March Field Air Museum
The March Field Air Museum is an aviation museum near Moreno Valley and Riverside, California, adjacent to March Air Reserve Base.
History
The museum was founded in 1979 as March Air Force Base Museum. It moved to a new location at the base's former commissary, where it reopened to the public in 1981. The museum moved again in 1993 to its current location west of the runway along Interstate 215. Originally operated by the Air Force, the museum's operation was transferred to a nonprofit organization in 1996.Exhibits
Outside, the museum has constructed Firebase Romeo Charlie, a reproduction of a Vietnam-era forward operating location.Aircraft on display
The museum has over 80 aircraft on display.- Aero Commander U-9A 52-6218
- Bell AH-1F Cobra 69-16416
- Bell P-39Q Airacobra – Composite
- Bell P-59 Airacomet 44-22614
- Bell UH-1B Iroquois 62-12537
- Bell UH-1F Iroquois 63-13143
- Bensen B-8M
- Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 44-6393 – This aircraft served as General Ira Eaker's personal transport.
- Boeing B-29A Superfortress 44-61669 "Three Feathers III" – This aircraft flew 11 combat missions during World War II.
- Boeing B-47E Stratojet 53-2275
- Boeing B-52D Stratofortress 55-0679 – This aircraft flew 175 combat missions in the Vietnam War.
- Boeing KC-97L Stratofreighter 53-0363
- Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker 55-3130 – called "Old Granddad."
- Cessna A-37 Dragonfly 71-0790
- Cessna T-37B Tweet 57-2316
- Cessna O-2A Skymaster 68-11067
- Cessna O-2B Skymaster 67-21465
- Consolidated PT-6A 30-385
- Convair F-102A Delta Dagger 56-1114
- Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
- Douglas A-26C Invader 44-35224
- Douglas EA-1E Skyraider 132789
- Douglas C-54Q Skymaster 56514
- Fairchild PT-19B
- Folland Gnat E1076
- General Atomics MQ-1B Predator
- General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark 68-0245
- Grumman YF-14A Tomcat 157990 – This aircraft was the 11th prototype F-14.
- Grumman HU-16E Albatross 1293
- Hughes OH-6A Cayuse 68-17252
- Lockheed C-141B Starlifter 65-0257
- Lockheed D-21B
- Lockheed P-38L Lightning – Replica
- Lockheed R5O-5 Lodestar 12473
- Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird 61-7975 – This aircraft appeared in the movie Space Cowboys.
- Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star 58-0513
- LTV A-7D Corsair II 69-6188
- Martin EB-57B Canberra 52-1519
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo 59-0418
- McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II 63-7693
- McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II 68-0382
- McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II 63-7746
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle 76-0008
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 0393215744
- MMIST CQ-10A Snowgoose
- Nieuport 11 – Scale replica
- Nieuport 11 – Scale replica
- North American TB-25J Mitchell 44-31032
- North American F-86H Sabre 53-1304
- North American F-86L Sabre 50-0560
- North American F-100C Super Sabre 54-1786
- North American SNJ-4 Texan 51360
- Northrop F-89J Scorpion 52-1949
- Northrop T-38A Talon 60-0593
- Northrop YA-9A 71-1368
- Piasecki H-21 Workhorse 53-4326
- Republic F-84C Thunderjet 47-1595
- Republic F-84F Thunderstreak 51-9432
- Republic F-105B Thunderchief 57-5803
- Republic F-105D Thunderchief 62-4383
- Sauser P6E – Replica
- Schweizer TG-2
- Sikorsky HH-34J Choctaw 148943
- Stearman PT-13D Kaydet 42-16388
- Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- Vultee BT-13A Valiant 41-21487
- Vultee BT-13A Valiant N54865 – This aircraft was converted to resemble an Aichi D3A Val Dive Bomber for the 1970 movie Tora! Tora! Tora!.
- Wright Flyer – Replica
Indoor Exhibits
- A replica Wright Flyer
- A section of a Boeing B-47 cockpit which was used in the filming of the movie Strategic Air Command starring Jimmy Stewart.
- A movie played on a regular recurring schedule
- A German 30mm cannon and jet engines
- Missile and bomb cross-sections
Memorials
- A memorial to War dogs.
- The Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial Act, signed July 25, 2014, designated the memorial at the museum in honor of current and former members of the Armed Forces who have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as the Distinguished Flying Cross National Memorial. The memorial was dedicated on October 27, 2010.
In the Media