{"id":4831,"date":"2024-04-12T19:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T19:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/?p=4831"},"modified":"2025-01-20T17:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T17:57:16","slug":"air-museum-in-mcminnville-oregon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/air-museum-in-mcminnville-oregon\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon Features Legendary One-Flight Plane"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon, called the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, offers an up close and personal view of planes and space equipment. This museum is perfect for any aviation fanatic, aspiring astronaut, or just plain history buff. The large windowed building also holds one of the most unique planes ever created\u2014the one-flight wonder, Spruce Goose, a must see for anyone planning an Oregon vacation.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

McMinnville\nAir Museum\u2019s Crown Jewel: The Spruce Goose <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The McMinnville Air Museum in Oregon provides a home for a little over 100 unique planes, but most notable is the 23 million-dollar one flight wonder, The Spruce Goose<\/a>. During World War II, metal restrictions were at an all-time high while large planes were at an all-time low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The US\ngovernment commissioned the Hughes Aircraft Company to build what they described\nas a \u201cflying boat\u201d that could transport troops, materials, and equipment across\nthe Atlantic Ocean. Howard Hughes, the founder of the aircraft company, was\nknown for his state-of-the-art aircraft designs and daring feats in aviation. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"side<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Spruce\nGoose, which was made of wood, was the largest aircraft of its time. The design\nwas thin birch veneer laminated in layers with resin to create strength,\ndurability and lightness. Some elements of the plane were also covered in\nfabric. The Spruce Goose boasted 8 wing engines and a wingspan of over 320\nfeet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nmassive flying boat had room for two M4 Sherman tanks, 750 troop members, or\n150,000 pounds. The plane\u2019s development began 16 full months after the contract\nwas initiated, and by the time the plane was completed, the war was over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This did\nnot stop the first flight from occurring, however. For its public debut, the\nplane was disassembled into three pieces and reassembled in Long Beach\nCalifornia in a hangar that allowed the \u201cflying boat\u201d to be launched directly\ninto the harbor. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"View<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For its first and only flight, the Spruce Goose carried a total of 36 passengers, a far cry from the 750 it was designed to carry. People on board included crew, mechanics, and members of the press. The wooden plane lifted off the ground to an elevation of 70 feet and flew about a mile in 26 seconds, with the speed reaching 135 miles per hour. It may have been the first, but it was also the last flight the Spruce Goose ever made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With metal\nrestrictions and war time at an end, there was sadly no need for a wooden plane\nsuch as the Spruce Goose. The revolutionary design was shot down by critics who\nsaid the wooden structure could never compete against more modern metal frames.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unable to\nlet it go, Hughes kept the Spruce Goose hidden in secrecy inside an air\nconditioned, temperature-controlled hangar, where it was maintained in flying\ncondition by a large crew. Hughes paid over a million dollars per year to keep\nhis dream of flying the Spruce Goose alive until his death in 1976. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Interior<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After the\ndeath of Howard Hughes, ownership of the behemoth wooden aircraft was widely\ndebated, with the idea of sectioning the plane off for different aviation\nmuseums. Luckily the plane saw an easier and kinder fate, resting inside a dome\nstructure in Long Beach beside the Queen Mary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plane became a popular tourist destination by day, and an event space by night. In 1988, the Walt Disney Company purchased the land on Long Beach as well as the attractions and decided they no longer wanted to maintain the large aircraft and dome. After searching, the Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon was chosen to be a permanent home of the Spruce Goose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional Aviation Exhibits at the Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition\nto the massive structure of the Spruce Goose, the Air Museum in McMinnville\nOregon features planes from the beginning of aviation to modern day aircraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The McMinnville Air Museum collection demonstrates an assortment of planes from all walks of life. In the museum entrance, you will see examples of aviation in its infancy. Moving forward, the displays show you how planes became popularized among farmers for short transport and then became mass produced for business and military use.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Military<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Military Aircraft <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The military equipment displayed ranges from helicopters to airplanes, including bombers and fighters. In the museum, you’ll find aircraft from World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War. Some aircraft were used for rescue missions, and some even for training pilots. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The museum also has one of the largest collections of World War II planes in the U.S. Alongside these planes you will find plaques with stories about each as aircraft and the people who piloted them. The World War II sections also features uniforms from the time, off road wartime vehicles, and other artifacts that are related to the world-wide battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the newer military exhibits is the C-47. The C-47 at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum carried the 101st Airborne Division\u2019s, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment to a drop zone in France on D-day. This aircraft is currently in the process of a multiyear restoration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"aviation<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aviation\nprototypes are also a prominent feature of the air museum in McMinnville.\nYou\u2019ll find specimens from all eras, including the SR-71 Blackbird. The Blackbird is the\nfastest plane ever created. It has a top speed of over 2,000 miles per hour and\nwas used for reconnaissance missions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While most\nof the aircraft on display are cordoned off from direct contact, visitors are allowed\nto get within a few feet of most of the planes or helicopters. However, guests\nare allowed enter the legendary Spruce Goose as well as select military planes.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Space\nHistory at the Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

