Air Zoo
The Air Zoo, founded as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, is an aviation museum and indoor amusement park adjacent to the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport in Portage, Michigan.
The Air Zoo holds many historical and rare aircraft, including the world's fastest air-breathing aircraft, the SR-71B Blackbird. Many of its antique planes are airworthy. Among its other attractions are a 180-degree theater that projects a 3-D simulation of a B-17 bombing mission during World War II; and various amusement rides, including flight simulators of a rocket trip to Mars, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets, a stunt biplane, a hot-air balloon, and more.
The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum was founded in 1977, "dedicated to preserving and displaying historical and military artifacts and to serving as a research and educational facility for this country and abroad." The doors opened on November 18, 1979, to great local acclaim, and the museum quickly developed into one of the 10-largest nongovernmental aviation museums in the United States.[citation needed]
In 1994, the Restoration Center was added, allowing the museum to restore old aircraft to proper working order.
In early 1999, the moniker "Air Zoo" was adopted, along with plans for a major renovation. On April 25, 2003, construction began on a new 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) facility that doubled the museum's size and add flight simulators, amusement rides, Smithsonian Institution exhibitions, character actors, and a 4-D theater that combines 3-D films with special effects such as rocking chairs and plumes of smoke to simulate anti-aircraft fire.
When the new facility opened in April 2004, Air Zoo executive director Bob Ellis said,
"The new Air Zoo doesn't just teach people about history, it surrounds them with it. There will always be something new to see. Because of our partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, the Air Zoo has access to over 142 million artifacts and an endless source of world-famous traveling exhibitions."[1]
The new building holds the world's largest largest indoor mural: "Century of Flight", by aviation artist Rick Herter, a 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) tribute to the history of flight in the main entrance.[2]
Across the hall is the 168-foot (51 m) "Night to Day" mural by Miriel Williams. There is also a computer-generated background on an adjacent wall.
In June 2007, the Michigan Space & Science Center opened in the old building (East Campus). The building features World War II aircraft, several artifacts from the defunct Jackson Space Center, and more.
[edit] Planes on display
| Manufacturer | Model | Popular Name | Loan Status |
| Aeronca | 65 CA[disambiguation needed  ] |
Chief | N/A |
| Aeronca | O-58B | Defender (Grasshopper) | N/A |
| Beech | T-34 | Mentor | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Bell | AH-1J | SeaCobra (HueyCobra) | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Bell | RP-39Q | Airacobra | N/A |
| Boeing | 727 | N/A | N/A |
| Boeing Stearman | PT-13 | Kaydet | N/A |
| Cessna | L-19 | Bird Dog | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Chance Vought | F-8J | Crusader | N/A |
| Curtiss (Replica) | Curtiss Model D Pusher | N/A | N/A |
| Curtiss (Replica) | JN-4 | "Jenny" | N/A |
| Curtiss | P-40N | Warhawk | N/A |
| Curtiss | XP-55 | Ascender | National Air & Space Museum/Smithsonian Institution |
| Douglas | A4D | Skyhawk | N/A |
| Douglas | AD-4NA | Skyraider | N/A |
| Douglas | C-47 | Skytrain / GooneyBird / Dakota | N/A |
| Douglas | SBD-3 | Dauntless | N/A |
| Eastern GM (Grumman) | FM-2 | Wildcat | N/A |
| Fairchild (Howard) | PT-23 | Cornell | N/A |
| Fokker (Replica) | Dr.I | Triplane | N/A |
| Ford | 5-AT | Tri-Motor | N/A |
| Gates | Model 23 | Learjet | N/A |
| Goodyear (Vought) | FG-1D | Corsair | N/A |
| Grumman | F6F-5 | Hellcat | N/A |
