| Mid-Atlantic Air Museum |
Avg. visitor rating:  (109 visitors) |
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Description
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- Welcome to the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum
- As you step into building 401 at the Reading
Regional Airport,
you take a step back in time -- into the golden
age of flight. Once
inside you are surrounded by aircraft whose
history is not only
a part of the development of aviation, but is also
closely intertwined with the
growth and defense of our nation. You will see
everything from
single-engined trainers to multi-engined
transports and bombers.
What makes the museum's collection truly unique is that these planes are restored by volunteer labor to flying condition -- and participate annually in airshows from Florida to Canada ... so in addition to seeing static displays of "finished" restorations, you may tour our work areas to view the restoration process, and, at various times through-out the year, may observe the aircraft in flight.
Some of the award-winning aircraft featured in the museum's collection include
- British Auster MKV/J1 Autocrat
- Nord 1101 / "Noralpha"
- Messerschmitt ME-208 "Taifun"
- Lockheed P2V "Neptune"
- Fairchild PT-23
- Commonwealth "Skyranger"
- De Haviland L-20A "Beaver"
- Vultee BT-13
- North American B-25
- North American B-25
- Piper L-21B "Super Cub"
Memorabilia associated with each aircraft and of aviation is also on continuous display. A library of aviation books provides reference materials for restoration, maintenance, and history of aircraft.
The greatest part of the museum's efforts, both physical and financial, are expended locating, acquiring, and restoring aircraft. Planes have been discovered in a variety of places and conditions. Some are obtained in restored, or at least, flyable condition, while others have been found in barns or even junkyards ... complete with bird's nests.
The donation or purchase of an aircraft is only the beginning -- followed first by the logistical problem of transporting the acquisition to the museum and then by finding the parts needed for the restoration ... remember ... in many cases these parts were produced for only a short while, and production may have ended as many as forty years ago! Often the parts of two partial aircraft can be combined on one airframe to complete a restoration -- other parts are donated, purchased or fabricated.
The airplane may be stripped to the frame, and then painstakingly reassembled; using available photographs or manuals. Several thousand man hours later the airplane is ready for display, and ultimately, flight ... a living memorial to those who first designed ad flew it.
The investment of these hours also pays a greater dividend, as each year not only museum visitors but thousands of attendees at airshows recapture the excitement of seeing restored museum aircraft in flight.
- History
- The Mid-Atlantic Air Museum was established in
1980 for the purpose
of collecting and preserving vintage aircraft of
civil and military
origin. Restorations of the aircraft are as
authentic as possible in
order to create a true and visible connection with
the past. Our
objectives are
- to preserve, in flying condition, a complete collection of aircraft
- to provide museum buildings for protection and display of these aircraft and to establish the museum as a tribute to the thousands of men and women who built, serviced, and flew them.
- to perpetuate these aircraft in the memory and hearts of all persons
- to establish an organization having commitment and enthusiasm necessary to operate, maintain and preserve these aircraft.
In January 1988 the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum relocated it complete operations to Reading Regional Airport.
Here the Mid Atlantic Air Museum has obtained use of a hanger, offices and aircraft ramps for the continued display and operation of its growing aircraft collection while actively pursuing construction of a permanent museum facility.
- Membership
- Members of the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum posses
a wide range of
interests and abilities. They range from pilots
and those who help
restore and maintain our growing collection of
aircraft and
memorabilia to those who volunteer time at
airshows or contribute
much-needed financial support. All share the
common desire
to preserve a valuable and irreplaceable part of
aviation history.
We welcome those who would like to join our
efforts by becoming
museum members.
Benefits of Regular Membership Include:
- The opportunity to learn about and take an active part in aircraft restoration and maintenance.
- The privilege of flying aboard museum aircraft as pilot, crew member, or passenger.
- A subscription to the museum' bi-monthly newsletter
- A Mid-Atlantic member's certificate, membership pin, and embroidered path.
- The museum's member's manual, detailing members activities.
General Information
- Hours of Operation
- daily 9:30am to 4:00pm
Closed major holidays - Directions
- From Route 183, enter airport complex at MacArthur Road (Meridan Bank), right turn on Fisher Road (Federal Express), to top of hill, right turn to museum parking.
