Wings Over Miami
Encyclopedia
Wings Over Miami is a flying aviation museum
of historically significant aircraft, located at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport
in Miami-Dade County
, Florida
, United States
, 13 miles (21 km) southwest of the central business district
of Miami
.
which had been located at the airport, but which was moved to Polk County, Florida
after having its facility and almost all of its aircraft damaged by Hurricane Andrew
in 1992.
The departure of the Weeks collection left an aviation historical deficit in the Miami area. In 2001 four military and classic plane enthusiasts decided to create a new museum to use the facility. The new museum's board was made up of its founders: Walter Orth, Larry Ploucha, Vincent Tirado and Tom Righetti. They agreed from the start that Wings Over Miami would be a flying museum, meaning that aircraft from the collection would be airworthy and would be flown regularly.
The aircraft collection that was assembled included representation from a broad range of aviation history, including vintage aircraft, World War II
and the Cold War
.
Special events that benefit the museum include an annual car show that features antique & classic vehicles and Corvettes presented by the South Florida Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Sunshine Corvette Club.
Aviation museum
An aviation museum, air museum or aerospace museum is a museum exhibiting the history and artifacts of aviation. In addition to actual or replica aircraft, exhibits can include photographs, maps, models, dioramas, clothing and equipment used by aviators.Aviation museums vary in size from housing...
of historically significant aircraft, located at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport
Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport
Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, 13 miles southwest of Downtown Miami....
in Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 13 miles (21 km) southwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
.
History
The museum was conceived as a replacement for the Weeks Air MuseumFantasy of Flight
Fantasy of Flight is an aviation-related attraction in Polk City, Florida, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I, World War II and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display...
which had been located at the airport, but which was moved to Polk County, Florida
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
after having its facility and almost all of its aircraft damaged by Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 1992.
The departure of the Weeks collection left an aviation historical deficit in the Miami area. In 2001 four military and classic plane enthusiasts decided to create a new museum to use the facility. The new museum's board was made up of its founders: Walter Orth, Larry Ploucha, Vincent Tirado and Tom Righetti. They agreed from the start that Wings Over Miami would be a flying museum, meaning that aircraft from the collection would be airworthy and would be flown regularly.
The aircraft collection that was assembled included representation from a broad range of aviation history, including vintage aircraft, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Special events that benefit the museum include an annual car show that features antique & classic vehicles and Corvettes presented by the South Florida Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Sunshine Corvette Club.
Aircraft
The museum collection includes:- Aero L29-R DelfínAero L-29 Delfin|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill, ed. "Aero L-29 Delfin." The Encyclopedia of World Air Power. New York: Crescent Books, 1990. ISBN 0-517-53754-0....
- Aero L-39C Albatros
- Brown B-1 RacerBrown B-1 RacerThe Brown B-1 Racer was an American-built small monoplane racing aircraft of the 1930s.The Brown B-1 Racer was an American-built small monoplane racing aircraft of the 1930s....
- Consolidated PBY-5A CatalinaPBY CatalinaThe Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
- Douglas A-26C InvaderA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
- Douglas C-117DC-47 SkytrainThe 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...
- Grumman F-14D TomcatF-14 TomcatThe Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental program following the collapse of the F-111B project...
- Ikarus Aero 3-AUTVA Aero 3|-See also:-External links:*...
- Ryan PT-22
- Nanchang CJ-6ANanchang CJ-6-See also:-External links:***...
- North American AT-6D Texan
- North American T-28 TrojanT-28 TrojanThe North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston-engined military trainer aircraft used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s...
- North American SNJ-6
- Schweizer SGS 1-26Schweizer SGS 1-26The Schweizer SGS 1-26 is a United States One-Design, single-seat, mid-wing glider built by Schweizer Aircraft of Elmira, New York.The SGS 1-26 enjoyed a very long production run from its first flight in 1954 until 1979, when production was ended. The 1-26 was replaced in production by the...
- Yakovlev Yak-52