Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin

Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin
Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin is located in Wisconsin
Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin
Location within Wisconsin
Established2005 (2005)
LocationSheboygan Falls, Wisconsin
Coordinates43°45′51″N 87°51′05″W / 43.7643°N 87.8514°W / 43.7643; -87.8514
TypeAviation museum
Websitewww.ahcw.org

The Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin is an aviation museum located at Sheboygan County Memorial Airport in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin focused on aviation history in Wisconsin.

History

Background

The Sheboygan County Aviation Corporation was established in 1998 by a group from EAA Chapter 766. In March 2003, it signed a 50-year lease for a plot of land at the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport and announced plans for a "Gateway to Aviation" project to build an Aviation Welcome Center & Education Facility the following year.[1][2][3]

Establishment

The museum held a ribbon cutting on 18 June 2005 when construction on the 11,677 sq ft (1,084.8 m2) building was completed. However, it took another year for the exhibits to be installed before a grand opening occurred on 28 October 2006.[4][5]

Following the start of a fundraising drive the year before, the museum dedicated an exhibit to Hmong pilots in September 2014.[6][7]

The museum hosted an airshow for the first time in July 2016.[8]

The museum purchased a former North Central Airlines DC-3 in 2017.[9]

Facilities

The museum is made up of an exhibition hall, education learning lab, library, hangar and observation areas.[10] It also includes the Kohler Conference Room, which is named for Walter J. Kohler Sr. and Walter J. Kohler, Jr., former governors of Wisconsin who used aircraft in both their public and private lives.[11][12]

Exhibits

View of the airport from the museum's observation deck

Exhibits at the museum include Wisconsin pioneers of aviation, North Central Airlines, Hmong pilots in the Vietnam War.[13][14][15] The museum also has a set of flight simulators.[16]

Collection

Events

The museum hosts an annual T-28 air clinic.[22][12][a] A Wings and Wheels event sponsored by EAA Chapter 766 also takes place every Father's Day.[25][4]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ The clinic originally featured the Trojan Horsemen demonstration team until it disbanded in 2017.[23][24]

Notes

  1. ^ Feldner, Emmitt B. (March 23, 2003). "Private Group Plans Museum at County Airport". Sheboygan Press. pp. A3. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  2. ^ Keppert, Jenny (January 25, 2004). "Airport Plans $1.7M Welcome Center". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. B-8. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Project". Sheboygan County Aviation Corporation. Archived from the original on February 6, 2002. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Litke, Eric (June 17, 2005). "Aviation Heritage Center Set to Open". Sheboygan Press. p. A3. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "Aviation Heritage Center Holds Grand Opening". Sheboygan Press. October 23, 2006. p. A6. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  6. ^ Ortegon, Janet (April 2, 2013). "Effort to Honor Hmong Pilots Seeks Support in Sheboygan". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. A2. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  7. ^ Weyandt, Janet (September 19, 2014). "T-28 Hmong Pilot Memorial to Be Unveiled in Sheyboygan". Post-Crescent. p. A7. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  8. ^ "Aviation Heritage Center to Host First Air Show". Herald Times Reporter. July 21, 2016. p. 6C. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Bock, Phillip (March 22, 2017). "Historic Aircraft Returns Home". Sheboygan Press. pp. 1A, 4A. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  10. ^ Kuszynski, Jennifer (September 20, 2006). "Aviation Heritage Center's New Director Brims with Enthusiasm". Sheboygan Press. pp. A1 – A2. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  11. ^ "Kohler Conference Room". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "State Assembly Honors Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin" (PDF), Wisconsin Legislature, March 10, 2017, retrieved January 21, 2024
  13. ^ "Exhibits". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  14. ^ "North Central Airlines Exhibit". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  15. ^ "US Secret War in Laos". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Simulators". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  17. ^ "North Central DC-3". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  18. ^ "Airframe Dossier - Lockheed T-33A-1-LO, s/n 51-9106 USAF, c/n 580-6890, c/r N11987". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  19. ^ "FAA Registry [N19CE]". Federal Aviation Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "T-28". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  21. ^ "Airframe Dossier - North American T-28B Trojan, s/n 53-138192 PhiAF, c/n 200-263, c/r N2065F". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  22. ^ "Air Clinic". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "T-28s Return to Sheboygan This Weekend". Sheboygan Press. July 23, 2014. p. A8. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  24. ^ "Trojan Horsemen Formation Team Announces Retirement". AirshowStuff. November 26, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  25. ^ "EAA Chapter 766 Wings and Wheels". Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
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