Hickory Aviation Museum

Last updated

Hickory Aviation Museum
Hickory Aviation Museum logo.jpg
USA North Carolina location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in North Carolina
Established19 May 2007 (2007-05-19)
Location Hickory, North Carolina, United States
Coordinates 35°44′32″N81°23′22″W / 35.742214°N 81.389360°W / 35.742214; -81.389360
Type Aviation museum
Founder
  • Phil Hazel
  • Kregg Kirby
  • Kyle Kirby
  • Jim Trexler
PresidentJeff Wofford
CuratorKyle Kirby
Website hickoryaviationmuseum.org

Hickory Aviation Museum is an aviation museum at the Hickory Regional Airport in Hickory, North Carolina. It features a museum located in the former airport terminal with artifacts, a hangar with aircraft and outdoor exhibits of aircraft on the former airport ramp. [1]

Contents

History

The museum originated from the Sabre Society, which was formed in 1991 to restore a North American FJ-3 Fury on display at a ballpark in Taylorsville, North Carolina. From 1993 to 2004 the society hosted an airshow at the airport. The museum, co-founded by Kyle and Kregg Kirby, Jim Trexler and Phil Hazel, opened to the public on 19 May 2007. [1] [ failed verification ] [2] [ failed verification ] [3] [ failed verification ]

In 2021, the museum announced it would receive an F4F on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum. [4]

In 2022, plans were announced for a new building located at Hickory Regional Airport. In addition to housing the museum's aircraft, it will also serve as a training facility for the Catawba Valley Community College. [5] The new facility will cost a total of $22 Million, with $15 Million appropriated from the state budget and the remaining $7 Million from museum fundraising. Stipulations of the plan include relinquishing the spot the museum has within the commercial terminal should commercial operations return to Hickory Regional Airport. [5] The museum broke ground on the new building on 26 October 2023. [6] [7]

The museum has received a number of aircraft on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum, including a NU-1B in January 2024. [8] This trend continued with the arrival of an AV-8B in July of that year. [9] By July 2025, the museum had begun moving aircraft into the new 53,000 sq ft (4,900 m2) structure. [10]

Collection

Northrop F-5E Tiger II Northrop F-5 at HKY.jpg
Northrop F-5E Tiger II

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Museum". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010.
  2. ↑ Blitch, Chanda (23 August 2007). "Combat Aircraft Land at Hickory Airport". Charlotte Observer. pp. 1V –2V. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Gould, Richard (24 February 2015). "Passion for planes: A dream that became the Hickory Aviation Museum". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Aviation Museum to Get World War II Wildcat". McDowell News. 19 May 2021. p. A3. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. 1 2 Griffin, Kevin (23 June 2022). "Hickory council approves design contract for new Hickory Aviation Museum, CVCC workforce site". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  6. ↑ "Hickory Breaks Ground On New Aviation Museum And Workforce Innovation Center". Caldwell Journal. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Griffin, Kevin (27 October 2023). "Hickory leaders celebrate groundbreaking for new aviation museum, CVCC center". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  8. ↑ Aguiari, Moreno (17 January 2024). "A de Havilland Otter Arrives at The Hickory Aviation Museum". Vintage Aviation News. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  9. ↑ "Preserving Harrier History: Retired AV-8B II+ Finds New Home at North Carolina Air Museum". Naval Air Systems Command. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  10. ↑ Chapman, Billy (7 July 2025). "Hickory Aviation Museum rolling planes into new 50,000-square-foot space, aiming for January opening". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  11. ↑ "Beechcraft T-34 "Mentor"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  12. ↑ "Bell AH-1W "SuperCobra"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Curtiss XF15C-1 "Stingeree"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  14. ↑ Hill, Linda J. "de Havilland Vampire". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  15. ↑ Kirby, Kyle. "A4-L". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "Grumman A-6E "Intruder"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  17. ↑ "Eastern Aircraft Division (General Motors) FM-2 "Wildcat"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  18. ↑ Hart, Kristen (9 August 2021). "FM-2 Wildcat joins Hickory Aviation Museum's collection of historic airplanes". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "Grumman F-9 "Cougar"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  20. ↑ "Grumman F-14A "Tomcat" Cockpit". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  21. ↑ Kirby, Kyle. "Grumman F-14D Tomcat". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  22. ↑ "Grumman OV-1D "Mohawk"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  23. ↑ Annable, Virginia (22 May 2021). "Grumman Mohawk plane lands at Hickory airport". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  24. ↑ "Hispano HA-200 Saeta". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  25. ↑ "Lockheed P-3C Orion". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  26. ↑ Bailey, John (25 September 2017). "Hickory Aviation Museum lands P-3C sub hunter". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  27. ↑ Wilusz, Ryan (20 September 2017). "Aviation museum welcomes P-3 Orion plane to collection". The News Herald. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  28. ↑ Clary, Mike. "T-33A Shooting Star". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  29. ↑ Kirby, Kyle. "LTV A-7A Corsair II". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  30. ↑ "TF-101 Data Sheet Under Construction". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  31. ↑ "McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  32. ↑ Kirby, Kyle. "F-4B Phantom II". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  33. ↑ "McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Legacy Hornet". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  34. ↑ Hart, Kristen (27 December 2020). "Blue Angels aircraft prepares for its new home at Hickory Aviation Museum". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  35. ↑ "Military aircraft displayed at Hickory Aviation Museum". Hickory Daily Record. 17 March 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  36. ↑ Kirby, Kyle. "FJ-3M (F-1C) Fury". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  37. ↑ "North American T-2 "Buckeye"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  38. ↑ Willhelm, Jeff. "F-5E". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  39. ↑ "Northrop Grumman EA-6B "Prowler"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  40. ↑ Buccio, Valerie (16 May 2016). "GALLERY: Hickory Aviation Museum welcomes Prowler into retirement". Hickory Daily Record. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  41. ↑ McBrayer, Sharon (12 May 2016). "Final Flight: War plane to come to rest at Hickory Regional Airport". News Herald. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  42. ↑ Clary, Mike. "F-105B Thunderchief". Hickory Aviation Museum. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  43. ↑ "Sikorsky SH-3H "Sea King"". Hickory Aviation Museum. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  44. ↑ Jackson, Mark (21 June 2017). "Hickory Aviation Museum To Unveil SH-3 Sea King Helicopter". Caldwell Journal. Retrieved 4 October 2022.

Bibliography

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