Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum

The Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum (WOTR) is located on the former Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado, United States. The museum preserves the history of Lowry AFB's operations from 1938 to 1994 in its collections, archives, and research library. Features of the museum's collection include the USAF's B-1A Lancer and B-52 Stratofortress bombers and many other military and general aviation aircraft.

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
Former nameThe Lowry Heritage Museum (1984-1994)
Established1 December 1994 (1 December 1994)
Location7711 E. Academy Blvd Denver, Colorado, USA
Lowry Campus
(formerly Lowry AFB)
TypeAir and Space Museum
Collection sizeLowry AFB history
Colorado aerospace history
Public transit accessRegional Transportation District
Nearest car parkOn site (no charge)
Websitewingsmuseum.org

History

From 1937 to 1994 Lowry Air Force Base, located on the eastern edge of Denver, was primarily a technical training center. It graduated more than 1.1 million enlisted members and officers in skills ranging from armament to photography, aiding the country's war efforts in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the Cold War. From the 1980s Lowry Air Force Base remained one of Colorado's largest employers, with approximately 10,000 military and civilian men and women, providing an economic impact approaching $1 billion annually.

In 1994, the United States Air Force transferred Hangar 1 to a group of volunteers, who established Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. The Museum includes more than 182,000 square feet of hangar space and 50 iconic aircraft dating from 1939 to 1990.

In 1997, the Colorado State Legislature passed House Bill 1269 that made Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum Colorado's official air and space museum,[1] and the site of the Colorado Aviation Historical Society's Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame.

Exploration of Flight

Exploration of Flight is a 15-acre campus located at Centennial Airport that serves as the second location of Wings Over the Rockies. While the Air and Space Museum focuses on the history and heritage of aviation, Exploration of Flight is home to future-focused aviation and space galleries and exhibits.

Aircraft exhibits

Military
B-1A Lancer
F-100D Super Sabre, with High Wire Mods, formerly with 354th TFW
McDonnell F-101B Voodoo
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger
Republic F-105D 60-0508 Thunderchief, formerly with 49th TFW
  • Vought A-7D Corsair II (No. 73-0996, "Speedwell", Colo. Air Nat'l Guard) attack fighter
  • Rockwell B-1A Lancer (No. 74-0160) strategic bomber, prototype number 3 and one of only two surviving B-1As of the original 4 made[2]
  • Douglas B-18A Bolo (No. 39-25) 1938 medium bomber based on the Douglas DC-2 airliner[3]
  • Boeing GB-52B Stratofortress (No. 52-0005) strategic bomber[4]
  • Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler arrived fall 2015 from Whidbey Island NAS[5]
  • Martin EB-57E Canberra (No. 55-4293) electronic warfare bomber
  • McDonnell-Douglas F-4E Phantom II (No. 66-0286, "Julie") fighter-bomber
  • Grumman F-14A Tomcat (Bu. No. 159829) fleet defense fighter from VF-211 "NG-102"[6]
  • Republic RF-84K Thunderflash (No. 52-7266) parasite tactical reconnaissance fighter from the FICON project
  • North American F-86H Sabre (No. 53-1308) fighter[7]
  • North American F-100D Super Sabre (No. 56-3417) fighter-bomber[8]
  • McDonnell F-101B Voodoo (No. 58-0271) air defense all-weather interceptor
  • Convair F-102A Delta Dagger (No. 56-0984) air defense interceptor
  • Lockheed F-104C Starfighter (No. 56-0910) fighter-bomber[9]
  • Republic F-105D Thunderchief (No. 60-0508) fighter-bomber
  • General Dynamics FB-111A (No. 68-0287) fighter-bomber
  • Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (No. 56-1710) trainer aircraft
  • Cessna U-3 Blue Canoe (No. 57-5894) trainer aircraft
  • Beech UC-45 Expeditor (No. 42-37496) transport aircraft
  • Schweizer TG-4 (SGS 2-33) Primary Glider as used by the USAF Academy (No. N1192S)

Civilian
Adam M309 twin engine. May 2007, current on display inside
The McDonnell Apollo Boilerplate BP-1101A Capsule was used by NASA to test touchdown for the Apollo program
Casis - Science in Space
Westinghouse J46-WE-8 cutaway engine

Education and Services
  • Wings Aerospace Academy is a tuition-free enrichment program that offers hands-on programs from the Museum and online core courses provided by Elevate Academy, a certified, multi-school district charter school. The focus of Wings Aerospace Academy is to offer hands-on aerospace-themed STEM experiences for students grades 6-11, with 12th grade planned to be added in the fall of 2019.[12]
  • Teacher Flight Program – A unique aerospace program that encourages STEM teachers from across Colorado to become Teacher Envoys. It provides interested teachers with a free, 20 minute flight on a vintage 1940s Shearman biplane,< and also provides other perks for their school, such as free entry tickets for all their students. The main goal of this program is to excite teachers and get them to inspire their students into undertaking an educational or professional career in the field of aviation and aerospace.[13]
  • Summer Camp Programs – Four summer camps twice each summer offer insight into the aviation and aerospace industry. Camps include The Red Planet, Wings of All Types, The Good Old Days, and Rocket Science 101.[14]
  • Technical Research Library – A library which contains over 15,000 book titles on aviation and aerospace and 800 titles covering ballooning, aviation and aerospace in English and other foreign languages. There are also extensive documents on Lowry Air Force Base history, including 1000 digital photos of the base. Other things from the library include retrospective airline tables, seat magazines and a collection of rare NASA documents.

See also
Related lists

References
  1. State.CO.US Legislature: House Bill 97-1269
  2. "B-1A Lancer". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  3. "Douglas B-18 Bolo". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  4. "B-52 Stratofortress". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  5. "EA-6B Prowler". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  6. "F-14 Tomcat". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  7. "F-86H Sabre". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  8. "F-100 Super Sabre". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  9. "F-104 Starfighter". Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  10. Natl Soaring Museum: Aircraft on Loan
  11. Wings Colorado Astronauts Exhibit
  12. Wings Aerospace Academy
  13. Wings Teacher Flight Program
  14. Wings Summer Camp Program
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