McMinnville\u2019s\nAir Museum offers more than just aircraft and aviation history. In the adjacent\nbuilding, you will find a deep history of the human race\u2019s experience into pace.\nThe adjacent space museum contains detailed accounts of different Space\nexcursions as well as the gear required for each. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unmanned\nand manned space craft displays are scattered about with detailed plaques\nexplaining how and when each piece of equipment was used. Different rockets and\nboosters are also displayed, including the Titan II Missile, a massive booster\nrocket.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Space<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Titan II Missile display sticks up from the floor of the museum and allows you to descend stairs to the bottom of it which puts you inside the missile silo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The air museum in McMinnville Oregon is must-see for any air or space enthusiast and provides a very detailed interesting glimpse into our journey into flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Inside the Space portion of the Evergreen Aviation museum, the Nighthawk has become a new addition. While it undergoes its restoration process, this unique aircraft will be on display for all to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nighthawk is an important piece of stealth aviation history. It was the world’s first stealth fighter, and had a huge hand in starting operation desert storm. It flew 39 important stealth missions from 1985 to 2007, before being retired. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flight Simulator<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The McMinnville Air Museum Evergreen Air Museum) is proud to offer a flight simulator for those over 42″ tall. The MaxFlight Flight Simulator allows up to two guests to experience a flight, combat flight, or a rollercoaster. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guests can choose to fly the Spruce Goose, an F-18 fighter jet, or a World War II fighter plane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children between 42-48″ tall can ride, but must be accompanied by an adult. Anyone over 48″ tall can ride solo. The flight simulator is $10 per person, and can hold a maximum of 2 rides, and 500 pounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Five Amazing Ways to Enjoy Fall in Oregon<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

21 of the BEST Oregon Hiking Trails<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Must<\/a> <\/a>See Vacation Destinations in Oregon<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Air Museum in McMinnville Oregon, called the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, offers an up close and personal view of planes and space equipment. This museum is perfect for any aviation fanatic, aspiring astronaut, or just plain history buff. The large windowed building also holds one of the most unique planes ever created\u2014the one-flight … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4834,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,27],"tags":[98,15,16],"ppma_author":[2365],"class_list":["post-4831","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-oregon-trips","category-category-oregon-travel-guide","tag-oregon-attractions","tag-oregon-history","tag-oregon-museum","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"authors":[{"term_id":2365,"user_id":1,"is_guest":0,"slug":"khesketh","display_name":"Kathleen Hesketh","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/23494c9101089ad44ae88ce9d2f56aac.jpg?ver=1777414485","url2x":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/23494c9101089ad44ae88ce9d2f56aac.jpg?ver=17774144852x"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":"","9":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4831","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4831"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4831\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24713,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4831\/revisions\/24713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4831"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4831"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4831"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondstogo.net\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=4831"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}