Cavanaugh Flight Museum

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum was a non-profit aviation museum at Addison Airport in Addison, Texas. It closed indefinitely as of January 1, 2024.

Cavanaugh Flight Museum
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Established1993
Location4572 Claire Chennault St
Addison, Texas 75001
Coordinates32°58′22″N 96°50′07″W / 32.972648°N 96.835393°W / 32.972648; -96.835393
Typeaviation museum
Visitors33,000 (2006)[1]
FounderJim Cavanaugh[2]
DirectorDoug Jeanes[3]
Public transit accessDallas Area Rapid Transit bus route 341
WebsiteCavanaugh Flight Museum

Mission

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The museum promoted aviation education, research and American aviation heritage. The museum provided aircraft restoration, maintained and displayed historically significant vintage aircraft, some of which were in flyable condition, and maintained an aviation collections department featuring aviation artwork.

History

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The aircraft collection held by the museum began as the personal collection of businessman Jim Cavanaugh. His collection began with the purchase of a half-share in a 1939 Piper J-3 Cub in 1980.[4] The museum opened in October 1993.[5]

On December 29, 2023, the museum announced it would be closing indefinitely on January 1, 2024.[6][7] A spokesperson for the town of Addison told WFAA that the museum's lease had been terminated to allow the site to be redeveloped as new hangars, office space, and parking. The museum said that its aircraft would be moved to North Texas Regional Airport in Denison, Texas, but it would not state whether the collection would be returned to public display.[8]

Exhibits and collections

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The flight museum housed an aviation art gallery that includes pieces from Keith Ferris, Roy Grinnell, William Phillips, John Shaw, Stan Stokes, Robert Taylor, and Nicholas Trudgian.

B-29 "FiFi" Project

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In a January 2008 press release,[9] the Commemorative Air Force and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum pledged $1.2M USD to re-engine FiFi, a B-29 Superfortress. The pledge was made by Jim Cavanaugh, museum founder. As a result of the contribution, FiFi was returned to flight status, and the B-29/B-24 Squadron of the CAF was relocated from Midland, Texas, to Addison Airport. The B-24 and the B-29 were, for the six months of each year they were not on tour, kept and maintained at Addison. FiFi was sent to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth during winter.

FiFi was based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum until 2013, when it was relocated to the Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham.

Partial List of Collection

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World War I

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World War II

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Manufacturer Model Serial number Notes
de Havilland Tiger Moth
Aeronca L-3B 43-26886
Boeing-Stearman N2S-4 Kaydet
Boeing-Stearman PT-13C Stearman Kaydet 40-1650
Curtiss P-40N Warhawk 44-7396
Douglas A-26C Invader 44-35710 Hard to Get
Fairchild PT-19A Cornell 42-34560
General Motors FM-2 Wildcat 86956
General Motors TBM-3E Avenger 86280
Goodyear FG-1D Corsair 92339
Heinkel CASA 2.111(He 111) Spanish built version of He 111. 9K+FZ
Hispano HA-1112-M1L C.4K-172 Markings on side <- + -
North American AT-6/SNJ Texan 42-85697
North American B-25J Mitchell 44-28925 How ‘Boot That!
North American B-25H Mitchell 43-4106 Barbie III'
North American P-51D Mustang 44-72339
Piper L-4J 45-55210
Ryan PT-22 Recruit 41-15334
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VIII MT719
Vultee SNV-2/BT-13 Valiant 44177
Yak Yak-3M 0410101

Korean War

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Manufacturer Model Serial number Notes
Beachcraft T-34A Mentor 53-3362
Bell OH-13D Sioux 65-8040
Douglas A-1H Skyraider 52-139606
Douglas EA-1E Skyraider 135152
Grumman F9F-2B Panther 123078
Grumman S2F-1 Tracker 136431
Lockheed F-104A Starfighter 56-0779
Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 UTI 512036
North American/Canadair F-86 Sabre Mk. IV 51-2821
Panstwowe Zaklady Lotnicze (PZL) TS-11 Iskra
Sikorsky UH-34D Seahorse 150213

Vietnam War

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Manufacturer Model Serial number Notes
Bell AH-1J Sea Cobra 159220
Bell UH-1B Iroquois 62-4567
Cessna T-41B Mescalero 62323-70
Hughes OH-6A Cayuse 69-16006
LTV A-7E Corsair II 160615
McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom II 64-0777
Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-17F 1228
Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21US 04685145
Republic F-105F Thunderchief 63-8543

Civilian aircraft

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tanner, Lisa (2007-03-30). "Taking flight; Cavanaugh flight museum seeks to attract more visitors by teaming up with the town of Addison". Dallas Business Journal.
  2. ^ Perdue, Scott (1 November 2006). "Cavanaugh's Flight Through Time". Plane & Pilot. Madavor Media. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. ^ Box, Terry (2008-05-08). "Cavanaugh Flight Museum: A real blast from the past". The Dallas Morning News.
  4. ^ Lukas, Paul (2007-04-27). "Collecting war planes in memory of real heros". The Financial Times.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Marvel, Bill (1993-10-26). "A Crowded Plane Field; The opening of a third Dallas-area aviation museum is fueled by a growing interest in our airborne heritage". The Dallas Morning News. Newsbank ID 0ED3D3C02B19FAC7.
  6. ^ "Cavanaugh Flight Museum Facebook Page".
  7. ^ "Vintage Aviation News: Cavanaugh Flight Museum To Close After 30 Years".
  8. ^ Sullivan, Cole (January 1, 2024). "Historic Addison flight museum announces closure". WFAA. Dallas, Texas. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  9. ^ Cavanaugh Flight Museum: Press Release Jan. 21, 2008 Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
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