Florida Air Museum
Encyclopedia
The Florida Air Museum is designated as Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center.” It features a dynamic display of the best examples aviation has to offer including one-of-a-kind designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques and warbirds.
The museum also pays tribute to the history and joy of flight highlighting pioneers such as Howard Hughes, early air racers, and countless Floridians who have influenced the world of aviation. The Museum also offers a variety of unique year-round educational experiences for all ages including camps, tours, workshops and speaker presentations.
The Florida Air Museum continues to grow and meet the challenge of their mission – to be the premier showcase for Florida’s aviation history through exhibits, restoration and preservation, education and outreach and to share the passion of flight with all ages.
, just south of the runways.
The main building holds much of the collection, especially smaller aircraft like a Boeing-Stearman Model 75 from the classic Red Baron Pizza aerobatic team. A wide variety of unique designs, homebuilts, and even a Mercury rocket motor share the display floor. The aircraft are supplemented by a collection of engines from WWI to the present day. It also houses a library, offices, a conference room and the museum's small gift shop. The hangar annex houses larger aircraft from the collection including a fully restored Lockheed XFV
, a Grumman F-14 Tomcat and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra.
Also on Campus is the Buehler Restoration Center. This 8,000 square–foot facility, located adjacent to the Florida Air Museum at SUN ‘n FUN, houses SUN 'n FUN’s year–round aircraft restoration activities. The facility, which opened in April 2006, was made possible by a $300,000 grant from The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust, with additional support from a State of Florida Cultural Facilities and Historical Grant.
The museum also pays tribute to the history and joy of flight highlighting pioneers such as Howard Hughes, early air racers, and countless Floridians who have influenced the world of aviation. The Museum also offers a variety of unique year-round educational experiences for all ages including camps, tours, workshops and speaker presentations.
The Florida Air Museum continues to grow and meet the challenge of their mission – to be the premier showcase for Florida’s aviation history through exhibits, restoration and preservation, education and outreach and to share the passion of flight with all ages.
Facility
The museum is housed in a main building and a hangar annex. Both are located on the campus of the SUN 'n FUN fly-in and expo, and in fact that event supplies much of the funding for the museum's collections and programs. The entire campus is located at the Lakeland Linder Regional AirportLakeland Linder Regional Airport
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles southwest of the central business district of Lakeland, a city in Polk County, Florida, United States...
, just south of the runways.
The main building holds much of the collection, especially smaller aircraft like a Boeing-Stearman Model 75 from the classic Red Baron Pizza aerobatic team. A wide variety of unique designs, homebuilts, and even a Mercury rocket motor share the display floor. The aircraft are supplemented by a collection of engines from WWI to the present day. It also houses a library, offices, a conference room and the museum's small gift shop. The hangar annex houses larger aircraft from the collection including a fully restored Lockheed XFV
Lockheed XFV
-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Allen, Francis J. "Bolt upright: Convair's and Lockheed's VTOL fighters". Air Enthusiast , Volume 127, January/February 2007, pp. 13–20. ISSN 0143-5450....
, a Grumman F-14 Tomcat and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra.
Also on Campus is the Buehler Restoration Center. This 8,000 square–foot facility, located adjacent to the Florida Air Museum at SUN ‘n FUN, houses SUN 'n FUN’s year–round aircraft restoration activities. The facility, which opened in April 2006, was made possible by a $300,000 grant from The Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust, with additional support from a State of Florida Cultural Facilities and Historical Grant.
Collection
A complete list if the museum's collection is still being aggregated, but even a partial list reveals some notable aircraft available to view at the museum:- Aeronca LBAeronca L-References:*Taylor, J. H. Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. Studio Editions: London. p. 31*...
- restored on site - Bell P-63 Kingcobra - on long-term loan by Kermit WeeksKermit WeeksKermit Weeks is an aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector. He was recently inducted into Florida's Aviation Hall Of Fame for his services to Florida's aviation history.Weeks was twice U.S. National Aerobatic Champion...
from Fantasy of FlightFantasy of FlightFantasy of Flight is an aviation-related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I, World War II and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display... - Boeing-Stearman Model 75
- Convair F2Y Sea Dart - pylon-mounted at the entrance to the main building
- Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The 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...
- originally a C-47 Skytrain later converted to a DC-3 - Grumman F-14 Tomcat
- Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star - in Thunderbirds colors; pylon-mounted at the front gate
- Lockheed XFVLockheed XFV-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Allen, Francis J. "Bolt upright: Convair's and Lockheed's VTOL fighters". Air Enthusiast , Volume 127, January/February 2007, pp. 13–20. ISSN 0143-5450....
- Porterfield CollegiatePorterfield Collegiate-References:* Simpson, R.W, Airlife's World Aircraft, 2001, Airlife Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-84037-115-3* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 2760-External links:*...
- currently undergoing restoration - Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 was a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. Although the first examples reached the Western Front before the Sopwith Camel and it had a much better overall performance, problems with its Hispano-Suiza engine, particularly the geared-output H-S...
- a 7/8 replica currently on display in the terminal of the Lakeland Linder Airport - Spirit of PeaceSpirit Of PeaceSpirit of Peace is the fifteenth album by Popol Vuh. It was originally released in 1985 on Cicada. The first track was used by Werner Herzog as original motion picture soundtrack for his documentary The Dark Glow of the Mountains about Reinhold Messner.- Track listing :All tracks composed by...
Rozière BalloonRozière balloonThe Rozière balloon is a type of hybrid balloon that has separate chambers for a non-heated lifting gas as well as a heated lifting gas...
Capsule - on long-term loan by Kermit WeeksKermit WeeksKermit Weeks is an aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector. He was recently inducted into Florida's Aviation Hall Of Fame for his services to Florida's aviation history.Weeks was twice U.S. National Aerobatic Champion...
from Fantasy of FlightFantasy of FlightFantasy of Flight is an aviation-related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I, World War II and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display...