Air Zoo

S.P.A.D. WWI Fighter in the Kalamazoo Air Zoo

The Air Zoo, founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, is an aviation museum and indoor amusement park next to the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Portage, Michigan.

The Air Zoo holds many historical and rare aircraft, including the world's fastest air-breathing aircraft, the SR-71B Blackbird. Many of its antique planes are airworthy. Among its other attractions are a 180-degree theater that projects a 4-D simulation of a B-17 bombing mission during World War II; and various amusement rides, including flight simulators of a rocket trip to Mars, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets, a stunt biplane, a hot air balloon, and more.

History

The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum was founded in 1977 by Sue and Pete Parish, "dedicated to preserving and displaying historical and military artifacts and to serving as a research and educational facility for this country and abroad." The doors opened on November 18, 1979, to great local acclaim, and the museum quickly developed into one of the 10-largest nongovernmental aviation museums in the United States.

In 1994, the Restoration Center was added, allowing the museum to restore old aircraft to working order.

In early 1999, the moniker "Air Zoo" was adopted, along with plans for a major renovation. On April 25, 2003, construction began on a new 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) facility that doubled the museum's size and added flight simulators, amusement rides, Smithsonian Institution exhibitions, character actors, and a 4-D theater that combines 3-D films with special effects such as rocking chairs and plumes of smoke to simulate anti-aircraft fire.

The new facility opened in April 2004. It holds the world's largest hand-painted indoor mural: "Century of Flight", by aviation artist Rick Herter, a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) tribute to the history of flight in the main entrance.[1]

Across the hall is the 168-foot (51 m) "Night to Day" mural by Miriel Williams. There is also a computer-generated background on an adjacent wall.

In June 2007, the Michigan Space & Science Center opened in the old building (East Campus). The building featured World War II aircraft, several artifacts from the defunct Jackson Space Center, and more.

On October 1, 2011, the Air Zoo expanded its Main Campus again, moving everything from the East Campus into the new 50,000-square-foot addition. Half of this new expansion(known as the "East Wing") is devoted to the Space Theme, while the other half of the add-on includes World War II aircraft. The East Campus is now being used as the Restoration Center, which is noted for its work on aircraft including a Douglas Dauntless, a Sopwith Camel, and the newest project: An FM-2 Wildcat that had been lying at the bottom of Lake Michigan for 68 years.

Aeroplanes on display

Manufacturer Model Popular Name On Loan From
Aeronca 65 CA Chief N/A
Aeronca O-58B Defender (Grasshopper) N/A
Beech T-34 Mentor National Museum of the Marine Corps
Bell AH-1J SeaCobra (HueyCobra) National Museum of the Marine Corps
Bell RP-39Q Airacobra N/A
Boeing Stearman PT-13 Kaydet N/A
Cessna L-19 Bird Dog National Museum of the Marine Corps
Chance Vought F-8J Crusader N/A
Curtiss (Replica) Curtiss Model D Pusher N/A N/A
Curtiss (Replica) JN-4 "Jenny" N/A
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk N/A
Curtiss XP-55 Ascender National Air and Space Museum/Smithsonian Institution
Douglas A4D Skyhawk N/A
Douglas AD-4NA Skyraider N/A
Douglas C-47 Skytrain / GooneyBird / Dakota N/A
Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless N/A
Eastern GM (Grumman) FM-2 Wildcat N/A
Fairchild (Howard) PT-23 Cornell N/A
Fokker (Replica) Dr.I Triplane N/A
Ford 5-AT Tri-Motor N/A
Gates Model 23 Learjet N/A
Goodyear (Vought) FG-1D Corsair N/A
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat N/A
Grumman F-11A Tiger National Museum of the Marine Corps
Grumman F-14A Tomcat National Museum of Naval Aviation
Grumman TF-9J Cougar National Museum of the Marine Corps
Heath N/A Parasol N/A
Hiller UH-12 N/A Private Individual
Hiller H-23 Raven N/A
Hispano (Messerschmitt) HA-1112-M1L C.4K-100 Buchon N/A
Homebuilt Avid Flyer N/A N/A
Homebuilt F4U Corsair (1/2 scale) N/A
Homebuilt (Lockheed) P-38 Lightning (60% replica) N/A
Homebuilt N/A Longster N/A
Homebuilt (Murphy) N/A Renegade Spirit N/A
Homebuilt (Pereira) X-28A Air Skimmer (Osprey) N/A
Homebuilt (Wolf) N/A Boredom Fighter N/A
Howard GH-2 Nightingale National Museum of the Marine Corps
Laister-Kauffmann TG-4A Trainer Glider Another Organization
Lockheed F-104C Starfighter National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Lockheed P-80A Shooting Star National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Lockheed T-33A Thunderbird N/A
Lockheed SR-71B Blackbird National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Martin (Brit. Elec.) B-57B Canberra National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet National Museum of the Marine Corps
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot (NATO designation) N/A
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed (NATO designation) N/A
Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Yellow Peril National Museum of the Marine Corps
North American AT-6G Texan Private Individual
North American B-25H 43-4899 Mitchell N/A
North American F-86F Sabre National Museum of the Marine Corps
North American SNJ-5 Texan N/A
North American T-28 Trojan N/A
North American Boilerplate Gemini Test Vehicle El Kabong National Air & Space Museum/Smithsonian Institution
Piasecki HUP-3 Retriever National Museum of Naval Aviation
Piasecki UH-25 Mule National Museum of Naval Aviation
Piper L-4H Grasshopper(Cub) Private Individual
Piper J-3 Cub N/A
Republic F-84F Thunderstreak N/A
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt N/A
Ryan PT-22 Recruit N/A
Schweizer LNS-1 (TG-2) Trainer Glider National Museum of the Marine Corps
S.P.A.D. SPAD 7 SPAD N/A
Sopwith F.1 Camel (fuselage only) Private Individual
Sun Standard G Ratio 4:1 Hang Glider N/A
Timm N2T-1 Tutor National Museum of the Marine Corps
Travel Air Type-R Mystery Ship Private Individual
Vultee BT-13 Valiant National Museum of the Marine Corps
WACO (Ford) CG-4A Hadrian (British name) N/A
WACO INF N/A N/A
WACO VPF-7 lN/A N/A N/A
Wright N/A Flyer (Replica) Gilmore Car Museum

References

  1. Colleen Burcar, Gene Taylor. Michigan Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff. p. 136.

External links

Coordinates: 42°13′56″N 85°33′36″W / 42.23222°N 85.56000°W / 42.23222; -85.56000

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