aric@evolve-creative.com

After a couple of weeks of assembly, test runs and other pre-flight procedures we have a flying Fleet Model 2! Although it was test flown in Texas before being disassembled for transport to Virginia Beach we are no less excited to see the airplane back in the air! The images here were captured on Saturday…

The Military Aviation Museum collection is home to a large number of aircraft that the public does not regularly have the chance to see. These airplanes wait in storage for the opportunity to be restored. Which airplanes get finished in what order is not always an easy decision, with thought given to available resources, and…

The accident report card from BuNo 36175 indicates that the pilot, Lt. Charles L. Ford III, survived the crash, suffering two deep wounds to his forehead. The team here is working actively to collect more information on the pilot, and we welcome any help! The card, shared below, depicts the specifics of the accident which…

The Fighter Factory has finalized the plan for the restoration of the Dauntless! Aircraft components will be split up to accelerate the project. The wings are going to be restored by the team at Aero Trader and the fuselage section is going to be dispatched to the dedicated team at Pioneer Aero of New Zealand! Pioneer…

For 30 years, Kevin Smith of California has been working on a Dauntless project of his own, aimed at celebrating the incredible wartime contributions of the SBD. We are pleased to announce that Kevin’s unequalled collection of parts is going to be used in the restoration of our Dauntless! A big Thank You to Kevin,…

We are pleased to welcome Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless BuNo 36175 to the collection at the Military Aviation Museum. The airframe was recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan where it had been lost during a WWII training accident. Join us throughout the month of March to view the airplane before the restoration process begins. The…

Not every project we work on or acquire for the Museum is an airplane! As part of our goal to recreate the experience of visiting a vintage airfield we are constantly on the lookout for ground vehicles that can get us closer to that goal! The dream is that someday the airplanes would be moved…

The Museum’s venerable Stearman was among the first aircraft in the collection. After a number of years providing memorable rides over the oceanfront to Museum visitors we decided to take it out of service, to conduct a thorough restoration on the aircraft. After several months spent re-covering the aircraft, and going over all of the…