- Free parking
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Reviews / Comments by our visitors
| Len Bourgeois Valparaiso, Florida | I have wondered why the several air museums that I have visited and statistics on the R-3350-32W engine list the horsepower as 3500. Maximum horsepower for take off for this engine is 3755. 12/15/2008 @ 05:54 [ref: 8560] |
| Blaine R , Pennsylvania |  The Mid Atlantic Air Museum has a very nice collection of flyable and static aircraft on display, with the centerpeice the B-25 and the P-61 that is undergoing restoration and is on its wheels. The World War 2 weekend is an event that every aviation buff or WW2 buff needs to attend once in their lifetime. See thier website for all the details. The staff is very nice and the gift shop is stocked. I have been to the museum 3 times. 09/09/2008 @ 09:59 [ref: 8414] |
| C. Trainor Baltimore, Maryland | This is not an interactive web site. The people at CUNY set it up several years ago and it has not been updated since then. If you are interested in information about the Mid Atlantic Air Museum,or have a question for us, go to the museum web site at maam.org. I don't know where the person got the idea that there would be a P-61 flying in the next two years, since ours is the only one under restoration to fly and it is several years from completion. If you want to see it in the air, I urge you to send us a contribution (or a couple of R-2800s). While you are waiting for that to happen, give us a visit and watch our progress on her. You can also see some of our other aircraft, which now includes a beautifully restored TBM-3 Avenger. Also currently under restoration in our hangar are a Pietenpol Aircamper and a Kinner B-1 Sportster. A Cessna UC-78 is under restoration for display in the museum, but this activity is taking place offsite. 09/04/2008 @ 06:55 [ref: 8405] |
| Ken Patchogue, New York | This is good museum with very helpful staff and a nice gift shop. I came to check out the P-2V but there is a P-61 Black Widow aircraft that was rescued from the jungles of Guam and is being restored. 12/27/2007 @ 17:50 [ref: 6632] |
| Daniel L. Berek Flanders, New Jersey | This museum has a decent collection of a variety of aircraft, from the Golden Age to modern military and civil propliner types. Several of their restorations are world-class, such as the C-47 Skytrain and the B-25D Mitchell. The museum's Martin 404 won an EAA award several years back, but sadly this aircraft has languished and faded. The same can be said about the Vickers Viscount, which is a pity. The Convair 580, a former Forbes business aircraft, was sold in May 2006; sad to say, that aircraft crashed and was written off in Manitoba, Canada. The museum is currently restoring a P-61 Black Widow to flying condition; when that occurs, it will be only one of two airworthy examples in the world. There are a large number of planes and helicopters in a backlot awaiting restoration; anyway, these birds make for interesting pictures. Be sure to catch the museum's annual World War II Fly In (usually held in early June) - it's magnificent. 10/28/2006 @ 11:59 [ref: 5377] |
| Don Geddes Hawley, Pennsylvania | Ever since I was 6 yrs old (1946) I have loved airplanes . My favorites have always been P51,B25 and P61. I just learned that you are in process of restoring a P61 . Ghosts (Philip Makanna )says they will have a P61 in their calendar soon ( 2 yrs ) Could it be the one your'e restoring ? I don't know of any others . 07/12/2006 @ 06:08 [ref: 5131] |
| C. Saltzman , Pennsylvania | My Dad flew in the PBM-5 in the Korean war. He would like to visit one in a museum. Can anyone tell us what museums may have a PBM-5? 12/10/2005 @ 11:45 [ref: 4666] |
| Tom O\'Connell San Francisco, California | We just discovered your excellent website and read the question from Edwin Wright of Salem, SC in 2002 concerning the restoration of the P-61 Black Widow. We visited your museum in 1999 when you were doing this work. What was your answer to Mr. Wright and what is the current status of the aircraft? 12/08/2005 @ 22:14 [ref: 4662] |
| gary baesel lawndale, California |  When does the museum expect the Vickers Viscount to be flying? gary b. 07/10/2005 @ 13:39 [ref: 4228] |
| THOMAS HUNTER SYRACUSE, New York | I received the Flight Simulator add-on 'Briefing Time'(B-25J)...My computer cannot read it....Error message states- "..may be corruptd" etc. Is the format other than Windows? 12/05/2004 @ 02:26 [ref: 3613] |
External pages about this museum
| http://www.maam.org/ |
Last updated: 02/14/00.
Send corrections/additions by e-mail to museum-info@brooklyn.cuny.edu