Castle Air Museum

Infobox Museum
name = Castle Air Museum


imagesize = 250
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established = 1981
location = 5050 Santa Fe Drive
Atwater, California 95301
type = Military Aviation
visitors =
director =
curator =
publictransit= Merced County Transit ("Route 7, 8")
website = http://www.castleairmuseum.org

Castle Air Museum is located in Atwater, California, United States at the site of the former Castle Air Force Base. It is one of the largest museums displaying vintage aircraft in the western United States.

History and information

The museum opened in 1981, and currently displays 50 restored World War II, Korean War, and Cold War era aircraft. Thirty-five volunteers restored the aircraft on display.cite news|last=Keeler|first=Guy|title=A safe landing| publisher=Fresno Bee | date=2008-04-08 |url=http://www.fresnobee.com/221/story/509118.html| accessdate=2008-05-03] The outdoor museum covers 11 acres, and among the exhibit highlights are a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (one of only 19 surviving), a Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, and the massive, ten-engined Convair B-36, one of only four surviving and the largest mass-produced piston aircraft in history. 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 Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

In May 2008, the museum reached its 50th displayed aircraft milestone with the addition of a Douglas A-4L Skyhawk. The aircraft was shipped to the museum in August 2006, and restored at a cost of $12,000.

Aircraft on display

Hidden aircraft collection

Castle Air Museum has several aircraft that cannot be displayed outdoors, as their fabric coverings do not hold up in the San Joaquin Valley weather. The Museum Foundation is working to raise funds for a suitable building to display these and other items that they do not presently have indoor space to display. [ [http://www.elite.net/castle-air/hiddencollection.html Castle Air Museum - Hidden Aircraft Collection] ]
*Piper L-4
*Stinson L-5
*Bell H-13
*Ryan PT-22 Recruit
*Fairchild PT-23
*Schweizer SGS 1-26 (TG-3)
*Cessna UC-78

Restoration efforts

The museum has recently received two new planes which are currently under restoration before they will be displayed on the museum grounds:
*McDonnell-Douglas F-15A - arrived September 1, 2006
*North American/Rockwell T-39A-1-NA Saberliner - arrived December 5, 2007

Alleged paranormal occurrences

The B-29A Super Fortress exhibit is reported to be haunted by a spirit named "Arthur". Museum management has reported that visitors, including paranormal investigators, have heard knocking and footsteps from inside the plane. In addition, lights in the aircraft have been known to turn on and off and the propellers are known to turn even though they are locked into place. An apparition has been photographed on several occasions, and paranormal researchers have detected anomalous readings on equipment. [ [http://www.ghost-trackers.org/castleair.htm Ghost Trackers article on the allegedly haunted B29 at Castle Air Museum] ]

References

*Castle Air Museum Visitor's Guide
*Compass Maps: Merced, Atwater, Merced County
* [http://www.atwater.org/doc_files/Annexations%20(Approved%203-8-05).pdf City of Atwater -- Approved Annexations]

External links

* [http://www.castleairmuseum.org/ Castle Air Museum website]
* [http://www.aero-web.org/museums/ca/cam.htm Aviation Enthusiast Corner - Castle Air Museum]
* [http://www.sr-71.org/museums/castle/ SR-71 Online - Castle Air Museum Photo Tour]