The Millville Army Air Field Museum is an aviation museum located at Millville Executive Airport in Millville, New Jersey focused on the history of Millville Army Air Field.
  Location within New Jersey | |
Former name | Millville Municipal Airport Museum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1984 |
| Location | Millville, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 39°22′19″N 75°04′21″W / 39.3720°N 75.0725°W |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Founder | Michael T. Stowe |
| Website | www |
History edit
Background edit
Beginning in seventh grade, Michael T. Stowe began excavating World War II artifacts from around Millville Municipal Airport.[1]
Establishment edit
Seeking a place to display his collection, Stowe founded the Millville Municipal Airport Museum in 1984. It opened in May of the following year in Building 35 following renovations.[1] The museum moved to the larger Building 1 in 1985 and was incorporated three years later.[2][3] A year prior, Stowe recovered aircraft parts of a P-47 from the bottom of the nearby Union Lake.[4] After being forced to close for a year due to building problems, the museum reopened in 1989 with a new name, the Millville Army Air Field Museum and a plan to build a half-scale replica of a P-47.[5]
The museum acquired the collections of the Philadelphia Seaplane Base Museum in 2000.[6]
Following the demolition of three historic structures at the airport in early 2004 and a proposal to tear down a fourth, plans for a historic district were introduced.[7][8][9] In the meantime, the museum had expanded its focus to include the post-World War II-era and grown to include a total of three buildings.[10]
The city proposed reducing the size of the historic district and demolishing derelict buildings in 2016.[9] Two years later, the museum began renovating Building 31, which originally housed the quartermaster's office, to use as a shop and collections storage in 2018.[11]
Facilities edit
The Henry E. Wyble Historic Research Library & Education Center is located at the museum.[12]
Exhibits edit
Exhibits at the museum include a Link Trainer.[13]
The museum also features a series of five exterior murals depicting a various scenes related to the airport's history, such as a P-47 Thunderbolt on a gun boresight range and the World War II-era fire department at the base.[14][15][16][a] Also located outside is a monument dedicated on the 75th anniversary of the airport.[18]
Collection edit
Aircraft edit
Ground vehicles edit
Events edit
The museum holds an annual Veterans Appreciation Day event and an annual Millville Wheels & Wings Airshow.[24][25]
Programs edit
The museum takes part in the Veterans History Project.[26]
See also edit
References edit
Footnotes edit
Notes edit
- ^ a b Vanaman, Joyce (18 June 1984). "Digging Yields Museum at Millville Airport Site". The Press. p. 14. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Vanaman, Joyce (18 June 1985). "Airport Museum Spreads Its Wings". The Press. pp. 25–26. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "At Your Service". Daily Journal. 23 January 1992. p. B3. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Brandt, Randolph (1 July 1987). "Curator Jumps in Union Lake and Surfaces with Treasure". The Press. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Vanaman, Joyce (25 July 1989). "Millville Air Museum Gets Ready to Fly High". The Press. p. B2. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "MAAFM Acquires Historic Philadelphia Seaplane Base Museum". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Smith, Joseph P. (9 March 2004). "Millville Planners Mull Over Proposal for Historic Site at Municipal Airport". Daily Journal. pp. A1–A2. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Millville Army Air Field Historic District". New Jersey Historic Trust. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ a b Smith, Joseph P. (1 May 2016). "Debate on Size of Airport Historic Area Takes Off". Daily Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Landau, Joel (16 June 2009). "Millville Air Field's Focus Goes Beyond World War II". Daily Journal. pp. A1–A7. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Smith, Joseph P. (9 November 2018). "Home Depot Volunteers Renovating World War II Airport Building". Daily Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Library". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Link Trainer – Classroom Lesson Plan". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Smith, Joseph P. (22 September 2015). "Mural on Target at Historic Gunnery Range". Daily Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "New Mural Unveiled at Millville Army Air Field Museum". Daily Journal. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Murals". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Artist Completes Restoration of Millville's Wall of Remembrance Mural". Daily Journal. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "75th Anniversary of Millville Airport's Dedication". Daily Journal. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Airframe Dossier - Douglas A-4F Skyhawk, s/n 154200 USN". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "C-47 Exhibit". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Airframe Dossier - Douglas R4D-6, s/n 50837 USN, c/n 15563, c/r N375AS". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Airframe Dossier - Short C-23B Sherpa, s/n 85-25343 US". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "M60A3 Tank (S/N: 4074A)". Millville Army Air Field Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Streahle, Jodi (3 November 2014). "Veterans Get True Salute". Daily Journal. pp. A1–A6. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ Smith, Joseph P. (29 January 2016). "Blue Angels to Fly at 2017 Millville Airshow". Daily Journal. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
- ^ "Millville Museum Receives Grant for Veterans Project". Daily Journal. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2024.