Aviation Heritage Park

The Aviation Heritage Park and Museum is an aviation museum located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The park and museum highlight regional pilots their contributions to United States air and space travel.

Aviation Heritage Park and Museum

Location within Kentucky
Established	2005 (2005)
Location	Bowling Green, Kentucky
Coordinates	36.920°N 86.436°W / 36.920; -86.436
Type	Aviation museum
Director	Bob Bubnis[1]
Website	www.aviationheritagepark.com

History

Ideas for an aviation park in Bowling Green, KY arose out of a trip by a group of friends, including retired Air Force pilot, Brigadier General Dan Cherry, to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. During the trip, the group learned that a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II aircraft was on display at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Ohio. In fact, it was the exact F-4D flown by Cherry during the Vietnam War, including his dogfight and subsequent downing of a North Vietnamese MiG-21 in 1972.^[2]

The aviation park was established in 2005, when the city of Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky agreed to the move the aircraft from Ohio. Aviation Heritage Park was dedicated in 2009, with Cherry meeting the Mig-21 pilot he shot down.^[3] The park acquired more aircraft over the following years, including an F9F, F-111F, T-38, UH-1, J-3, and SH-3H.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]}

Aviation Heritage Park announced plans for an 11,000 sq ft (1,000 m²) museum building in October 2017 and broke ground one year later.^[10][11] The new museum building opened to the public on 23 September 2023.^[12][13]

Exhibits

Exhibits at the museum include a display about the River Rats.^[14]

Collection

• Bell UH-1 Iroquois^[15]
• General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark^[16]
• Grumman F9F Panther^[17]
• Lockheed T-33^[18]
• McDonnell F-4D Phantom II^[19]
• Northrop T-38 Talon^[20]
• Piper J-3 Cub^[21]
• Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King^[22]

Featured Aviators

As of June 2024^[23]

• Brown, Willa
• Cherry, Dan
• Dougherty, Russell
• Finney, David
• Franklin, Arnie
• Magda, John
• Nutter, Ray
• Reynolds, Mac
• Strahm, Victor
• Willcut, Terry

Events

The museum holds an annual Hangar Party fundraiser.^[24]

Each year, the museum holds Open Cockpit Day where visitors can see inside the open cockpits of the aircraft on display. The event is free of charge, and you may bump into a pilot or two while at the park.^[25] Open Cockpit Day 2024 occurs on 19 October 2024.

See also

See also: Category:Aerospace museums in the United States by state or territory

• List of aviation museums

References

1. "Aviation Heritage Park Gets New Executive Director". WBKO. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
2. "Veteran Aircraft Coming to Bowling Green". News-Democrat & Leader. 28 June 2005. p. A-7. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
3. Jordan, Natalie (17 April 2009). "Former Enemies on Hand for Dedication". Park City Daily News. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
4. Burch, Aaron (7 October 2010). "F9F Panther Gets New Home". Park City Daily News. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
5. Brandenburg, Katie (23 May 2013). "Restored Warplane Will Be Unveiled". Park City Daily News. pp. 1A, 5A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
6. Brandenburg, Katie (14 September 2014). "Airplane to Be Moved to Park Next Weekend". Park City Daily News. p. 5A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
7. Harvey, Alyssa (9 May 2017). "Landing Zone". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
8. Swietek, Wes (31 December 2017). "'She Had a Vision'". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1A, 7A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
9. "The long awaited SH-3H Sea King helicopter arrives in Bowling Green". WBKO. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
10. Swietek, Wes (22 October 2017). "Aviation Heritage Park Plans Museum". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1A, 8A. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
11. Sergent, Don (11 October 2018). "Taking Off". Bowling Green Daily News. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
12. Fletcher, Mason (23 September 2023). "The Aviation Heritage Park Hosts Grand Opening of Museum". WBKO. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
13. Story, Justin (24 September 2023). "Aviation Heritage Park Museum Takes Off". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
14. Covey, Tucker (12 October 2023). "River Rats Museum Exhibit Opens in the Aviation Heritage Park". WNKY. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
15. "UH-1 Huey". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
16. "F-111 Aardvark". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
17. "Grumman Panther F9F". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
18. "Lockheed Shooting Star". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
19. "Phantom 550". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
20. "NASA T-38 Talon". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
21. "Piper J-3 Cub". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
22. "Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
23. "Aviators Archives". Aviation Heritage Park. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
24. French, Jackson (19 June 2016). "'Big Dreams'". Bowling Green Daily News. p. 4A. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
25. "Open Cockpit Day". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved 23 June 2024.

External links

• Official website