MAPS Air Museum
Encyclopedia
The MAPS Air Museum, run by the Military Aircraft Preservation Society, is located at the Akron-Canton Regional Airport
in Green
, Ohio
, USA.
in which the museum displays aircraft
is a former US National Guard
hangar. The National Guard has built a larger hanger to suit their needs on the northern part of the airport where MAPS is located (on the west side of the airport). The museum currently has over 20 aircraft and a collection of rare artifacts. Volunteer crews are working to restore several warbird
s to non-flying, museum quality. Aircraft include a C-47 Skytrain
, Mig-17, F-14 Tomcat
, F-84, F-100D, B-26 Marauder
, F-4 Phantom, S-2 Tracker
, 0-2 Skymaster, C-37 Tweet, Vought Corsair 2, F-11 Tiger, as well as two aircraft from the Goodyear Rubber Company located in Akron
.
The museum has a cabin from a Goodyear blimp
on display in the hangar and an amphibious aircraft named "the Goodyear drake" is also being restored. The museum also has three helicopter
s, two of which are on display for visitors to see. The helicopters on display, a Kiowa and a Cobra
(both manufactured by Bell Helicopter), fought in the Vietnam war
. Some aircraft that are hangared at MAPS are owned by private collectors and pay a rent fee for space inside the hangar where their aircraft is also on display with the rest of the planes. Most of the aircraft are on loan from the US Airforce or Navy for restoration purposes. The museum is waiting for an F-16 to be decommissioned from service and sent to the museum to be put on display.
The Gallery of Heros
The museum also has a display room with detailed models and period items from wars. This area, dubbed "the gallery of heros", has displays on Pearl Harbor
, The Tuskegee Airmen
, Rosie the Riveter
, and other displays of members of the museum and community that fought in wars and have loaned their items to the museum to be put on display.
(Ford Trimotor
), and the Collings Foundation (B-17, B-24, P-51C) have visited the museum with a live airplane. The museum also has an annual car show in June. In 2010, the Sopwith tri-wing was fired-up.
at the museum has shirts, models, posters, jackets, puzzles, radio-controlled helicopter
s, and aviation-related items for souvenirs. There is an admission charge at the museum.
Akron-Canton Regional Airport
Akron-Canton Regional Airport is a commercial Class C airport located in the city of Green, in southern Summit County, Ohio roughly southeast of Akron, northwest of Canton, and northeast of Massillon...
in Green
Green, Ohio
Green is a suburban city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,699 at the 2010 census. It is located almost exactly midway between the cities of Akron and Canton, although it is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, USA.
Overview
The museum was started in 1991 and is operated by a group of volunteers. The hangarHangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
in which the museum displays aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
is a former US National Guard
National Guard
The term National Guard originally referred to a French citizen militia . The term is now used in many countries. Depending on the country in question, "national guard" may refer to an organized militia, a military force, a paramilitary force, a gendarmerie, or a police force:- Americas :* National...
hangar. The National Guard has built a larger hanger to suit their needs on the northern part of the airport where MAPS is located (on the west side of the airport). The museum currently has over 20 aircraft and a collection of rare artifacts. Volunteer crews are working to restore several warbird
Warbird
Warbird is a term used, predominantly in North America, to describe vintage military aircraft.- Naming :Although the term originally implied piston-driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet-powered aircraft, that are no...
s to non-flying, museum quality. Aircraft include a C-47 Skytrain
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
, Mig-17, F-14 Tomcat
F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
, F-84, F-100D, B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
, F-4 Phantom, S-2 Tracker
S-2 Tracker
The Grumman S-2 Tracker was the first purpose-built, single airframe anti-submarine warfare aircraft to enter service with the US Navy. The Tracker was of conventional design with twin engines, a high wing and tricycle undercarriage. The type was exported to a number of navies around the world...
, 0-2 Skymaster, C-37 Tweet, Vought Corsair 2, F-11 Tiger, as well as two aircraft from the Goodyear Rubber Company located in Akron
Akron
-Settlements:Canada* Akron, OntarioSouth Africa* Akron, South AfricaUnited States* Akron, Alabama* Akron, Colorado* Akron, Indiana* Akron, Iowa* Akron, Michigan* Akron, New York* Akron, Pennsylvania* Akron, West Virginia* Akron Township, Illinois...
.
The museum has a cabin from a Goodyear blimp
Blimp
A blimp, or non-rigid airship, is a floating airship without an internal supporting framework or keel. A non-rigid airship differs from a semi-rigid airship and a rigid airship in that it does not have any rigid structure, neither a complete framework nor a partial keel, to help the airbag...
on display in the hangar and an amphibious aircraft named "the Goodyear drake" is also being restored. The museum also has three helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, two of which are on display for visitors to see. The helicopters on display, a Kiowa and a Cobra
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
(both manufactured by Bell Helicopter), fought in the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Some aircraft that are hangared at MAPS are owned by private collectors and pay a rent fee for space inside the hangar where their aircraft is also on display with the rest of the planes. Most of the aircraft are on loan from the US Airforce or Navy for restoration purposes. The museum is waiting for an F-16 to be decommissioned from service and sent to the museum to be put on display.
The Gallery of Heros
The museum also has a display room with detailed models and period items from wars. This area, dubbed "the gallery of heros", has displays on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, The Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of an actual groundbreaking unit, the first African American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Force, that fought in World War II.-Plot:...
, Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of the United States, representing the American women who worked in factories during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who were in the military...
, and other displays of members of the museum and community that fought in wars and have loaned their items to the museum to be put on display.
Events
The museum hosts various events during the summer season. MAPS hosts organizations that fly in aircraft and sell rides. In the past, aircraft from the EAAExperimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....
(Ford Trimotor
Ford Trimotor
The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
), and the Collings Foundation (B-17, B-24, P-51C) have visited the museum with a live airplane. The museum also has an annual car show in June. In 2010, the Sopwith tri-wing was fired-up.
Facilities
The gift shopGift shop
A gift shop is a store primarily selling souvenirs relating to a particular topic or theme. The items sold often include coffee mugs, stuffed animals, t-shirts, postcards, handmade collections and other souvenirs....
at the museum has shirts, models, posters, jackets, puzzles, radio-controlled helicopter
Radio-controlled helicopter
Radio-controlled helicopters are model aircraft which are distinct from RC airplanes because of the differences in construction, aerodynamics, and flight training...
s, and aviation-related items for souvenirs. There is an admission charge at the museum.