| 👁 Image | |
| Established | 1985 (1985)[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Type | Military aviation museum |
| Founder | John Houston[1] |
| Website | texasairmuseum.org |
The Texas Air Museum is an aviation museum run by volunteers in two locations—Stinson Municipal Airport in San Antonio[2] and City of Slaton/Larry T. Neal Memorial Airport near Lubbock, Texas.[3] Texas Air Museum was founded in 1985 by John Houston in Rio Hondo.[4][5] The Slaton location opened in March 1993.[4] The Stinson Municipal Airport location opened in November 1999.
The museums are run by groups of volunteers predominantly made up of the local city's citizens and military retirees.[5][4]
The original Rio Hondo location closed on February 28, 2005, due to aging volunteer support, lower attendance,[1] and the damaging salty air of the Rio Grande Valley.[6] Its exhibits and aircraft were transferred to the other two locations.[7]
Both museums focuses on early aviation, and lesser-known aviation related to Texas and Mexico in particular. The Texas Air Museum - Stinson Chapter museum acquired a Bleriot to commemorate the Stinson family, namesakes of Stinson Municipal Airport.[8]
The Slaton museum dedicated the John Beck Hangar in June 2020.[9]
The Stinson museum acquired one PT-23A, two PT-19, and one Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner projects in October 2023.[10]
Slaton location gallery
[edit]-
👁 German Battleship Tirpitz hardware recovered from its salvage operation on display in the World War II section of the museum.German Battleship Tirpitz hardware recovered from its salvage operation on display in the World War II section of the museum.
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👁 P-47D S/N: 42-75417 vertical stabilizer signed by the pilot who flew it when shot down, Charles Screws.P-47D S/N: 42-75417 vertical stabilizer signed by the pilot who flew it when shot down, Charles Screws.
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Gemini Training Capsule
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Saying goodbye". Valley Morning Star. February 23, 2005. pp. A9, A11 – via Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Texas Air Museum - San Antonio, TX".
- ^ "Texas Air Museum – Preserving and sharing the history of military aviation in Slaton, TX". Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ a b c Wischkaemper, Jay (March 2002). "The Texas Air Museum — Slaton, Texas". SW Aviator Magazine. Southwest Regional Publishing, Inc.
- ^ a b "About". Texas Air Museum. Archived from the original on April 17, 2003.
- ^ "Valley unit of Texas Air Museum closing". The Marshall News Messenger. February 11, 2005. p. 6A – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Essex, Allen (February 11, 2005). "Rio Hondo air museum flying off". Valley Morning Star. pp. A1, A7 – via Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Airshow celebrates aviation contributions". Valley Morning Star. November 30, 1995. p. B6 – via Newspaper Archive.
- ^ McCaghren, Melissa (June 18, 2020). "Airport dedicates new hangar, conducts Fly-In". The Slatonite. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Vincent T. (October 31, 2023). "'A hell of a good airplane': San Antonio family donates vintage aircraft to Texas Air Museum". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
