Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum

Kiddo #1 turned 17 a couple of weeks ago.  Oh, how the time has flown!!  When did our precious preemie grow up?

In our homeschool, the birthday boy/girl gets to choose a field trip on their special day.  On Kiddo's birthday, we visited the Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum in Willow Grove, PA.

The museum's mission is to preserve aviation history in the greater Delaware Valley, including the contributions of Harold F. Pitcairn, as well as the men and women who served at NASJRB Willow Grove for the education and benefit of future generations.

For the last decade, the volunteer-run Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association has worked meticulously to preserve, restore and display dozens of regionally significant small and medium-sized aircraft inside and outside its 4,800 square foot Harold F. Pitcairn Wings of Freedom Museum in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

The indoor portion of the museum houses an amazing collection of artifacts from the last century of aviation and warfare.

and some hands-on fun, as well

Did you know that Amelia Earhart broke a record right there at the Willow Grove base?  We didn't!!  Wow!  :-)

We also didn't know that the first drone was developed and flown back in 1962!  It is here at the museum for all to see.

Many view Harold Pitcairn as the forefather of rotary wing aircraft.  In 2012, the museum was bestowed with its crowning jewel, a striking black and yellow 1931 PA-8 Pitcairn Mailwing.  Only one other Mailwing of this model remains.

There are so many historic aircraft on display at the museum.  Click here to read about all of them. 

Here is one that was very impressive:

The A-10 "Thunderbolt II" had deadly effects during the 1991 Gulf War and in Iraq and Afghanistan after the September 11th attacks as a close support and anti-tank aircraft.  It is also known as the Warthog.  You can read more about the aircraft here.  

When one of the volunteers (all very friendly and knowledgeable veterans) found out that it was Kiddo's birthday, he went and got the keys to an aircraft that he flew (on and off of an aircraft carrier!!!) and gave us a personal tour inside of it!  How cool is that?!

It is called the Grumman C-1A "Trader."  It was used primarily as a carrier transport.  This particular one saw service with multiple squadrons and ships around the world.  The "Trader" became one of three C-1As operated out of Willow Grove by the U.S.S. Independence carrier on-board delivery crew.  Its last flight was in 1987.

This gem of a museum has free admission.  The all-volunteer staff just requests a donation, as the museum receives no funds of any kind from the military or government.  They are hoping to expand to house even more of their collection.  I hope, with the generosity of kind benefactors, that that will someday become a reality.  If you are in the area, be sure to check out this popular destination.  You will learn so much about our nation's aviation history and will have fun while doing so.  We sure did.

Linking up with Field Trip Friday.

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