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Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin

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.

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

History

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Background

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Events

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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

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Footnotes

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

Notes

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