Quonset Air Museum
Founded in September 1992, the Quonset Air Museum was dedicated as an educational facility whose current mission is to preserve and interpret Rhode Island's aviation Heritage. Following the collapse of its principal building in March, 2015, the museum has been closed and is seeking a new home in Rhode Island [1]
The museum's collection includes military vehicles, missiles, aircraft and over 5000 smaller aviation artifacts. An extensive archive of books, magazines, manuals, photos, documents and blueprints is preserved within the Quonset Air Museum. The collection represents Rhode Island's achievement in private, commercial, and military aviation.
The museum has occupied Painting Hangar #488 located at what was once the Naval Air Station Quonset Point. This 50,000 sq. ft. facility was one of only three existing specialized wood and brick hangars built during WWII. Heavy snowfall in the winter of 2015 partially collapsed the building's roof. The hangar building has been condemned, and the museum has remained closed. Efforts to find a new home for the collection continue.[2]
Current restoration projects the Walt Schiebe Restoration Area include a TBM Avenger, F6F Hellcat, F3D Skyknight. Other notable aircraft in the collection are the last surviving Curtiss XF15C mixed propulsion prototype and a twin tail C-1A Trader. This one of a kind aircraft had been fitted with twin tails and radome (but without associated electronics) to serve the aerodynamic prototype for the E-1 Tracer Electronic Counter Measure aircraft. This C-1A has the distinction of being the last aircraft to fly from Naval Air Station Quonset Point upon its closure in 1974. The museum houses several Vietnam era combat aircraft as well as the legendary F-14 Tomcat.
On display
- Bell AH-1S Cobra
- Bell OH-58A Kiowa
- Bell UH-1 Huey
- Curtiss XF15C, BuNo 01215
- Douglas AD-5W Skyraider, BuNo 135188
- Douglas A-4M Skyhawk, BuNo 158148
- Douglas F3D-2Q Skyknight, BuNo 124620
- FV433 Abbot SPG
- General Motors TBM-3E Avenger BuNo 53914
- Grumman A-6E Intruder, BuNo 155629
- Grumman C-1A Trader, BuNo 136792
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat
- Grumman F6F Hellcat 3/4 scale hand built
- Hughes OH-6 Cayuse
- Lockheed P2V Neptune, BuNo 131427ASW Aircraft that preceded the P3 Orion
- LTV A-7D Corsair II, AF Ser. No. 75-0408
- M35 Recovery Truck
- McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
- McDonnell-Douglas F-4A Phantom II
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F Fresco C
- MIM-14 Nike-Hercules
- Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King, BuNo 149738
- Silkworm missile
- Type 74 37 mm AA gun
- ZPU-4 Type 56 AA gun
References
"Welcome to The Quonset Air Museum". Official museum handout.
- ↑ "UPDATE: Quonset Air Museum granted stay, won't be kicked out". www.abc6.com. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ Wright, Madeleine (2016-04-18). "Airport Road dome may end up at Quonset Air Museum". WPRI 12 Eyewitness News. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
External links
- Quonset Air Museum Website
- Quonset Air Museum Photos of aircraft and aviation related exhibits at the Quonset Air Museum
Coordinates: 41°35′22″N 71°24′58″W / 41.58951°N 71.41614°W