Quonset Air Museum

The Quonset Air Museum was an aviation museum located at Quonset Point Air National Guard Station in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The museum originated as the "Rhode Island Aviation Heritage Association", founded by Robin Foote who became the initial chairman and president of the Quonset Air Museum.

Quonset Air Museum

MiG-17 on display at the Quonset Air Museum.
Location within Rhode Island
Established	1992
Dissolved	2015
Location	North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Coordinates	41.589°N 71.416°W / 41.589; -71.416
Type	Aviation museum
Founder	William E. Sheridan Larry Webster
President	David Payne
Curator	David Payne
Website	www.quonsetairmuseum.com

The museum's collection included military vehicles, missiles, aircraft and over 5,000 smaller aviation artifacts. An extensive archive of books, magazines, manuals, photos, documents and blueprints was preserved within the museum.

Notable aircraft in the collection included the last surviving Curtiss XF15C mixed propulsion prototype and a twin tail C-1A Trader. This one of a kind aircraft had been fitted with twin tails and radome (but without associated electronics) to serve the aerodynamic prototype for the E-1 Tracer Electronic Counter Measure aircraft. This C-1A has the distinction of being the last aircraft to fly from Naval Air Station Quonset Point upon its closure in 1974.

History

The museum recovered an F6F-5 Hellcat from Martha's Vineyard on 4 December 1993. It became the subject of a court battle after the U.S. Navy claimed that the aircraft had been salvaged without their permission.^[1] Eventually, a settlement was reached where the museum received the aircraft on loan from the Navy.^[2]

An Antonov An-2 at the museum was given to the Antonov Foundation in 2004.^[3] The following year David H. Payne Sr. became the museum president.^[4]

The museum occupied Painting Hangar #488 located at what was once the Naval Air Station Quonset Point. This 50,000 sq. ft. facility was one of only three existing specialized wood and brick hangars built during WWII. Heavy snowfall in March 2015 partially collapsed the building's roof and the hangar was condemned.^[5][6]

In January 2016, plans for a new museum were announced.^[7] The museum was originally supposed to leave by April 2, but it was given an extension.^[8] Later, in June, a $4 million request for state funding failed to materialize.^[9] On December 16, 2016, it was announced that the museum would not reopen.^[10] Although many aircraft in the collection have been transferred to other museums, the museum's P2V was scrapped in May 2018, as it was too large to move.^[11]

Formerly on display

• Bell AH-1S Cobra^{[12][failed verification]}
• Bell OH-58A Kiowa 70-15117^[12]
• Bell UH-1 Huey^{[12][failed verification]}
• Curtiss XF15C 01215^[12]
• Douglas AD-5W Skyraider 135188^{[citation needed]}
• Douglas A-4M Skyhawk, BuNo 158148^[12]
• Douglas F3D-2Q Skyknight 124620^{[12][failed verification]}
• FV433 Abbot SPG^{[citation needed]}
• General Motors TBM-3E Avenger 53914^[12]
• Grumman A-6E Intruder 155629^{[12][failed verification]}
• Grumman C-1A Trader 136792^{[citation needed]}
• Grumman F-14 Tomcat^[12]
• Grumman F6F Hellcat 3/4 scale hand built^{[12][failed verification]}
• Grumman F6F Hellcat 70185^{[citation needed]}
• Hughes OH-6 Cayuse^{[12][failed verification]}
• Lockheed P2V Neptune 131427^{[12][failed verification]}
• LTV A-7D Corsair II 75-0408^{[12][failed verification]}
• M35 Recovery Truck^{[citation needed]}
• McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II^{[citation needed]}
• McDonnell Douglas F-4A Phantom II^[12]
• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F^{[12][failed verification]}
• MIM-14 Nike-Hercules^{[12][failed verification]}
• Sikorsky SH-3H Sea King 149738^{[12][failed verification]}
• Silkworm missile^{[citation needed]}
• Type 74 37 mm AA gun^{[citation needed]}
• ZPU-4 Type 56 AA gun^{[citation needed]}