Castle Air Museum

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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird at Castle Air Museum
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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird at Castle Air Museum

Castle Air Museum is located in Atwater, California. It is the largest museum displaying vintage aircraft in the western United States. The museum opened in 1981, and displays 49 restored aircraft. The outdoor museum covers 11 acres, and includes a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird as well as a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress. The museum also features a periodic "open cockpit day" in which visitors can actually view the interiors of certain planes. An indoor museum features photographs, engines, and a flight deck. The museum is open every day of the year except New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.


Contents

[edit] Aircraft on display

Name Function Crew
Douglas A-26B Invader attack bomber 2–4
Avro Vulcan B.2 strategic bomber 5
Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress bomber 10
Douglas B-18 Bolo bomber 6
Douglas B-23 Dragon bomber 6
Consolidated B-24M Liberator bomber 8–10
North American B-25J Mitchell bomber 6
Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber 11
Convair RB-36H Peacemaker strategic bomber/reconnaissance 22
North American B-45A Tornado bomber 4
Boeing B-47E Stratojet bomber 3
Boeing WB-50D Superfortress weather reconnaissance/bomber 11
Boeing B-52D Stratofortress bomber 6
Martin EB-57E Canberra electronic warfare/tactical bomber 2
Vultee BT-13 Valiant basic trainer 2
Beech C-45G Expeditor utility/trainer 2
Curtiss C-46D Commando cargo/transport 4
Douglas C-47A Skytrain cargo/transport 5
Lockheed 18 (C-56) Lodestar cargo/executive transport 3
Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar troop/cargo transport 6
Fairchild C-123K Provider assault transport 2
Convair 240 (HC-131A Samaritan) transport 3
Avro-Canada CF-100 Canuck interceptor 2
Lockheed F-80B Shooting Star fighter 1
Republic F-84F Thunder Streak fighter-bomber 1
North American F-86H Sabre fighter-bomber 1
Northrop F-89J Scorpion fighter-interceptor 2
North American F-100C Super Sabre fighter-bomber 1
McDonnell F-101B Voodoo fighter-interceptor 2
Lockheed F-104D Starfighter fighter 1
Republic F-105B Thunderchief fighter 1
Convair F-106A Delta Dart fighter 1
General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark strategic bomber 2
McDonnell F-4E Phantom fighter/bomber 2
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger fighter-interceptor 1
Grumman F-14D Tomcat fighter 2
Kaman HH-43B Huskie utility/rescue/fire fighting 2–4
Grumman HU-16B Albatross search & rescue amphibian 4
Kawasaki KAQ-1 Drone target drone no crew
Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter tanker/cargo transport 5
Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker tanker/cargo 4
Cessna O-2A Super Skymaster observation 1
Douglas R5D-4 Skymaster transport 4
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance 2
North American T-6 Texan advanced trainer 2
Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star trainer 2
Beech T-34 Mentor trainer 2
Cessna U-3A Blue Canoe utility light transport 1
DeHavilland-Canada U-6A Beaver light utility transport 1

[edit] Under restoration

The museum has recently received two new planes which are currently under restoration before they will be displayed on the museum grounds:

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links