New York State is blessed having a selection of fine aviation museums. American Airpower Museum is on the former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport in East Farmingdale, Long Island NY. Each year an estimated 40,000 people visit this admired museum.
The museum‘s World War II era hangers include a collection of aircraft produced by Republic Aviation over its history that get flown regularly. The museums aircraft include the following.
• B-17 Flying Fortress
• B-25 Mitchell bomber
• P-40 Warhawk • Republic P-47D fighter
• Republic F-84 first generation jet fighter
• Republic F-105 Thunderchief
• Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II
Additional exhibits include automobiles, trucks, vintage flight gear, and a 1940’s control tower. The museum also offers a ‘flight experience’ giving participants a chance to wear a World War II airborne trooper uniform and ride a C-47 contributing to 1944’s Battle of Normandy.
The American Airpower Museum is open 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM, Thursday to Sunday. Adult museum admission is $9.00 with children rates.
For a few years the museum’s future was in question due to a $10.6 million FAA plan to dismantle the airports old 1940’s hanger to construct a safety apron. The apron would add greater distance at the end of the north-south runway for emergency stops. In March 2011 Congressman Steve Israel and Senator Charles Schumer were responsible for hanger relocation to preserve aviation history.
Republic Aviation Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer with a plant in Farmingdale, Long Island NY. They produced 16 different aircraft types over its lifetime from its first in 1933 to its last in 1972. One of its best known was the P-47 Thunderbolt single-engine, single seat propeller fighter of World War II which 15,686 were produced.
The aviation company was founded in 1931 by World War I veteran Alexander de Seversky. Sherman Fairchild acquired Republic Aviation Corporation in 1965. Republic Aviation produced over 800 F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers during the Vietnam War. The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (the warthog) was its last production aircraft. Its first flight was May 1972 and still in use by the military.
The American Airpower Museum address is 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, New York. Farmingdale is a village of 8,189 originally founded in 1687 when Thomas Powell purchased land from three Native American Indians.
Farmingdale is a 6 hour drive of 373 miles from Rochester NY. Drive I-90 to Syracuse, then US 81 south to Scranton PA then US 380 to US 80 east to Stroudsburg PA, through New Jersey into New York. Before Hudson River drive US 95 south then I-495 east. Continue on I-495 (Long Island Expressway) exit 49, south on route 110 to route 24 (Conklin street), then east on route 24 to New Highway and south on New Highway to the museum.
A visitor gave the following recommendation. “This place is great, they have a whole load of WWII and other conflict aircraft- the place is well laid out in an old hangar.”
Comments