Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Flying Leatherneck
Leatherneck
Leatherneck is a military slang term for a member of the United States Marine Corps. Now accepted by Webster as a synonym for Marine, the term "Leatherneck" was derived from a leather stock once worn around the neck by both American and British Marines—and soldiers also. Beginning in 1798, "one...

Aviation Museum is located at Building T, 4203 Anderson Avenue, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...

, San Diego

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. The museum contains exhibits and artifacts relating to the history and legacy of United States Marine Corps Aviation

United States Marine Corps Aviation

United States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....

. The exhibits include approximately 25 vintage aircraft

Aircraft

An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...

in an outdoor area and a vast range of historical items inside the museum building.

Aircraft displayed

CH-46E Sea Knight - The helicopter on display is known as "Lady Ace 09" and flew Graham Martin
Graham Martin
Graham Anderson Martin succeeded Ellsworth Bunker as United States Ambassador to South Vietnam in 1973. He would be the last person to hold that position. Martin previously served as ambassador to Thailand and as U.S. representative to SEATO....

, the last Ambassador of the United States to South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

out of the country on April 30, 1975. This marked the end of official U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

.

Complete list of aircraft on exhibit

Bell AH-1J "Sea Cobra"
AH-1 SuperCobra
The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the US Army's AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra...

(Attack helicopter)
Boeing Vertol CH-46E "Sea Knight"
CH-46 Sea Knight
The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is a medium-lift tandem rotor transport helicopter, used by the United States Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night assault transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment. Assault Support is its primary function, and the movement of supplies and...

(Vietnam Embassy Evac) (Cargo/troop transport helicopter)
Chance-Vought F4U-5N "Corsair"
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...

(Korean War-era Night Fighter)
Douglas A-4C "Skyhawk"
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

(Attack aircraft)
Douglas A-4F "Skyhawk"
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

(Attack aircraft)
Douglas F3D-2 (EF-10) "Skyknight"
F3D Skyknight
The Douglas F3D Skyknight, was a United States twin-engine, midwing jet fighter aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company in El Segundo, California. The F3D was designed as a carrier-based all-weather aircraft. It saw service with the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps...

(Night-fighter / Electronic warfare aircraft)
Douglas F4D-1 "Skyray"
F4D Skyray
The Douglas F4D Skyray was an American carrier-based supersonic fighter/interceptor built by the Douglas Aircraft Company...

(F-6) (Fighter-Interceptor aircraft)
General Motors TBM-3E (Grumman-designed) "Avenger"
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....

(Torpedo bomber aircraft)
Grumman A-6E "Intruder"
A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder was an American, twin jet-engine, mid-wing attack aircraft built by Grumman Aerospace. In service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps between 1963 and 1997, the Intruder was designed as an all-weather medium attack aircraft to replace the piston-engined A-1 Skyraider...

(Attack bomber aircraft)
F9F-2 "Panther"
F9F Panther
|-Popular culture:The Panther played a prominent role in the 1954 movie Men of the Fighting Lady . The F9F was featured in the flying sequences in the 1954 movie The Bridges at Toko-Ri, although in the 1953 James A...

(Fighter-bomber aircraft)
F9F-8P "Cougar"
F9F Cougar
The Grumman F9F/F-9 Cougar was an aircraft carrier-based fighter aircraft for the United States Navy. Based on the earlier Grumman F9F Panther, the Cougar replaced the Panther's straight wing with a more modern swept wing...

(Tactical reconnaissance - unarmed)
Hawker Siddeley AV-8C "Harrier" (NASA) (V/STOL Attack aircraft)
McDonnell F2H-2 "Banshee"
F2H Banshee
The McDonnell F2H Banshee was a single-seat carrier-based jet fighter aircraft deployed by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1961. It was one of the primary American fighters used during the Korean War and was the only jet-powered fighter ever deployed by the Royal...

(Fighter-bomber aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas A-4M "Skyhawk II"
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

(Last one built) (Attack aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas TA-4J "Skyhawk"
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

(Fast Forward Air Control (FASTFAC)/trainer aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A "Hornet"
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...

(Fighter-Attack dual-role aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18A "Hornet" 'Red 22'
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...

(Fighter-Attack dual-role aircraft – Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training)
McDonnell-Douglas F-4S "Phantom II"
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

(Fighter-bomber aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas RF-4B "Phantom II"
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

(Tactical reconnaissance - unarmed)
North American FJ-3 "Fury"
FJ Fury
The North American FJ-2/-3 Fury were a series of swept-wing carrier-capable fighters for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Based on the United States Air Force's F-86 Sabre, these aircraft featured folding wings, and a longer nose landing strut designed to both increase angle of attack upon...

