Evansville Wartime Museum Explained

Evansville Wartime Museum
Map Type:Indiana
Coordinates:38.0416°N -87.537°W
Location:Evansville, Indiana
Type:Military museum
President:Mike Tiemann
Curator:McKay Miles

The Evansville Wartime Museum is a military museum located at the Evansville Regional Airport in Evansville, Indiana.

History

Background

During World War II, Evansville was the site of a Republic Aviation factory that built Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.[1]

Plans to obtain an aircraft for display in the city began as early as 1986, when a former supervisor at the plant, Frank Whetsel, purchased the wreckage of a P-47D, serial number 42-8320, that had crashed in Lake Kerr in Florida and founded the P-47 Heritage Commission.[2] [3] [4] The airplane arrived in Evansville the following February and was delivered to the University of Southern Indiana.[5] [6] The Commission attempted to raise money by holding a bingo game in 1991, but was accused of violating state gambling laws. A group called the P-47 Foundation, led by Andy Easley, purchased the project from the commission.[7] [8]

Following Frank's death in 1992, his son Jim took over the project. The intent was to display it in the airport terminal that was under construction at the time. However, the airframe was destroyed on 18 March 1997 in a fire at the Franklin Industrial Center where it was being restored.[9] [10] Immediately following the fire, the foundation attempted to obtain an example from the Air Force Museum System, but was unsuccessful. It was also forced to return an engine that had been on loan.[11]

Establishment

In 2013, plans were announced to open the Freedom Heritage Museum at the Evansville Regional Airport.[12] The museum opened on 27 May 2017, shortly after changing its name to the Evansville Wartime Museum.[13] [14] It was finally able to acquire a P-47, Tarheel Tal, from the Lone Star Flight Museum in 2020.[15] [16] The airplane was repainted the following year as Hoosier Spirit II, to represent the first P-47 built in Indiana.[17] Following an effort by the foundation, the P-47 was designated the official state aircraft of Indiana in 2021.[18] [19]

The museum was significantly damaged by a storm on 2 April 2024.[20]

Exhibits

The museum has a number of galleries focused on World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War as well as three flight simulators.[21]

Collection

Aircraft

Ground vehicles

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: TenBarge . Andi . Ground School to Introduce Enthusiasts to Evansville's Own P-47 Thunderbolt . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier & Press . 11 June 2014 . 8A.
  2. News: Armstrong . Dan . USI to Provide Space for P-47 During Restoration Work . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Press . 5 December 1986 . 3.
  3. News: Derk . James . Support for P-47 Work Hasn't Gotten Off Ground . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier . 16 June 1987 . 13.
  4. News: Goodall . Geoff . Republic . 8 October 2023 . Geoff Goodall's Aviation History Site . 26 February 2023.
  5. News: Rabe . Jean . Cleared for 'Landing' . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Press . 4 February 1947 . 1.
  6. News: Rabe . Jean . P-47 has Long Way to Go, But Restorers are Hopefull . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Press . 5 February 1987 . 19.
  7. News: Rohrig . Byron . Bingo Controversy Threatens Campaign to Restore P-47 Aircraft . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier . 16 October 1991 . A6.
  8. News: Whetsel . Jim . Prior P-47 Effort Went Up in Smoke . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier & Press . 26 April 2009 . A13.
  9. News: Derk . James . Fire Deals What Could Be Fatal Blow to P-47 Display Effort . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier . 18 May 1997 . A11.
  10. News: Root . Tonya . Head of P-47 Group Hoping for Another Plane . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Press . 19 March 1997 . 15.
  11. News: Armstrong . Dan . P-47 Foundation Seeks New Plane . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Press . 17 July 1997 . 1, 16.
  12. News: Martin . John . Facility to Show City's War Effort . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier & Press . 18 October 2013 . 1A, 13A.
  13. News: Martin . John T. . WWII Museum Unveils Name Change . 8 October 2023 . Indianapolis Star . 19 January 2017 . 4A, 5A.
  14. News: Loesch . Sarah . Evansville Wartime Museum to open for public . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier & Press . 23 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201075412/http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/local/2017/05/23/evansville-wartime-museum-open-public/339565001 . 1 February 2018.
  15. News: ‘Tarheel Hal’ comes home to Evansville . 8 October 2023 . TriStateHomepage.com . 17 October 2020.
  16. News: Lone Star Flight Museum Announces The Sale Of The B-17 Thunderbird . 8 October 2023 . Warbirds News . 21 December 2020.
  17. News: New look unveiled for Evansville’s P-47, Hoosier Spirit II . 8 October 2023 . TriStateHomepage.com . 7 May 2021.
  18. News: Endale . Brook . Proposed bill would make Evansville's P-47 Thunderbolt official state aircraft . 8 October 2023 . Evansville Courier & Press . 12 January 2021.
  19. News: Evansville’s P-47 Thunderbolt is now Indiana’s official state aircraft . 8 October 2023 . TriStateHomepage.com . 30 April 2021.
  20. News: Lyman . Jill . Storms Rip Part of Roof Off Evansville Wartime Museum . 3 April 2024 . 14 News . 2 April 2024.
  21. News: Santini . Aaron . Wartime Museum Announces Changes . 3 April 2024 . Hot 96 . 4 April 2022.
  22. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Stearman-Boeing N2S-1 Kaydet, s/n 3185 USN, c/n 75-0962, c/r N50142 . Aerial Visuals . 8 October 2023.
  23. News: Lucca . Josh . Evansville Wartime Museum adds new World War II exhibit . 8 October 2023 . 14 News . 30 June 2022.
  24. News: P-47 Foundation, Evansville Museum Acquire 1943 Chrysler Sherman Tank . 8 October 2023 . Princeton Clarion . 31 May 2022 . A3.

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