Grissom Air Museum Explained

Grissom Air Museum
Coordinates:40.6694°N -86.1302°W
Pushpin Map:Indiana
Established:1981
Location:1000 W. Hoosier Blvd.
Peru, Indiana 46970
Founder:John Crume
Website:Official website

The Grissom Air Museum is a military aviation museum at Grissom Air Reserve Base near Peru, Indiana with over twenty aircraft on display.

History

The museum's origins date to 1981, when the Grissom Air Force Base Heritage Museum Foundation was formed by John Crume and other military veterans to preserve the aircraft located at the base.[1] [2] The Grissom Air Museum was started in 1987 when aircraft were moved to an area outside the northern main gate from a location on base.

The indoor museum was completed in 1991.[3] Its fortunes began to decline in 1992, when the Air Force announced that six airplanes at the museum would be transferred to other sites.[4] Less than a year later, a feasibility study suggested that the museum needed new leadership and additional funding.[5] [6] After another year the situation had improved, with enough money being raised to keep the airplanes on location.[7] [8] In 1995, the museum was transferred from the United States Air Force Museum system to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites system.[9] The museum obtained two "new-in-box" Quonset huts for additional display space in 1997.[10] Then, in 2010, the museum was dropped from the latter system.[11]

In 2015, the museum's B-17 was disassembled and transferred to the Museum of Aviation for restoration.[12] By 2020, the museum was raising funds to construct a shelter for the B-58.[13]

Collection

The museum has over twenty aircraft on outdoor display, reflecting both the base's history and that of the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. The indoor museum contains a number of artifacts related to the United States Naval Training Station at Bunker Hill (1942–46), Bunker Hill Air Force Base (1954-1968), the Grissom Air Force Base (1968-1994), and the Grissom Air Reserve Base (1994–Present). Other sit-in displays, including an F-4 Phantom cockpit, Huey Helicopter, MJ-1 Bomb Loader, A-10 Trainer, and an F-16 Mock Cockpit.[14]

Aircraft

Indoor exhibits

The cabin of a HH-1K and the cockpit of a F-4C are on display inside the museum building.[47] [48] [49]

Tower

The entire Grissom Air Reserve Base and aircraft display are visible from the top of the five-story Cold War-era Observation Tower.[50]

Events

Events on location include the Open House, Armed Forces Day Celebration, GUS Fly In, and Warbird Cruise-In.[51] [52]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Aging Planes Get a Boost . 11 May 2022 . South Bend Tribune . AP . 28 July 1982 . 1.
  2. News: Jamieson . Bill . Aviation Artifacts . 11 May 2022 . Muncie Star . 15 April 1990 . 5.
  3. News: Craig . Elaine . Work to Begin on Grissom Museum . 11 May 2022 . Pharos-Tribune . 17 November 1989 . 3.
  4. News: Grissom Museum Needs Help . 11 May 2022 . Kokomo Tribune . 7 August 1992 . 2.
  5. News: Hubbard . Ann . Museum Could Be Heading into Turbulent Future . 11 May 2022 . Kokomo Tribune . 7 February 1993 . 1.
  6. News: Bell . Amy . Keeping the Museum Flying . 11 May 2022 . Pharos-Tribune . 25 July 1993 . A5.
  7. News: Bell . Amy . Museum Flying Toward Goal . 11 May 2022 . Pharos-Tribune . 30 March 1994 . A1–A2.
  8. News: Lavalley . Amy . Flying Into the Future . 11 May 2022 . Pharos-Tribune . 4 November 1994 . A1, A3.
  9. News: Grissom Air Museum Hires New Director/Curator . 11 May 2022 . Mitchell Tribune . 13 September 1995 . 4.
  10. News: Hubbard . Ann . Old Quonset Huts Like New . 11 May 2022 . Pharos-Tribune . 22 April 1997 . A3.
  11. News: Museum Loses Funding . 11 May 2022 . The Herald . 1 February 2010 . 4.
  12. News: Herda . Daniel . B-17 bomber leaving Grissom Air Museum in pieces . 6 May 2020 . Peru Tribune . 22 August 2015.
  13. News: Gerber . Carson . Senator offers fundraising help to Grissom museum . 1 May 2022 . Kokomo Tribune . 23 July 2020.
  14. Web site: Taylor . Scott . site/ipmslondon.tripod.com/museumreviews/id19.html Museum Reviews: Grissom Air Museum, Peru, Indiana . IPMS London . 7 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090305140110/http://www.ipmslondon.ca/old%20site/ipmslondon.tripod.com/museumreviews/id19.html . 5 March 2009.
  15. Web site: UH-1H-BF IROQUOIS . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  16. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Bell UH-1H Iroquois, s/n 68-16256 US, c/n 10915 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  17. Web site: B-47B STRATOJET BOMBER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  18. Web site: LOANED AIRCRAFT BY LOC . National Museum of the United States Air Force . 6 May 2020.
  19. Web site: EC-135 STRATOTANKER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  20. Web site: KC-97L STRATOFREIGHTER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  21. Web site: O-2A SUPER SKYMASTER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  22. Web site: T-37B TWEET . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  23. Web site: U-3A BLUE CANOE . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  24. Web site: TA-4J SKYHAWK . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  25. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk, s/n 153671 USN, c/n 13609 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  26. Web site: TB-58A HUSTLER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  27. Web site: TF-102A DELTA DAGGER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  28. Web site: C-47 SKYTRAIN . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  29. Web site: C-119G FLYING BOXCAR . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  30. Web site: A-10A THUNDERBOLT II . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  31. Web site: C-1A TRADER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  32. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Grumman C-1A Trader, s/n 136790 USN, c/n G-96-043 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  33. Web site: F-11F-1 TIGER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  34. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Grumman F-11A Tiger, s/n 141790 USN, c/n 107 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  35. Web site: F-14B TOMCAT . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  36. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Grumman F-14B-145-GR Tomcat, s/n 162912 USN, c/n 560 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  37. Web site: T-33A T-BIRD . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  38. Web site: F-4C PHANTOM II . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  39. Web site: F-101B VOODOO . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  40. Web site: NAMC YS-11A . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  41. Web site: B-25J MITCHELL BOMBER . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  42. Web site: F-100C SUPER SABRE . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  43. Web site: Grissom Air Museum . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  44. Web site: Airframe Dossier - North American T-2C Buckeye, s/n 158583 USN, c/n 346-09 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  45. Web site: F-84F THUNDERSTREAK . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  46. Web site: F-105D THUNDERCHIEF . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  47. Web site: Inside the Museum . Grissom Air Museum . https://web.archive.org/web/20060326224315/http://grissomairmuseum.com/inside_the_museum.htm . 26 March 2006.
  48. Web site: Airframe Dossier - McDonnell GF-4C Phantom II, s/n 64-0889 USAF, c/n 1301 . Aerial Visuals.
  49. Web site: Airframe Dossier - Bell HH-1K Iroquois, s/n 157193 USN, c/n 6317 . Aerial Visuals . 7 May 2020.
  50. Web site: Guard Tower . Grissom Air Museum . 6 May 2020.
  51. Web site: Warbird Cruise In . OldRide.com . 7 May 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120407094941/http://www.oldride.com/events/6449245.html . 7 April 2012.
  52. News: Grissom Air Park Open House Sunday . 14 May 2022 . Kokomo Tribune . 20 July 1988 . 14.

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