Tri-State Warbird Museum

Tri-State Warbird Museum

museum logo
Location in Ohio
Location	Batavia, Ohio, United States
Coordinates	39°03′58″N 84°12′00″W / 39.066°N 84.20°W
Type	Aviation museum
President	Paul Redlich[1]
Website	www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org

The Tri-State Warbird Museum is a private, not-for-profit^[2] aviation museum located in Batavia, Ohio, in Clermont County next to the Clermont County Airport.^[3]

Overview

The focus of the museum is on World War II, therefore, all aircraft at the museum are from this time period. The goal of the museum is to preserve and operate these aircraft, as a result, all either are flyable or will be made flyable.^[2] The museum publishes a newsletter called "Taking Flight" approximately 1 or 2 times per year.^[4] Every June, a fundraising gala is held by the museum.^[5] A World War II period barracks exhibit is also on display at the museum.^[6]

History

The museum was formed in 2003 by David O'Maley and opened to the public in 2004.^[7] O'Maley is a former CEO of Ohio National Life Insurance Company.^[8]

The museum's North American B-25 Mitchell was featured on October 16, 2010 in a flyover of the Virginia Tech football game.^[9][10]

In 2011, due to a large donation, a second hangar was built at the museum to provide additional space for aircraft.^[7]

The museum's P-40 was involved in an accident on 8 December 2011, shortly after being restored to flight status. The aircraft experienced an engine failure and had to be glided back to the airport from an altitude of 6,500 feet. Upon landing it overran the runway, went through a fence and came to rest on a nearby road.^[11][12]

The museum's B-25 and P-51 performed flyovers at a Virginia Tech football game on 22 September 2012.^[13]

Three World War II veterans received the French Legion of Honour at an event held at the museum on 12 February 2013.^[14]

The museum's B-25 performed a flyover for Doolittle Raider Tom Griffin's funeral on 9 March 2013.^[15]

The museum's B-25 performed the flyover for the Cincinnati Reds opening day on 1 April 2013.^[16]

The museum's B-25 performed the flyover for the opening ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500 with five T-6s from the Cincinnati Warbirds on 26 May 2013.^[17]

The museum's B-25 performed part of the flyover for the final toast of the Doolittle Raiders at the National Museum of the United States Air Force on 9 November 2013.^[18]

The museum's B-25 took part in an event in Kansas City, Missouri on 14 June 2014.^[19][20]

The museum's P-40 won the World War II Grand Champion award at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow in 2016.^[21]

Aircraft on display

Restored

• North American TB-25N Mitchell 45-8898 - This aircraft is painted as Axis Nightmare and contains the center section of B-25 44-28765.^[22][23][24]
• North American AT-6D Texan 42-84779^[22]
• North American P-51D Mustang 44-84410 - This aircraft is painted as Cincinnati Miss.^[22][25]
• Grumman TBM-3S Avenger 53420 - This aircraft served with the Royal Canadian Navy and later as a water bomber.^[22][26]
• Boeing-Stearman N2S-3 75-7899^[22][24]

Under Restoration

• Curtiss P-40M Kittyhawk 43-5813 - This aircraft served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and is painted in their markings.^[27]
• Goodyear FG-1D Corsair 92132 - This aircraft flew in the TV show Baa Baa Black Sheep and the movie Black Sheep Squadron.^[27][28][29]
• Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/N 583-661 - This aircraft was built after the war as a reproduction.^[27]
• Beechcraft TC-45H Expeditor 51-11529 - This aircraft was re-manufactured in 1951.

Other Vehicles

• Link ANT-18 Trainer 4936^[6]
• Mercury Industrial Truck Model A-452-54 8785 - Aircraft tug formerly used by the US Navy.
• Mercury Industrial Truck Model 460 64077 - Shop mule formerly used by the United States Atomic Energy Commission in Piketon, Ohio.
• United Tractor SML 100C 12896 - Aircraft tug formerly owned by Procter & Gamble.
• CJ-2A Jeep 204386

Gallery

• 
  The Tri-State Warbird Museum.
• 
  The museum's TB-25J.
• 
  Signature of Doolittle Raider Tom Griffin on the aft fuselage of the Axis Nightmare.

See also

• List of aerospace museums
• List of museums in Ohio

References

1. "The People of the Tri-State Warbird Museum". Tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
2. "About the Tri-State Warbird Museum". Tristatewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
3. Ohio tourism site on the Tri-state warbird museum
4. "News and Announcements from the Tri-State Warbird Museum". tristatewarbirdmuseum.org.
5. "The Tri-State Warbird Museum "Taking Flight"" (PDF). tristatewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
6. "Other Vehicles at the Tri-State Warbird Museum". tristatewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
7. "History of the Tri-State Warbird Museum". Tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
8. "Ohio National Online". Ohionational.com. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
9. "Virginia Tech Alumnus Stanley Cohen, WWII Veteran".
10. "A Golden Hokie Opportunity: Stanley Cohen". vtnews.vt.edu. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
11. "Plane overshoots runway, knocks down fences in Clermont County". kypost.com. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
12. Bednarski, Kristin (December 15, 2011). "Plane crashes through fence at Clermont airport". The Clermont Sun. Clermont Sun Publishing Company. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
13. Bayne, Bayne (September 23, 2012). "Older Corps of Cadets members join Lane Stadium celebration". The Roanoke Times. The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
14. "Three Clermont County Veterans Receive France's Highest Recognition". Clermontcountyohio.gov. Clermont County, Ohio. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
15. Williams, Jason. "Thousands honor Doolittle Raider in Green Township". Cincinnati.com. Gannett. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
16. "B-25 flyover preps for Opening Day". FOX 19. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
17. Kelly, Paul. "Indianapolis 500 Flyover Showcases Six World War II-Era Aircrafts (sic)". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
18. "Doolittle Raiders Final Toast". National Museum of the US Air Force. US Air Force. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
19. Lear, Mike. "B-25 to return to Kansas City region for Flag Day celebration". Missourinet. Learfield News. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
20. "County Honors Vets With A High-Flying Tribute". Jackson County, Missouri. June 14, 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
21. "2016 AirVenture Aircraft Awards". EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. EAA. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
22. "Restored Aircraft at the Tri-State Warbird Museum". Tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
23. "B-25 Mitchell/45-8898". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
24. Kaplan, Ron. "Airport Journals". Airportjournals.com. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
25. "P-51 MUSTANG/44-73260". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
26. "AVENGER/Bu. 53420". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
27. "Planes Being Restored at the Tri-State Warbird Museum". Tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
28. "CORSAIR/Bu. 92132". Warbird Registry. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
29. "These Big Birds Really Fly!". Loveland Magazine. Retrieved 14 January 2013.

Further reading

Magazine

• "Cincinnati Miss". Warbird Digest (Five). Fall 2005.
• Redlich, Paul (December 2007). "Flying the Legend". Aeroplane: 47–49.

Newspaper

• "The Warbird Museum". The Cincinnati Post. January 8, 2007. p. 1B.
• Shaw, Michelle (May 16, 2007). "Museum is about education". Community Press.

External links

• Official website
• Official Facebook

External video

News report on the museum finishing the restoration of the P-40M before the accident

Video of the museum's P-40M engine being tested before the accident

Video of the museum's P-40M flying before the accident

News report about the museum

Coordinates: 39°03′58″N 84°12′00″W / 39.066°N 84.20°W