A vintage aircraft tells a story and carries a great deal of history, but without the work of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, these aircraft would be nothing more than scrap metal for a junk yard.
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum restores vintage aircraft to help connect the history of Marine Corps aviation with today’s generation.
“Our goal is to educate the public about the history of Marine Corps aviation,” said George B. Welsh, archivist at the museum.
“Each aircraft has its own historical significance,” said Steve Smith, curator at the museum.
Museum personel locate and restore aircraft flown in specific historical situations such as combat and rescue and are restoring an H-19 transport helicopter that was the first helicopter used in combat during the Korean War in 1951. Museum personel will restore and paint the aircraft to match its original state and will display it later this year.
“These aircraft have served our country and carry a great deal of value to our nation’s history,” said Smith. “You could hear someone talk about one, but until you see or touch one, you will not get the full emotion created by these aircraft. Some of the veteran pilots and crew members of these aircraft get choked up when they see one again.”
Alot goes into the restoration of an old aircraft. Many restorations can take more than five years to complete.
“We encounter many challenges when restoring the older aircrafts,” said Welsh.
The flight manuals and technical manuals for these aircraft are old and difficult to find, but necessary to identify the parts and operational capabilities of the aircraft.
Some of the other challenges include corrosion, locating parts, stripping paint, duplicating and finding the right paint, and manpower, commented Welsh.
Volunteers from the squadrons help the museum wash the aircraft, control corrosion and keep their tires inflated.
“We represent every pilot, crew chief, and anyone who was involved with them,” added Smith. “We are honored and privileged to restore them.”
Each aircraft tells an important story that is part of Marine Corps history. The museum captures these stories and restores them for a modern audience.