Cavanaugh Flight Museum Explained

Cavanaugh Flight Museum
Coordinates:32.9726°N -96.8354°W
Established:1993
Location:4572 Claire Chennault St
Addison, Texas 75001
Visitors:33,000 (2006)[1]
Founder:Jim Cavanaugh[2]
Director:Doug Jeanes[3]
Publictransit:Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus route 341
Website:Cavanaugh Flight Museum

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum was a non-profit aviation museum at Addison Airport in Addison, Texas. It closed indefinitely as of January 1, 2024.

Mission

The museum promoted aviation education, research and American aviation heritage. The museum provided aircraft restoration, maintained and displayed historically significant vintage aircraft, some of which were in flyable condition, and maintained an aviation collections department featuring aviation artwork.

History

The aircraft collection held by the museum began as the personal collection of businessman Jim Cavanaugh. His collection began with the purchase of a half-share in a 1939 Piper J-3 Cub in 1980.[4] The museum opened in October 1993.[5]

On December 29, 2023, the museum announced it would be closing indefinitely on January 1, 2024.[6] [7] A spokesperson for the town of Addison told WFAA that the museum's lease had been terminated to allow the site to be redeveloped as new hangars, office space, and parking. The museum said that its aircraft would be moved to North Texas Regional Airport in Denison, Texas, but it would not state whether the collection would be returned to public display.[8]

Exhibits and collections

The flight museum housed an aviation art gallery that includes pieces from Keith Ferris, Roy Grinnell, William Phillips, John Shaw, Stan Stokes, Robert Taylor, and Nicholas Trudgian.

B-29 "FiFi" Project

In a January 2008 press release,[9] the Commemorative Air Force and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum pledged $1.2M USD to re-engine FiFi, a B-29 Superfortress. The pledge was made by Jim Cavanaugh, museum founder. As a result of the contribution, FiFi was returned to flight status, and the B-29/B-24 Squadron of the CAF was relocated from Midland, Texas, to Addison Airport. The B-24 and the B-29 were, for the six months of each year they were not on tour, kept and maintained at Addison. FiFi was sent to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth during winter.

FiFi was based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum until 2013, when it was relocated to the Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham.

Partial List of Collection

World War I

World War II

ManufacturerModelSerial numberNotes
Aeronca 43-26886
40-1650
Curtiss
Douglas 44-35710Hard to Get
Fairchild 42-34560
General Motors 86956
General Motors 86280
Goodyear 92339
Heinkel CASA 2.111(He 111) Spanish built version of He 111. 9K+FZ
Hispano Markings on side <- + -
North American 42-85697
North American How ‘Boot That!
North American Barbie III'
North American 44-72339
Piper 45-55210
Ryan 41-15334
Supermarine MT719
Vultee 44177
Yak 0410101

Korean War

ManufacturerModelSerial numberNotes
Beachcraft 53-3362
Bell 65-8040
Douglas52-139606
Douglas135152
Grumman 123078
Grumman 136431
Lockheed 56-0779
Mikoyan Gurevich 512036
North American/Canadair 51-2821
Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze (PZL)
Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse150213

Vietnam War

ManufacturerModelSerial numberNotes
Bell 159220
Bell 62-4567
Cessna 62323-70
Hughes 69-16006
LTV 160615
McDonnell-Douglas 64-0777
Mikoyan Gurevich 1228
Mikoyan Gurevich 04685145
Republic

Civilian aircraft

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Lisa . Tanner . Taking flight; Cavanaugh flight museum seeks to attract more visitors by teaming up with the town of Addison . Dallas Business Journal . 2007-03-30 .
  2. Web site: Perdue . Scott . Cavanaugh’s Flight Through Time . Plane & Pilot . Madavor Media . 10 December 2018 . 1 November 2006.
  3. News: Terry . Box . Cavanaugh Flight Museum: A real blast from the past . The Dallas Morning News . 2008-05-08 .
  4. News: Paul . Lukas . Collecting war planes in memory of real heros . The Financial Times . 2007-04-27 .
  5. News: Bill . Marvel . A Crowded Plane Field; The opening of a third Dallas-area aviation museum is fueled by a growing interest in our airborne heritage . The Dallas Morning News . 1993-10-26 . Newsbank ID 0ED3D3C02B19FAC7 .
  6. Web site: Cavanaugh Flight Museum Facebook Page .
  7. Web site: Vintage Aviation News: Cavanaugh Flight Museum To Close After 30 Years .
  8. News: Sullivan . Cole . January 1, 2024 . Historic Addison flight museum announces closure . WFAA . Dallas, Texas . January 4, 2024.
  9. http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/B-29_B-24_Press_Release_1-21-08 Cavanaugh Flight Museum: Press Release Jan. 21, 2008