Air Mobility Command Museum

Air Mobility Command Museum

Aerial view of the museum
Location in Delaware
Former name	Dover AFB Historical Center Dover AFB Museum
Established	13 October 1986 (1986-10-13)
Location	Dover Air Force Base
Coordinates	39.118692°N 75.456643°W / 39.118692; -75.456643
Type	Aviation museum
Founder	General Walter Kross Mike Leister
Director	Johnny Taylor[1]
Website	amcmuseum.org
Building 1301
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	94001377
Added to NRHP	7 December 1994

The Air Mobility Command Museum is a military aviation museum located at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware dedicated to the history of the Air Transport Command, Military Air Transport Service, Military Airlift Command and Air Mobility Command.

History

The origins of the museum lie in an effort that was begun in 1978 by members of the 512th Military Airlift Wing to restore an aircraft as a public relations and maintenance training project. A B-17G, Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby, was selected from a list of potential projects provided by the United States Air Force Museum and it was restored to airworthy condition over a period of ten years.^[2] Plans called for the completed airplane to be flown to the USAFM, but a significant desire existed to exhibit the history of Dover Air Force Base.^[3][a]

Therefore, at the direction of 436th Military Airlift Wing commander Colonel Walter Kross, planning was begun to establish a permanent historical display. The Dover AFB Historical Center was established on 13 October 1986. Only three days later, a C-47, which had previously been located at Muir Army Airfield in Pennsylvania, was airlifted to the museum.^[3][4][5]

Following official recognition as a museum by the U.S. Air Force in 1995, it became the Dover AFB Museum. This did not last long, as its name was again changed to Air Mobility Command Museum in February 1997, after it moved from three hangars in the main area of the base to its present location, Hangar 1301, in June 1996.^[5][6][7][b]

An exhibit on the Korean War was opened in 2000.^[10]

After being forced to close to the public in 2001, the construction of a new access road allowed the museum to reopen in 2003.^[11][12][13]

The museum opened a new exhibit about Air Force Mortuary Affairs in September 2023.^[14]

Exhibits

The exhibit air control tower on display at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Delaware. The tower stood about 103 feet tall when in operation, but currently stands 39 feet high at the museum.

In addition to the aircraft and non-aircraft collections, the museum has a few other notable attractions. These include a flight simulator, commemoration park outside the museum building, and the retired control tower cab, which served as Dover AFB's control tower from 1956 to 2009.^[15][16][17]

Collection

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

McDonnell Douglas C-9A Nightingale

The Air Mobility Command Museum is home to a number of significant vintage aircraft from a variety of eras and major commands. Additionally, the AMC Museum houses a complete set of all significant Lockheed air lifters used by the Air Force and Army since World War II.^[18] A number of the aircraft are the first, last or only examples of their model.^[19]

• Beechcraft C-45G Expeditor 51-11795^[20]
• Bell UH-1N Iroquois 69-15475^[21]
• Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-83624^[22]
• Boeing KB-50J Superfortress 49-0389^[23]
• Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter 53-230^[24]
• Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker 57-1507^[25]
• Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet^[26][27]
• Cessna U-3 58-2126^[28]
• Convair C-131D Samaritan 55-295^[29]
• Convair F-106A Delta Dart 59-0023^[30]
• de Havilland Canada C-7A Caribou 63-9760^[31]
• Douglas A-26C Invader 44-35523^[32]
• Douglas C-47A Skytrain 42-92841 "Turf & Sport Special"^[33]
• Douglas C-54M Skymaster 44-9030^[34]
• Douglas C-124A Globemaster II 49-0258^[35][36]
• Douglas C-133B Cargomaster 59-0536^[37]
• Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar 48-0352^[38][39]
• Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar RCAF 22118^[40][41]
• Fairchild C-123K Provider 54-0658^[42]
• Kaman HH-43B Huskie 62-4532^[43]
• Laister-Kauffman TG-4A 42-53078^[44]
• Lockheed C-5A Galaxy 69-0014^[45]
• Lockheed C-60 Lodestar^[46]
• Lockheed C-130E Hercules 69-6580^[47]
• Lockheed C-141A Starlifter 61-2775^[48][49]
• Lockheed C-141B Starlifter 64-0626^[50]
• Lockheed L-1049E Super Constellation c/n 4557^[51][52][53]
• Lockheed T-33A 52-9497^[54]
• McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 59-0428^[55]
• McDonnell Douglas C-9A Nightingale 67-22584^[56][57]
• McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender 79-0433^[58]
• McDonnell Douglas VC-9C 73-1682^[59]
• Vultee BT-13 Valiant 42-1639^[60]
• Waco CG-4A 45-15009^[61]

