Pacific Coast Air Museum
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Coast Air Museum, in Santa Rosa
, California
, is dedicated to promoting and preserving aviation history through the acquisition, restoration, and display of historic aircraft. Founded in 1989, the museum is a non-profit organization
, located about 8.5 miles northwest of downtown Santa Rosa, at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport
.
The museum displays a varied collection of over 30 American military, propeller and jet, aircraft from World War II
, the Korean War
, and Vietnam War
, along with an example of the world's smallest jet aircraft, and a hand built replica of civilian aviation's most famous historic aerobatic airplane, a Pitts Special
S1, first designed in 1945.
Exhibits documenting local aviation history are housed in an original WW II era fabrication shop, along with an aviation reference library, and gift shop featuring aviation themed books, clothing and toys. The museum is open for tours 4 days per week, and can be reserved for corporate functions or birthday parties.
The Pacific Coast Air Museum, as an educational venue for students and the community, promotes aircraft operational safety, offers classes on aviation history and principles of flight, conducts an aviation summer school and Merit Badge
in aviation program for Boy Scouts
, and has an aviation Master Story teller for story time. The museum is very actively involved in community cultural events, supports many civic organizations, and also provides speakers for civic groups.
An annual 2-day weekend air show
in August draws over 20,000 visitors for events featuring military jet demo teams, skydiving, hang-gliding, biplane aerobatics, and tours of all the museum's airplanes, including an A-26 Invader
attack bomber, the only aircraft to see combat in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam.
Next to the museum, immediately to the north, is the airplane hangar used in the 1963 Hollywood all-star comedy movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
. In the movie, stunt pilot Frank Tallman
flies a Beech D-18 full bore, at about 150 knots, through the airplane hangar in less than a second, with only 23 feet of clearance from wingtip to wingtip, and only 15 feet from the top of the tail to the hangar ceiling.
Known as the Butler Building, the hangar was built during World War II, and is still in use today.
The Pacific Coast Air Museum continues to grow and expand, with plans to build and move to a new larger facility, still at the airport, as its fleet of aircraft increases.
In December 2010, the museum acquired the historic USAF "First Responder" F-15 Eagle
aircraft. Dispatched from the Otis Air National Guard Base
in Massachusetts
, it was the first of a dozen planes over New York City
and Washington, D.C.
, on 9/11. The plane, with a Revolutionary "Minuteman" emblem stenciled on its tail, will ultimately be fully restored and the centerpiece of an interactive, educational exhibit, as the museum is dedicated to honoring the heroic aviators who have contributed so much to the growth and defense of the American way of life.
The museum employs corporate sponsorships for a majority of its fund raising money, and hundreds of various corporate logos can be seen everywhere, next to displays and exhibits, throughout the Pacific Coast Air Museum.
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, is dedicated to promoting and preserving aviation history through the acquisition, restoration, and display of historic aircraft. Founded in 1989, the museum is a non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, located about 8.5 miles northwest of downtown Santa Rosa, at the Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport
Charles M. Schulz - Sonoma County Airport
Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located 6 nautical miles northwest of downtown Santa Rosa, a city in Sonoma County, California, United States. It serves the county and surrounding areas of Wine Country in California.The airport is named after Charles M...
.
The museum displays a varied collection of over 30 American military, propeller and jet, aircraft from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and 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...
, along with an example of the world's smallest jet aircraft, and a hand built replica of civilian aviation's most famous historic aerobatic airplane, a Pitts Special
Pitts Special
The Pitts Special is a series of light aerobatic biplane designed by Curtis Pitts. It has accumulated many competition wins since its first flight in 1944...
S1, first designed in 1945.
Exhibits documenting local aviation history are housed in an original WW II era fabrication shop, along with an aviation reference library, and gift shop featuring aviation themed books, clothing and toys. The museum is open for tours 4 days per week, and can be reserved for corporate functions or birthday parties.
The Pacific Coast Air Museum, as an educational venue for students and the community, promotes aircraft operational safety, offers classes on aviation history and principles of flight, conducts an aviation summer school and Merit Badge
Merit badge
Merit badge may refer to:*Merit badge *Merit badge...
in aviation program for Boy Scouts
Boy Scouts
A Boy Scout is a member of a Scouting organization. There are thousands of national Scouting organizations or federations; these are grouped into six international Scouting associations with some non-aligned organizations....
, and has an aviation Master Story teller for story time. The museum is very actively involved in community cultural events, supports many civic organizations, and also provides speakers for civic groups.
An annual 2-day weekend air show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
in August draws over 20,000 visitors for events featuring military jet demo teams, skydiving, hang-gliding, biplane aerobatics, and tours of all the museum's airplanes, including an A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
attack bomber, the only aircraft to see combat in WW II, Korea, and Vietnam.
Next to the museum, immediately to the north, is the airplane hangar used in the 1963 Hollywood all-star comedy movie, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 in stolen cash by a diverse and colorful group of strangers...
. In the movie, stunt pilot Frank Tallman
Frank Tallman
Frank Gifford Tallman was a stunt pilot who worked in Hollywood during the 1960s and 1970s.-Early life:...
flies a Beech D-18 full bore, at about 150 knots, through the airplane hangar in less than a second, with only 23 feet of clearance from wingtip to wingtip, and only 15 feet from the top of the tail to the hangar ceiling.
Known as the Butler Building, the hangar was built during World War II, and is still in use today.
The Pacific Coast Air Museum continues to grow and expand, with plans to build and move to a new larger facility, still at the airport, as its fleet of aircraft increases.
In December 2010, the museum acquired the historic USAF "First Responder" F-15 Eagle
F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter designed by McDonnell Douglas to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters with over 100 aerial combat victories with no losses in dogfights...
aircraft. Dispatched from the Otis Air National Guard Base
Otis Air National Guard Base
Otis Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard installation located within the Massachusetts Military Reservation , a military training facility, located on the western portion of Cape Cod, in western Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, it was the first of a dozen planes over New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on 9/11. The plane, with a Revolutionary "Minuteman" emblem stenciled on its tail, will ultimately be fully restored and the centerpiece of an interactive, educational exhibit, as the museum is dedicated to honoring the heroic aviators who have contributed so much to the growth and defense of the American way of life.
The museum employs corporate sponsorships for a majority of its fund raising money, and hundreds of various corporate logos can be seen everywhere, next to displays and exhibits, throughout the Pacific Coast Air Museum.