Collections & Exhibits

Restoration Hangar

The restoration hangar was completed in 1989. It contains 11,200 square feet of open space. This has been organized into working areas for machining, sheet metal fabrication, engine restoration, welding, and storage of aircraft parts, fasteners, sheet goods, paints and chemicals. Space is also provided for housing museum vehicles and equipment. 

The restoration hangar is staffed with approximately 85 volunteers and one paid staff member to oversee the operation. Work on all projects is done during museum hours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Volunteers can also be found working late on Tuesday nights.         

The center of the hangar is kept open for aircraft restoration projects. The largest project to date was the (click) restoration of the B-29. The fuselage was separated into three major sections at the production joints, the largest being the forward fuselage and wing center section.

Restoration Projects

Current projects include the restoration of a Navy Regulus I cruise missile. This 1950’s era submarine launched nuclear-armed missile will be completely disassembled and restored for display in the military exhibit hangar. Click here for more on the Regulus.

Our Douglas A-26 has been brought in after being displayed outside for over 30 years. Details on this project can be found at (click) this web page. This aircraft saw combat in Europe during World War Two.

The outside display aircraft are brought to the restoration hangar ramp where they are inspected, cleaned, and preserved before going back out on display. This is an ongoing project as the New England weather is hard on aircraft kept outdoors. Currently the Douglas F4D Skyray and DeHaviland C-7 Caribou are undergoing this process.

Several engines are currently being restored. An early model of the Wright R3350 is being prepared for exhibit in the 58th Bomb Wing Memorial hangar. A Pratt and Whitney R985 Wasp Junior was recently completed and this winter a cut-away display of the Pratt and Whitney JT-3 will be restored.

Not all projects are done in the restoration hangar. A Navy blimp car, K-28 from WW II, and the Lockheed 10A Electra are being worked on in full view of the public in the civilian hangar. Volunteers are also constructing a flyable example of an Aircam twin-engine homebuilt nearby in the same hangar.

For more on the K-28 blimp car project click here.

Oct 2006 1/06