Quonset Air Museum

The Quonset Air Museum was an aerospace museum located at Quonset Point Air National Guard Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

The museum's collection included military vehicles, missiles, aircraft and over 5000 smaller aviation artifacts. An extensive archive of books, magazines, manuals, photos, documents and blueprints was preserved within the Quonset Air Museum.

The museum occupied Painting Hangar #488 located at what was once the Naval Air Station Quonset Point. This 50,000 sq. ft. facility was one of only three existing specialized wood and brick hangars built during WWII. Heavy snowfall in the winter of 2015 partially collapsed the building's roof. The hangar building was condemned, and despite an 18-month search for a new home, the museum was unable to re-open.[1]

Notable aircraft in the collection included the last surviving Curtiss XF15C mixed propulsion prototype and a twin tail C-1A Trader. This one of a kind aircraft had been fitted with twin tails and radome (but without associated electronics) to serve the aerodynamic prototype for the E-1 Tracer Electronic Counter Measure aircraft. This C-1A has the distinction of being the last aircraft to fly from Naval Air Station Quonset Point upon its closure in 1974. The museum housed several Vietnam era combat aircraft as well as the legendary Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

On December 16, 2016, it was announced that the museum would not reopen.[2] Aircraft in the collection have been transferred to other museums.

Formerly on display

References

  1. ↑ Wright, Madeleine (2016-04-18). "Airport Road dome may end up at Quonset Air Museum". WPRI 12 Eyewitness News. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
  2. ↑ Bessette, James (16 December 2016). "Quonset Air Museum won't reopen". The Independent. The Independent. Retrieved 20 December 2016.

Coordinates: 41°35′20″N 71°24′58″W / 41.589°N 71.416°W / 41.589; -71.416

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