With the building structurally complete, the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio began moving exhibits into its new, fourth hangar in October. With the opportunity to see some of these beautiful exhibits outside, WarbirdsNews thought our readers would enjoy seeing some of the images which museum photographers took during the move.
The layout above shows how the aircraft will be arranged following the move. It is a massive hangar and the move represents a huge undertaking, but it is bound to be a fabulous place to visit once everything is in place.
The next step in the buildup of the fourth building will begin with dismantling the Space Shuttle Exhibit and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learning Node currently still inside the third hangar. According to a recent press release…
Turner Construction Company was recently awarded a $434,133 contract modification by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, to disassemble the Space Shuttle Exhibit and STEM Learning Node in the museum’s third building and transport them to the fourth building, where they will be re-assembled. The Space Shuttle Exhibit and STEM Learning Node will re-open when the fourth building opens in June 2016.
Aircraft and exhibits located near the current exhibit in the Cold War Gallery, including the AC-130, EF-111A, F-111F and F-117A, will be unavailable starting Oct. 19, and the work to begin disassembling the Space Shuttle Exhibit and STEM Learning Node will start later this year.
The Space Shuttle Exhibit featuring NASA’s first Crew Compartment Trainer and Teal Ruby satellite will be part of a new and expanded Space Gallery. The gallery will also include a massive Titan IVB space launch vehicle and satellite booster rocket that weighs 96 tons; Mercury, Gemini and Apollo spacecraft; and a range of other rockets, satellite launch vehicles, and space-related artifacts.
The current STEM Learning Node will be moved to the fourth building’s new Global Reach Gallery, which will include select cargo aircraft such as the C-21A, C-82A, C-130E and C-141C Hanoi Taxi. The Air Force’s airlift and aeromedical evacuation missions will also be explained in this gallery.
Future plans call for two new additional STEM Learning Nodes to be constructed in the fourth building with one located between the new Space and Research & Development Galleries and another in the new Presidential Gallery.
The $40.8 million fourth building is being privately financed by the Air Force Museum Foundation, a non-profit organization chartered to assist in the development and expansion of the museum’s facilities.
I am trying to contact someone in your archives division. My uncle Frank “Dude” L. Higgs from Columbus was a pilot in China and a character in the cartoon strip “Terry and the Pirates” by Milton Caniff. Dude flew supplies over the “Hump” from 1938-1945. He taught the Chinese pilot to fly. I understand that you have letters etc., in your archives. I also have much information that I shared with the San Fran. Airport Museum and could share with you–if it is available to the public. Please contact me at jeanneholder@comcast.net.
Or 425-882-2345. Thank you. Jeanne Holder
I am trying to contact someone in your archives division. My uncle Frank “Dude” L. Higgs from Columbus was a pilot in China and a character in the cartoon strip “Terry and the Pirates” by Milton Caniff. Dude flew supplies over the “Hump” from 1938-1945. He taught the Chinese pilot to fly. I understand that you have letters etc., in your archives. I also have much information that I shared with the San Fran. Airport Museum and could share with you–if it is available to the public. Please contact me at jeanneholder@comcast.net.
Or 425-882-2345. Thank you. Jeanne Holder