(Fighter aircraft)
North American PBJ-1J (B-25J) "Mitchell"
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...

(Medium bomber aircraft)
North American SNJ-5 (AT-6) "Texan"
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...

(Trainer aircraft)
Northrop F-5E "Tiger II" - 'Red 12' (Fighter aircraft – Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training)
Piasecki HUP-2 (H-25) "Retriever" (Rescue helicopter)
Rockwell OV-10D "Bronco"
OV-10 Bronco
The North American Aviation Rockwell OV-10 Bronco is a turboprop light attack and observation aircraft. It was developed in the 1960s as a special aircraft for counter-insurgency combat, and one of its primary missions was as a forward air control aircraft...

Night Observation System (NOS) (Short-Takeoff Forward Air Controller/Light Attack aircraft)
Sikorsky CH-53A "Sea Stallion"
CH-53 Sea Stallion
The CH-53 Sea Stallion is the most common name for the Sikorsky S-65 family of heavy-lift transport helicopters. Originally developed for use by the United States Marine Corps, it is also in service with Germany, Iran, Israel, and Mexico...

(Cargo/troop transport helicopter)
Sikorsky HRS-3 (H-19) "Chicksaw" (Cargo/troop transport helicopter)
Sikorsky HUS (UH-34D) "Seahorse" (Cargo/troop transport helicopter)
Vought (LTV) F8U-1 (F-8E) "Crusader"
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...

(Fighter aircraft)
Vought (LTV) F8U-1P (RF-8G) "Crusader"
F-8 Crusader
The Vought F-8 Crusader was a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft built by Vought for the United States Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, replacing the Vought F7U Cutlass...

(Tactical reconnaissance - unarmed)

Other exhibits

AN/TPN-8A (Ground Control Approach (GCA) Radar Set)
Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Tug
Ford M151A2 (¼ -Ton 4x4 Military Utility Tactical Truck)
MIM-23 Hawk
MIM-23 Hawk
The Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...

Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
Landing Signals Officer Shack
M1097 Avenger
M1097 Avenger
The Avenger Air Defense System, designated AN/TWQ-1 under the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, is a missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters...

("Stinger" Air Defense Humvee)
ZPU-1
ZPU-4
The ZPU-4 is a towed, quadruple-barreled anti-aircraft gun based on the Soviet KPV 14.5 mm machine gun. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and is used by over 50 countries worldwide...

(Soviet –made 1-barrel 14.5mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun)
ZPU-4
ZPU-4
The ZPU-4 is a towed, quadruple-barreled anti-aircraft gun based on the Soviet KPV 14.5 mm machine gun. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and is used by over 50 countries worldwide...

(Soviet-made 4-barrel 14.5mm Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun)

In storage (not on display)

Bell HTL-4 (Model 47) "Sioux"
Bell 47
The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946...

(Scout/medevac helicopter)
Bell UH-1E "Iroquois"
UH-1 Iroquois
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...

(‘Huey’) (Utility helicopter)
Bell Model 214S "Huey"
Bell 214
|-See also:-External links:...

(Captured Iraqi utility helicopter)
Consolidated OY-1 (L-5) "Grasshopper"
L-5 Sentinel
The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was a World War II era liaison aircraft used by all branches of the U.S. military and by the British Royal Air Force. Along with the Stinson L-1 Vigilant, the L-5 was the only other American liaison aircraft of WWII that was purpose-built for military use and had no...

(Observation aircraft)
Douglas A-4B "Skyhawk"
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...

(Attack aircraft)
General Motors FM-2 (Grumman F4F) "Wildcat"
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...

(Fighter aircraft)
Lockheed TO-1 (F-80C "Shooting Star")
P-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...

(Fighter aircraft)
McDonnell-Douglas F-4B "Phantom II"
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...

(Fighter-bomber aircraft)
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 "Fagot"
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...

(Fighter aircraft)

MCAS Miramar Post Exchange

The following items, being located away from the museum complex, are available only to visitors who have access to the post exchange

Base exchange

A Base Exchange is a type of retail store operating on United States military installations worldwide...

Douglas R4D-8 (C-117) "Skytrain II"
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...

(Transport aircraft)
Douglas R5D (C-54) "Skymaster"
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...

(Transport aircraft)
Fairchild R4Q (C-119) "Packet"
C-119 Flying Boxcar
The Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar was an American military transport aircraft developed from the World War II-era Fairchild C-82 Packet, designed to carry cargo, personnel, litter patients, and mechanized equipment, and to drop cargo and troops by parachute...

(Transport aircraft)

External links

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (official website)
Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum. Official webpage from ‘’Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation & Aviation Museum website’’.
Marines (official website of the U. S. Marines)