| Grumman | F-11A | Tiger | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Grumman | F-14A | Tomcat | National Museum of Naval Aviation |
| Grumman | OV-1D | Mohawk | N/A |
| Grumman | TF-9J | Cougar | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Heath | N/A | Parasol | N/A |
| Hiller | UH-12 | N/A | Private Individual |
| Hiller | H-23 | Raven | N/A |
| Hispano (Messerschmitt) | HA-1112-M1L C.4K-100 | Buchon | N/A |
| Homebuilt | Avid Flyer | N/A | N/A |
| Homebuilt | F4U | Corsair (1/2 scale) | N/A |
| Homebuilt (Lockheed) | P-38 | Lightning (60% replica) | N/A |
| Homebuilt | N/A | Longster | N/A |
| Homebuilt (Murphy) | N/A | Renegade Spirit | N/A |
| Homebuilt (Pereira) | X-28A | Air Skimmer (Osprey) | N/A |
| Homebuilt (Wolf) | N/A | Boredom Fighter | N/A |
| Howard | GH-2 | Nightingale | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Laister-Kauffmann | TG-4A | Trainer Glider | Another Organization |
| Lockheed | F-104C | Starfighter | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
| Lockheed | P-80A | Shooting Star | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
| Lockheed | T-33A | Thunderbird | N/A |
| Lockheed | SR-71B | Blackbird | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
| Martin (Brit. Elec.) | B-57B | Canberra | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
| McDonnell Douglas | F-4E | Phantom | National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
| McDonnell Douglas | F/A-18A | Hornet | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich | MiG-15 | Fagot (NATO designation) | N/A |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich | MiG-21 | Fishbed (NATO designation) | N/A |
| Naval Aircraft Factory | N3N | Yellow Peril | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| North American | AT-6G | Texan | Private Individual |
| North American | B-25H 43-4899 | Mitchell | N/A |
| North American | F-86F | Sabre | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| North American | P-51D | Mustang (Winter Only) | Private Individual |
| North American | SNJ-5 | Texan | N/A |
| North American | T-28 | Trojan | N/A |
| North American | Boilerplate Gemini Test Vehicle | El Kabong | National Air & Space Museum/Smithsonian Institution |
| Piasecki | HUP-3 | Retriever | National Museum of Naval Aviation |
| Piasecki | UH-25 | Mule | National Museum of Naval Aviation |
| Piper | L-4H | Grasshopper(Cub) | Private Individual |
| Piper | J-3 | Cub | N/A |
| Republic | F-84F | Thunderstreak | N/A |
| Republic | P-47D | Thunderbolt | N/A |
| Ryan | PT-22 | Recruit | N/A |
| Schweizer | LNS-1 (TG-2) | Trainer Glider | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| S.P.A.D. | SPAD 7 | SPAD | N/A |
| Sopwith | F.1 | Camel (fuselage only) | Private Individual |
| Sun | Standard G Ratio 4:1 | Hang Glider | N/A |
| Timm | N2T-1 | Tutor | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| Travel Air | Type-R | Mystery Ship | Private Individual |
| Vultee | BT-13 | Valiant | National Museum of the Marine Corps |
| WACO (Ford) | CG-4A | Hadrian (British name) | N/A |
| WACO | INF | N/A | N/A |
| WACO | VPF-7 lN/A | N/A | N/A |
| Wright | N/A | Flyer (Replica) | Gilmore Car Museum |
| Zenair | 250 | Zenith | N/A |
[edit] External links
[edit] References
 |
This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2009) |
- ^ Nation's Newest Aviation and Aeronautics Attraction Opens This Weekend, Sets Guinness World Record for Largest Indoor Mural
- ^ Colleen Burcar, Gene Taylor. Michigan Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff. p. 136.
- O'Leary, Michael. "New Aviation Museum prepares for takeoff", Air Classics, April, 2004, retrieved December 1, 2006.
- Prichard, James. "The sky's the limit for museum mural", The Associated Press, March 21, 2004, retrieved December 1, 2006.
- Prichard, James. "New Interactive Aviation Museum Has Rides", The Associated Press Online, May 1, 2004, retrieved December 1, 2006.
- "Expanded Kalamazoo Air Zoo prepares for takeoff", The Oakland Press, March 27, 2004, retrieved December 1, 2006.