See also

• List of United States Air Force museums

References

Footnotes

1. When the restoration was completed, the museum received a DB-17P in exchange.
2. Hangar 1301 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as the site of the US Army Air Force's rocket test center, and was restored in the 1990s.^[8][9]

Notes

1. "Contact Us". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
2. Brooks, Jane (2 October 1986). "Plane Buffs Restore a World War II Bomber". The Morning News. p. 3. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
3. "1986: The AMC Museum Gets Under Way" (PDF), Hangar Digest, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 6–10, April–June 2016, retrieved 29 April 2020
4. Wiggins, Kennard R. Jr. "Dover AFB History". Delaware Military History. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
5. Cacicia, Zachary (10 December 2014). "AMC Museum: It All Started with One Wrecked Airplane". Air Force. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
6. Leister, Mike (October–December 2016), "From Historical Center to Full-Fledged Museum" (PDF), Hangar Digest, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 6–7, 10, retrieved 19 September 2022
7. "Dover AFB Museum Opening at New Site". The News Journal. 2 October 1996. p. B3. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
8. "Building 1301, Dover Air Force Base". National Park Service. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
9. Canavan, Kathy (31 May 2008). "An Air of History: Historic Hangar 1301 at DAFB". The News Journal. p. K4. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
10. Lynch, Nancy E. (8 November 2000). "Lest We Forget". The News Journal. pp. DE1, DE3. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
11. Merriweather, James (31 August 2002). "Changes Proposed for Base Museum". The News Journal. p. B3. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
12. Merriweather, James (4 October 2002). "Fence, Road Will Make Air Museum Accessible Again". The News Journal. p. B1. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
13. Merriweather, James (12 September 2003). "Access Road Allows DAFB Museum to Reopen". The News Journal. pp. B1, B6. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
14. Minto, Jason (15 September 2023). "Air Mobility Museum Unveils New AFMAO Exhibit with Personal Effects from Operation Colony Glacier". Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
15. "At the Museum". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
16. "Dover AFB Control Tower". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
17. Farrell, M. Elizabeth; Fredel, Jill (15 January 2007). "'Off We Go, Into the Wild Blue Yonder...'". The News Journal. p. E3. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
18. "Air Mobility Museum displays Lockheed C-60 airlifter". Cape Gazette. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
19. "First, Last, and Only". Air Mobility Command Museum. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
20. "C-45G Expeditor". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
21. "UH-1N Iroquois (Huey)". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
22. "B-17G Flying Fortress". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
23. "KB-50J Superfortress". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
24. "KC-97L Stratotanker". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
25. "KC-135E Stratotanker". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
26. "PT-17 Kaydet". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
27. "Airframe Dossier - Stearman-Boeing PT-17 Kaydet". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
28. "U-3A "Blue Canoe"". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
29. "C-131D Samaritan". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
30. "F-106A Delta Dart". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
31. "C-7A Caribou". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
32. "A-26C Invader". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
33. "C-47A Skytrain". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
34. "C-54M Skymaster". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
35. "C-124A Globemaster II". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
36. Merriweather, James (31 July 2022). "Dover Air Museum Will Get C-124 Globemaster". The News Journal. p. B1. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
37. "C-133B Cargomaster". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
38. "C-119C Flying Boxcar". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
39. Cacicia, Zachary (30 December 2016). "AMC Museum rescues historic airlifter". Dover Air Force Base. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
40. "C-119G Flying Boxcar". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
41. "Airframe Dossier - Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, s/n 22118 RCAF, c/n 10870, c/r NR3559". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
42. "C-123K Provider". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
43. "HH-43B Huskie". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
44. "Laister-Kauffman TG-4A". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
45. "C-5A Galaxy". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
46. "C-60 Lodestar". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
47. "C-130E Hercules". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
48. "C-141A Starlifter". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
49. Merriweather, James (3 March 1998). "Dover AFB Museum Gets 'Vintage' Piece". The News Journal. pp. B1 – B2. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
50. "C-141B Starlifter". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
51. "C-121C Super Constellation". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
52. "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed L-1049E/01-55 Super Constellation, c/n 4557, c/r N1005C". Aerial Visuals. AerialVisuals.ca. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
53. Merriweather, James (16 October 1997). "The Toast of the Town to Be Revisited". The News Journal. p. B1. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
54. "T-33A Shooting Star". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
55. "F-101B Voodoo". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
56. "C-9A/C Nightingale". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
57. Merriweather, James (5 September 2005). "Coming in for the Last Time". The News Journal. p. B3. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
58. Balik, Roland (28 April 2022). "AMC Museum Receives USAF's First KC-10A Extender". Air Mobility Command. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
59. "VC-9C". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
60. "BT-13 Valiant". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
61. "CG-4A". Air Mobility Command Museum. AMC Museum Foundation, Inc. Retrieved 31 July 2017.

External links

• Official website