Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is a United States Marine Corps aviation museum at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California. The museum contains exhibits and artifacts relating to the history and legacy of United States Marine Corps Aviation. The outdoor exhibits include 31 historical aircraft, multiple military vehicles and equipment. Indoor exhibits feature photographs, artifacts and artwork from the early days of aviation to the present.[2]

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

Location in California
Established	1999 (at current location)
Location	4203 Anderson Avenue Marine Corps Air Station Miramar San Diego, California United States
Coordinates	32°53′28″N 117°8′21″W
Type	Military aviation museum
Director	Christopher Van Stelle
Curator	Steve Smith[1]
Website	Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum and Historical Foundation

Overview

The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum has the largest collection of historical aircraft flown by U.S. Marine Corps aviators in the world. Currently on display in an outdoor setting are 31 aircraft from World War II to the present. Indoors there are 8 galleries displaying artwork, photographs, uniforms and artifacts from World War I to today. Temporary exhibit for 2020 is on Military Working Dogs.

The museum has a 27,000 square foot restoration hangar.[3] There are future plans to build a 90,000 square foot museum building for indoor displays.[4]

Collection

Aircraft on display

• Beechcraft T-34B Mentor 140688[5]
• Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra 157784[5]
• Bell 214ST 28166 – This aircraft was captured from the Iraqi Air Force.[5]
• Bell UH-1L Iroquois 157824[5]
• Boeing Vertol CH-46E Sea Knight 154803 – The helicopter on display is known as Lady Ace 09 and flew Graham Martin, the last Ambassador of the United States to South Vietnam out of the country on April 30, 1975, prior to the Fall of Saigon.[5][6]
• Douglas A-4C Skyhawk 148492[5]
• Douglas A-4F Skyhawk 154204[5]
• Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight 124630[5]
• Douglas F4D-1 Skyray 139177[5]
• General Motors TBM-3E Avenger 53726[5]
• Grumman A-6E Intruder 154170[5]
• Grumman F9F-2 Panther 123652[5]
• Grumman F9F-8P Cougar 141722[5]
• Hawker Siddeley AV-8C Harrier 158387 (NASA)[5]
• McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee 124988[5]
• Douglas A-4M Skyhawk II 160264 – This aircraft is the last A-4 built.[5][7]
• Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk 158467[5]
• McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet 161749[5]
• McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet 163152 – This aircraft is painted as Red 22 used for Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training.[5]
• McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II 157246[5]
• McDonnell Douglas RF-4B Phantom II 151981[5]
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 81072[5]
• North American SNJ-5 Texan 90866[5]
• Northrop F-5E Tiger II 741564 – This aircraft is painted as Red 12 used for Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training.[5]
• Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler 161882[8]
• North American Rockwell OV-10D Bronco 155494[5]
• Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion 153304[5]
• Sikorsky HRS-3 Chickasaw 130252[5]
• Sikorsky HUS Seahorse 150219[5]
• Vought F8U-2NE Crusader 150920[5]
• Vought RF-8G Crusader 144617[5]

Other exhibits

• AAI RQ-2B Pioneer – This aircraft is mounted to the M927 Truck on display.[5]
• AN/TPN-8A (Ground Control Approach (GCA) Radar Set)
• Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Tug
• BMP-1 – This vehicle was captured from the Iraqi Army during Desert Storm.[5]
• D-20 – This vehicle was captured from the Iraqi Army during Desert Storm.[5]
• MT-LB – This vehicle was captured from the Iraqi Army during Desert Storm.[5]
• Landing Signals Officer (LSO) Shack[5]
• M101 Howitzer
• M1097 Avenger[5]
• M927 Truck[5]
• MIM-23 Hawk
• NC-2 Power Unit
• ZPU-1
• ZPU-4

In storage

• Bell HTL Sioux 64-15338[5]
• Bell UH-1N Twin Huey 159198[5]
• Stinson OY-1 Sentinel 42-14918[5][9]
• Douglas A-4B Skyhawk 142879[5]
• Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless 1612 – Under restoration[5][10]
• Ford M151A2
• Kaman HOK-1 Huskie 139990[5]
• Lockheed TO-1 33840[5]
• North American PBJ-1J Mitchell 44-86727 – Under restoration[5]
• Piasecki HUP-2 Retriever 128596 – Under restoration[5]
• Vought RF-8G Crusader 146858[5]
• Vought F4U-5N Corsair 122189 – Under restoration[5]
• General Motors FM-2 Wildcat 16278[5]

MCAS Miramar Post Exchange

The following items, being located away from the museum complex, are available only to visitors who have access to the post exchange.

• Douglas R4D-8 Skytrain 50835[5]
• Douglas R5D Skymaster 90392[5]
• Fairchild R4Q Packet 131708[5]

See also

• Marine Corps Museums
• United States Marine Corps Aviation
• Naval Aviation Hall of Honor (including USMC)
• United States naval aviator

Photo gallery

• 
  A-4M Skyhawk II
• 
  F9F-8P Cougar
• 
  HUP-2 Retriever
• 
  M927 UAV Launch Truck

Notes

1. "Board Of Directors". Flying Leathernecks. Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
2. "About The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum". Flying Leathernecks. Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
3. Luke, Steven (31 August 2012). "Stepping Inside the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum". NBC 7 San Diego. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
4. "Future Plans". Flying Leathernecks. Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
5. "Aircraft Listing" (PDF). Flying Leathernecks. Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation. October 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
6. ""Lady Ace 09" unveiled at aviation museum". Marines. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
7. "Skyhawks Forever". A-4 Skyhawk Association. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
8. "EA-6B Prowlers on Display". VAQ136.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
9. Gray, James (Summer 2014). "L-5 Newsletter" (PDF). Sentinel Owners & Pilots Association. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
10. Wilkens, John (13 August 2017). "Three Americans, one plane: Seeking closure for a WWII disappearance". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 21 August 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Marine Corps Air Station Miramar