Delta Heritage Museum
Encyclopedia
The Delta Heritage Museum is an aviation and corporate museum located in Atlanta, Georgia
, United States
. The museum is housed in two 1940s-era Delta Air Lines
maintenance hangar
s, which were used until the 1960s when the Delta Technical Operations Center, formerly known as the Jet Base, was completed. The museum is a nonprofit organization and relies on volunteers, donations, special event rentals and Museum Store sales. The Delta Museum is considered an ongoing project and it collects various items year round.
Delta employee ID or prior arrangement is required to access the campus in which the museum is located.
's in 1990. After some searching, the employees struck gold when they found DL Ship 41, Delta's first DC-3 to carry passengers, in Puerto Rico performing cargo services. The group bought the plane from the cargo airline and the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum was started. From 1993 to 1999, the plane was painstakingly restored to its 1940's condition by active and retired Delta mechanics. Ship 41 is considered the most perfectly restored passenger transport DC-3 in the world. In 2001, Delta Ship 41 was the winner of the first National Trust for Historic Preservation
award presented to an aircraft.
On May 23, 1995, the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum was incorporated under Georgia
law as an independent nonprofit corporation, organized exclusively for public charitable uses and purposes and qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
that was bought from the Walt Disney Corporation and cut down to just the cockpit and first class cabin. This particular L-1011 was the first L-1011 manufactured by Lockheed
. The cockpit is fully lit with all controls still movable. The cabin is a museum store where Delta memorabilia can be purchased.
Also in Hangar One is the Monroe Cafe, a full scale replica of Delta's former Monroe, Louisiana
headquarters. It served as Delta's headquarters from 1934 to 1941, when headquarters were moved to Atlanta. The "hub" of Hangar One is the Delta Archives. It houses more than 200,000 images, 1,000 films, one of the world's largest airline uniform collections, as well as an aviation reference library.
Hangar 1 also houses the museum's restored aircraft which includes:
The Spirit of Delta is housed in Hangar 2. Delta Ship 102, the company's first Boeing 767-200 was acquired in 1982. It was paid for "by voluntary contributions from employees, retirees and Delta's community partners." The effort, called Project 767, was spearheaded by three Delta flight attendants to show the employees' appreciation to Delta for "solid management and strong leadership during the first years following airline deregulation." The aircraft was repainted in a commemorative paint scheme and toured the country to celebrate the airline's 75th anniversary in 2004. The airplane remained the flagship of the Delta fleet until March 2006, when it was replaced with a 777-200 Delta Spirit as the flagship and donated by Delta on March 3, 2006 after a farewell tour around the United States.
•The Spirit of Delta, Delta’s first 767. Bought by employees, retirees, and friends and donated to Delta in 1982. Interior contains two exhibitions.
•“Ship 41”, the first DC-3 to carry Delta passengers. Restored by volunteers and a core mechanic team, 1993-1999. Winner in 2001 of the first National Trust for Historic Preservation award presented to an aircraft.
•A 1931 Travel Air, symbolizing Delta's first passenger aircraft.
•A 1936 Stinson Reliant SE. Nicknamed the “Gull Wing,” this unique aircraft served as an instrument trainer for Northeast Airlines pilots in 1941-1942.
•Professionally managed archives of artifacts related to Delta and its ancestor airlines. The Archives maintains over 200,000 images, 1,000 films, and one of the world's largest airline uniform collections in a museum.
•Aviation reference library.
•Temporary exhibits.
•Replica of the first Delta station in Monroe, Louisiana.
•An 800 square feet (74.3 m²) museum shop, housed in a redesigned section of the hull of the first L-1011 ever built.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The museum is housed in two 1940s-era Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
maintenance hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s, which were used until the 1960s when the Delta Technical Operations Center, formerly known as the Jet Base, was completed. The museum is a nonprofit organization and relies on volunteers, donations, special event rentals and Museum Store sales. The Delta Museum is considered an ongoing project and it collects various items year round.
Delta employee ID or prior arrangement is required to access the campus in which the museum is located.
Origins
The idea for a Delta museum originated when a group of retirees started a campaign to find one of Delta's Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
's in 1990. After some searching, the employees struck gold when they found DL Ship 41, Delta's first DC-3 to carry passengers, in Puerto Rico performing cargo services. The group bought the plane from the cargo airline and the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum was started. From 1993 to 1999, the plane was painstakingly restored to its 1940's condition by active and retired Delta mechanics. Ship 41 is considered the most perfectly restored passenger transport DC-3 in the world. In 2001, Delta Ship 41 was the winner of the first National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
award presented to an aircraft.
On May 23, 1995, the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum was incorporated under Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
law as an independent nonprofit corporation, organized exclusively for public charitable uses and purposes and qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Historic Hangar 1
Hangar 1 houses a modified Lockheed L-1011Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
that was bought from the Walt Disney Corporation and cut down to just the cockpit and first class cabin. This particular L-1011 was the first L-1011 manufactured by Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
. The cockpit is fully lit with all controls still movable. The cabin is a museum store where Delta memorabilia can be purchased.
Also in Hangar One is the Monroe Cafe, a full scale replica of Delta's former Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
headquarters. It served as Delta's headquarters from 1934 to 1941, when headquarters were moved to Atlanta. The "hub" of Hangar One is the Delta Archives. It houses more than 200,000 images, 1,000 films, one of the world's largest airline uniform collections, as well as an aviation reference library.
Hangar 1 also houses the museum's restored aircraft which includes:
- Ship 41, the prize of the Delta museum which is Delta's first DC-3 to carry Delta passengers.
- A 1931 Travel Air 6000Travel Air 6000|-References:NotesBibliography* Auliard, Gilles. "Time Machine." Air Classics, April 2006.* Davies, R.E.G. Airlines of the United States since 1914. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. ISBN 1-888962-08-9....
, symbolizing the airline's first passenger aircraft. - Other exhibits
Historic Hangar 2
Collections, exhibitions, and facilities
The Museum's collections and facilities include:•The Spirit of Delta, Delta’s first 767. Bought by employees, retirees, and friends and donated to Delta in 1982. Interior contains two exhibitions.
•“Ship 41”, the first DC-3 to carry Delta passengers. Restored by volunteers and a core mechanic team, 1993-1999. Winner in 2001 of the first National Trust for Historic Preservation award presented to an aircraft.
•A 1931 Travel Air, symbolizing Delta's first passenger aircraft.
•A 1936 Stinson Reliant SE. Nicknamed the “Gull Wing,” this unique aircraft served as an instrument trainer for Northeast Airlines pilots in 1941-1942.
•Professionally managed archives of artifacts related to Delta and its ancestor airlines. The Archives maintains over 200,000 images, 1,000 films, and one of the world's largest airline uniform collections in a museum.
•Aviation reference library.
•Temporary exhibits.
•Replica of the first Delta station in Monroe, Louisiana.
•An 800 square feet (74.3 m²) museum shop, housed in a redesigned section of the hull of the first L-1011 ever built.