Is anyone in your family an aviation enthusiast? Would they like to take a trip into the history of the subject? If so, we think you should plan a visit to the Western North Carolina Air Museum in Hendersonville, NC.
About the Western North Carolina Air Museum
The Western North Carolina Air Museum was founded as a way to preserve a moment in time during which flying was seen as a grand adventure. Unlike your typical museum, the Western North Carolina Air Museum doesn’t just put items on display for patrons to view. The entire museum is a snapshot of a bygone era. The planes aren’t roped off, the airstrip is not paved, and a few of the planes on display are working models still flown to this day. Many of them are owned by volunteers at the museum, and if you’re lucky, you might get a chance to see them take off for a flight.
Vintage Planes on Display
The Western North Carolina Air Museum has a total of 19 planes on display. Some models are replicas, while others are preserved models from the time period. You’ll find planes from as early as 1915. Some notable early models include the 1915 Sopwith Baby Replica, the 1917 SE-5A Replica, and the 1917 Curtiss JN-4D Replica. You can also find representations of mankind’s earliest attempts at joining our winged and feathered friends in the sky. On display is a replica of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Ornithopter built by volunteers of the museum. Da Vinci based his prototype on the flight of bats and although it never actually propelled a man into the clouds the Ornithopter’s unique design and the theory behind is an important component in the history of flight. When you visit the museum, be sure to ask about the operation and mechanics of each model.
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How to View the Planes At Western North Carolina Air Museum
During the spring, summer, and early fall months, the Western North Carolina Air Museum operates on a summer schedule that allows visitors to spend more time exploring the planes. The museum is open Wednesday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Sunday, you can visit the planes beginning at noon. The museum is located at 1340 Gilbert Street, just a short two-minute drive from Nissan of Hendersonville.
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