Hoosier Air Museum Explained

Hoosier Air Museum
Map Type:	Indiana
Coordinates:	41.3041°N -85.0593°W
Location:	Auburn, Indiana
Type:	Aviation museum
Founder:	Niles Walton
Website:	hoosierairmuseum.org (Archived)

The Hoosier Air Museum was an aviation museum located at the DeKalb County Airport in Auburn, Indiana.

History

Background

The Hoosier Warbirds were founded by a group of aviation enthusiasts who met in October 1991 following the publication of a classified advertisement in a local newspaper.^[1]

Establishment

The group raised money to build a hangar, which opened in October 2000.^[2] It acquired a Cadillac Fleetwood and an AH-1 in 2002.^[3]

The museum acquired two airplanes, four engines and an exhibit about the 434th Fighter Squadron from the Wings of Freedom Museum in Huntington, Indiana in 2006.^[4]

Closure

Due to a lack of volunteers and difficulty accessing the site, the museum closed on 3 December 2019. Most of its exhibits were donated to Kruse Plaza, which opened the Hoosier Air Experience. However, the museum's WR-3 was donated to the National Air and Space Museum in 2020.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Facilities

The museum was composed of a 10000square feet hangar and a 6375square feet event hall.^[8] The latter included a library.^[9]

Exhibits

The museum included exhibits about the Tuskegee Airmen, the Women Airforce Service Pilots, the Flying Tigers the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, memorabilia belonging to Robin Olds and a control tower cab.^{[10] [11]}

Collection

• Bell AH-1F Cobra^[12]
• Brunner-Winkle Speedbird
• Cessna T-50
• Fokker D.VII – replica
• Loving-Wayne WR-3
• Model RHC1 Helicopter
• Nieuport XI – 7/10 scale replica
• Nieuport XXIV – 3/4 scale replica
• Piper J3C Cub
• Pitts S-1 Special
• Pratt-Read LNE-1
• Stewart S-51D Mustang
• Vultee V-77

References

Notes

External links

• Official website, older (Archived)
• Official website, newer (Archived)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Who We Are . Hoosier Warbirds, Inc. . 3 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060717041537/http://www.hoosierwarbirds.org/whoweare.htm . 17 July 2006.
2. News: Allison . Don . Warbird Museum's History and Prospects Outlined to Kiwanians . 3 December 2023 . Bryan Times . 4 October 2001.
3. News: Prentice . Sheryl . Cadillac, Cobra Helicopter Added to Hoosier Air Museum . 3 December 2023 . KPCNews.com . 2 August 2002.
4. News: Kurtz . Dave . Hoosier Air Museum Acquires New Exhibits . 3 December 2023 . KPCNews.com . 28 February 2006.
5. News: Kurtz . Dave . Hoosier Air Museum is Moving . 3 December 2023 . The Star . 13 September 2009.
6. Web site: Hoosier Air Experience . Kruse Plaza . 3 December 2023.
7. News: Kurtz . Dave . Local Museum Donates Plane to Smithsonian . 3 December 2023 . The Star . 13 February 2020.
8. Web site: About Us . Hoosier Air Museum . 3 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190603234305/http://www.hoosierairmuseum.org/AboutUs.html . 3 June 2019.
9. Web site: Library: Books, Videos, Model Planes . Hoosier Air Museum . 3 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190602065540/http://www.hoosierairmuseum.org/Library-giftShop.html . 2 June 2019.
10. News: Kobiela . Jenny . Memorabilia of Late Air Ace on Display at Auburn Museum . 3 December 2023 . KPCNews.com . 2 July 2007.
11. News: Kurtz . Dave . Air Museum’s Moving Day . 3 December 2023 . The State . 3 December 2019.
12. Web site: Aircraft on Display . Hoosier Air Museum . 3 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190603235414/http://www.hoosierairmuseum.org/Aircraft.html . 3 June 2019.