Fort Worth Aviation Museum

The Fort Worth Aviation Museum is an aviation museum located next to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.[2] The museum was rebranded in 2013 and was previously known as the Veterans Memorial Air Park.[3]

Fort Worth Aviation Museum
Former name
Veterans Memorial Air Park[1]
LocationFort Worth, Texas, United States
TypeAviation Museum
DirectorJim Hodgson
Websitewww.fortworthaviationmuseum.com

Mission

The Fort Worth Aviation Museum (FWAM) is dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of aviation in Fort Worth, the North Texas region, and around the world.[4][5] The museum displays aviation artifacts and provides historical interpretation on a variety of military topics. FWAM operates under the charter of the OV-10 Bronco Association, Inc.,[6] a 501(c)(3) not for profit corporation.

In addition to an air park with twenty-four airplanes, FWAM houses two museums. Along with the B-36 Peacemaker Museum,[7] the Forward Air Controllers' Museum[8] tells the stories of Forward Air Control (FAC) used in Close Air Support (CAS), the history of the North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco, and the history of aviation in North Texas with an emphasis on Air Force Plant #4 (now known as Lockheed Martin).[9]

FWAM's motto is "Bringing Aviation History to Life", and its mission is summarized as "Preservation, Inspiration, Education", or PIE.[10]

Aircraft

The VMAP aircraft collection consists of twenty-five warbirds dating from 1943 to the present:[11][12][13]

A newly restored McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum in the colors of VMFA-333 in 2013.
ModelManufacturerSerial #Notes
A-4 SkyhawkDouglas147715type: A-4C[14]
A-4 SkyhawkDouglas158073type: TA-4J[15]
A-7 CorsairLing-Temco-Vought154479type: A-7B[16]
A-12 AvengerMcDonnell Douglas
General Dynamics		Mockupnickname: "Flying Dorito"[17][18][19][20]
BT-13 ValiantVultee8408year: 1943[21]
CH-53 Sea StallionSikorsky153715type: CH-53A; nickname: "Patches"[22][23]
F-4 PhantomMcDonnell Douglas64-0825type: F-4C[24]
F-4 PhantomMcDonnell Douglas153821type: QF-4S; nickname: "Shamrock 201"[25]
F-5 TigerNorthrop74-1558type: F-5E Tiger II[26]
F-8 CrusaderVought146898type: RF-8G[27]
F-14 TomcatGrumman159600type: F-14D; nickname: "Christine"[28]
F-18 HornetMcDonnell Douglas162826type: F/A-18; former Blue Angels airplane[29][30][31]
F-102 Delta DaggerConvair56-2337type: TF-102A; nickname: "Hewy"[32]
F-105 ThunderchiefRepublic Aviation60-5385type: F-105D; nickname: "Fireball Express"[33]
F-111 AardvarkGeneral Dynamics68-0009type: F-111E; nickname: "Balls 9"[34]
O-1 Bird DogCessna51-16953type: O1-A (L-19A)[35]
O-2 SkymasterCessnaN/Atype: O-2A; nickname: "Kudy Jay"[36]
O-2 SkymasterCessna67-21430type: O-2A[37]
OH-58 KiowaBell Helicopter71-20606type: OH-58A[38]
OV-10 BroncoNorth American
Rockwell		Mockuptype: OV-10A; original factory mockup[39]
OV-10 BroncoNorth American
Rockwell		68-03825type: OV-10A[40]
OV-10 BroncoNorth American
Rockwell		155426type: OV-10A[41]
T-33 Shooting StarLockheed53-5215type: T-33A[42]
T-37 TweetCessna57-2261type: T-37A[43]

Programs

Landmark and Historic Sites Report

To expand community knowledge of aviation and it cultural and economic impacts on North Texas, the FWAM prepared a list of North Texas Aviation Landmarks and Sites. The list outlines twenty-five of some of the more important sites and presents a priority for officially recognizing those locations.[44][45]

First Flight Park

The Museum worked with the City of Fort Worth to establish First Flight Park in August 2013.[46] The park is near the site of the first powered aircraft flight in Fort Worth by Roland Garros and the Moisant International Aviators in January 1911. A Texas Historical Commission marker was placed on the site in January 2014.[47]

Historic Aviation Preservation Project

VMAP promotes the rich aviation heritage of the North Texas region through the Historic Aviation Preservation Project, or HAPP. VMAP is actively involved with the City of Fort Worth to identify and preserve areas, items and landmarks of significance to the history of aviation in North Texas and show how aviation transformed the region from cattle and oil into one of the premier aviation centers of the world. This includes cataloging and preserving items acquired from the recently defunct Fort Worth Air and Space Museum Foundation.[48]

Aviation Book Fair

In partnership with the Fort Worth Public Library, FWAM sponsors an annual book fair called "Women, Pilots, and Writers in Aviation."[49] Many of the featured authors[50] are on hand to sign books and talk about their work.

BroncoFest

FWAM holds an annual reunion for Forward Air Controllers and Pilots who flew in the OV-10 Bronco.[51]

See also

References
  1. "FWAM Monthly" (PDF). Veterans Memorial Air Park. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  2. Fort Worth Aviation Museum (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park". Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  3. "City News". Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  4. "Fort Worth's Forgotten History: Veterans Memorial Air Park". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  5. "North Texas Magazine, June 2013". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  6. OV-10 Bronco Association (1998). "OV-10 Bronco Association". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  7. B-36 Peacemaker Museum (2010). "B-36 Peacemaker Museum". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  8. Forward Air Controllers' Museum (2007). "Forward Air Controllers' Museum". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  9. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - About VMAP". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  10. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - Membership Information". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  11. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - Aircraft". Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  12. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "VMAP Aircraft Photo Gallery". Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  13. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "VMAP Aircraft Wiki". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  14. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-4 Skyhawk (Gray)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  15. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-4 Skyhawk (Tan)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  16. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-7B Corsair II". Archived from the original on 22 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  17. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - A-12 Avenger II". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  18. "Warbird News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  19. "Fort Worth Business Press". Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  20. "Rambler News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  21. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - BT-13 Valiant". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  22. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - CH-53 Sea Stallion". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  23. "City News". Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  24. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-4 Phantom II (Air Force)". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  25. "QF-4S Phantom II - Fort Worth Aviation Museum". Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  26. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-5E Tiger II". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  27. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - RF-8 Crusader". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  28. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-14D Tomcat". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  29. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-18 Hornet". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  30. "NBCDFW". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  31. "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  32. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-102 Delta Dagger". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  33. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-105D Thunderchief". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  34. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - F-111 Aardvark". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  35. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-1 Bird Dog". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  36. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-2 Skymaster (Black)". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  37. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - O-2 Skymaster (Gray)". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  38. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OH-58 Kiowa". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  39. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Mockup)". Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  40. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Air Force)". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  41. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - OV-10A Bronco (Marine)". Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  42. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - T-33 Shooting Star". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  43. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "vmap - T-37 Tweet". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  44. "City News" (PDF). Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  45. "Where to Find Local Aviation Landmark Sites". Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  46. "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  47. "City News". Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  48. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - HAPP". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  49. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "Women, Pilots, and Writers in Aviation Book Fair 2012". Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  50. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2012). "North Texas Aviation Writers". Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  51. Veterans Memorial Air Park (2013). "Veterans Memorial Air Park - BroncoFest IX". Retrieved 4 August 2013.
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