homecoming". Merced Sun-Star. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ "World War II Air Force Memories Will Abound at Castle Museum". West Side Index. 18 June 1981. p. 11. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ "Museum Unveils Four New Planes". Merced Sun-Star. 15 October 1981. pp. 4–5. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ McCarthy, Charles (24 March 1983). "Castle Museum Audit Brings New Plan for Running Display". Fresno Bee. pp. B1, B4. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
- ^ "Face Lift on Tap for Air Museum's 'Movie Stars'". The Sun. McClatchy. 3 January 1995. p. B6. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Carlson, Ken (13 June 1995). "Castle Museum Looks to Future". Merced Sun-Star. pp. A1, A6. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Doyle, Michael; Khanh, Truong Phuoc (16 May 1995). "Castle's Rare Warplane Attracts Overseas Interest". The Fresno Bee. p. B2. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ "Castle Air Museum Struggling to Stay Open". Visalia Times-Delta. 30 November 2002. p. 2C. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ a b Keeler, Guy (2008-04-08). "A safe landing". Fresno Bee. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2009-09-10.
- ^ a b Yawger, Doane (16 October 2013). "Former Air Force One lands at Castle in Atwater". Merced Sun-Star. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ Calix, Brianna (29 February 2016). "Highly Anticipated Aircraft Arrives at Castle Air Museum". Merced Sun-Star. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ Lopez, Peter (8 December 2021). "Historic warbirds, artifacts making their way to Castle Air Museum in Atwater". FOX26News. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ Sembritzki, Halle (10 December 2021). "Atwater Castle Air Museum receives 5 historic aircraft from Hawaii following 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor". YourCentralValley.com. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ Kuhn, Andrew (20 February 2022). "Castle Air Museum expands aircraft collection with addition of vintage helicopters". Merced Sun-Star. Retrieved 21 February 2022 – via Yahoo! News.
- ^ "Phantom 'Bunny' aircraft hops down Highway 58 to new home at Castle Air Museum". Bakersfield Now. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ Hardy, Andrew (4 August 2023). "Copper Wings Café opens at Castle Air Museum". Merced County Times. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ Lopez, Peter (20 December 2023). "Castle Air Museum Adds Rare 1950s Helicopter to Collection, Unveiling in 2024". FOX 26 News. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Hawkins, Stephen (30 May 2024). "Castle Air Museum in Atwater Getting Historic WWII Navy Aircraft". FOX 26 News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ <Castle Air Museum Treasurer, Robert Tyler>
- ^ Meza, Victoria (22 June 2023). "Atwater Aviation Museum Receives $4 million Donation". YourCentralValley.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "There's Something Inside Museum's Restored B-29". Salinas Californian. 2 October 1981. p. 19.
- ^ Ghost Trackers article on the allegedly haunted B29 at Castle Air Museum Archived 2007-08-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c "Castle Air Museum Aircraft Collection". Castle Air Museum. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
- ^ Nobert, Matthew (29 July 2022). "Retired F-117 aircraft finds a new home at Castle Air Museum". FOX40.
Bibliography
edit- Castle Air Museum Visitor's Guide
- City of Atwater – Approved Annexations