Fly in classic warbirds at this combat aviation museum in metro Phoenix. Here's how
Visiting the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa is like stepping back in time. It displays a century of military aviation history from World War I through the Iraq War inside two hangars encompassing more than 30,000 square feet.
Exhibits chronicle how various aircraft evolved and played instrumental roles in ground and sea operations. The museum also tells the stories of veterans from Arizona and all over the country who served the United States.
The museum isn't just for looking. Guests can climb aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress, watch films inside a replica mission briefing room and get up close to an F-4 Phantom, bombers and helicopters. The museum also has six operational World War II aircraft that you can fly in.
Here’s everything you need to know about the only combat aviation museum in metro Phoenix.
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Where is the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum?
The volunteer-run museum is at Falcon Field at the northeast corner of McKellips and Greenfield roads in Mesa. The museum opened in 1978.
Falcon Field was established during World War II as a training base for the British Royal Air Force, according to Bobbie Carleton, a historian and media and community relations manager for the museum.
“The history of this location is pretty phenomenal," Carleton said. “Because on one hand you think it's like, 'What are you doing training British people to fly combat planes here? Why don't they train them in their own countries?'
"Well, the reason they were here is because they were being bombed.
“You couldn't conduct any real training for the amount of people that you needed. It was about 2,000 British cadets who were trained here and went on to fly in combat in World War II over in Europe, and plenty of Americans too.”
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How many planes does the museum have?
There are 15 planes on display that were used from World War I to the Vietnam War, as well as a drone used in the Iraq war.
Each has a description that includes its service dates, speed capabilities, armament, how it was used in combat and how many of that aircraft were made.
According to museum docent Bill Quehrn, many of the aircraft were either purchased for the museum or privately owned before being donated to it. After World War II, Quehrn said, there was a surplus of military planes that had been used for performing air shows, flying passengers privately or moving cargo across the country.
What else can you see at the Commemorative Air Force Museum?
Items on display include uniforms, medals and other artifacts that have been donated by individuals and families of veterans.
Visitors can see a section of the USS Arizona that was recovered after the Pearl Harbor attack during WWII.
Another display tells the story of the Operation Halyard C-47 rescue mission, an allied airlift operation that took place behind Axis lines during World War II. During the Halyard mission, 432 airmen and 80 other personnel were airlifted out of Yugoslavia.
There's an exhibit about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots in U.S. military history. They included fighter and bomber pilots who flew in World War II and ground personnel such as aircraft mechanics and logistical personnel.
Another exhibit highlights the roles women took on during World War II. According to Carleton, women were radio operators, truck drivers and lab technicians; some flew supply planes.
Telling the stories of those who served
While the hardware is what draws visitors to the museum, Carleton said, its most important purpose is to preserve and share the stories of U.S. service members.
“Every exhibit has got a human element to it,” Carleton said. “We use names, the names of real people who actually used to be patrons of the museum, or they lived here in the area, or their family members participated in one of the wars.”
It’s that human-centered approach that made Carleton a Navy veteran and museum volunteer of over 10 years, passionate about military and world history.
“It had a pretty profound effect on me,” Carleton said. "So I saw an opportunity here to work on the aircraft and to volunteer, adding exhibits to exhibits that had already been done to help try to tell the stories of the people who served during the war.
“The more I get to know, the more it makes me feel really good about people. And because you can see how hard they tried, and the level of effort that they put into serving their country, serving in the home front, trying to do the right thing.”
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3 highlights of the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
Carleton called attention to these notable exhibits:
Col. Margaret E. Bailey was an African American woman from Staten Island, New York, who joined the U.S Army Nurse Corps in 1944, when the Army was segregated. She served until 1971 and devoted her life to improving Army medical care and the advancement of integration. Bailey became the first African American promoted to full colonel in the Army Nurse Corps.
The Civil Air Patrol was established on Dec. 8, 1941. It was an organization of civilian pilots and plane owners who were trained to perform missions that included tow target flying, coastal patrol and transportation of personnel and supplies.
Sgt. John L. Hicks was a World War II veteran who flew over 45 combat missions, including one in which he scored a hit on a Zero, a fighter aircraft used by the Japanese. Hicks' family donated his uniform to the museum.
Book a flight in a historic plane
Visitors can schedule flights in a B-17, one of the first planes donated to the museum, as well as a B-25, C-47, C-45, AT-6 and N2S Stearman.
The N2S Stearman is Carleton's favorite and she has flown in it many times. She said it has an open cockpit where the passenger can sit in front of the pilot, and it's one of the most thrilling flying experiences offered. The plane was used during World War II to train cadets on the basics of flying.
Visitors also can fly in an AT-6 that was used in World War II to teach airmen how to use their plane as a weapon.
The museum typically offers flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The schedule is published online two to four weeks in advance. Flights cost $80 to $850 per person, depending on the aircraft.
To book a flight, go to https://www.azcaf.org.
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Things to do at Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
Here's a sampling of activities available at the museum. See the website for a complete schedule.
Guided tours: Check at the docent desk to see if tours are scheduled or a docent is available to show you around. Reservations are not required and tours are included with the admission fee.
Cockpit tours: These are offered at 10:15 a.m. and 1 p.m. Fridays and are led by a docent who has pilot qualifications. Guests can see inside the plane and learn how and when it was used. Tours cost $10 per person in addition to the admission fee. Tickets are sold first come, first served at the admission desk.
Wings and Wheels: This vintage aircraft and custom car show is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. There will be one-of-a-kind vehicles, antique and World War II aircraft, food trucks, a raffle and music.
Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.
Where: 2017 Greenfield Road, Mesa.
Admission: $15, $12 for seniors and veterans, $5 for ages 5-12.
Details: https://www.azcaf.org.
You can connect with Arizona Republic Culture and Outdoors Reporter Shanti Lerner through email at shanti.lerner@gannett.com or you can also follow her on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Aviation museum: Arizona Commemorative Air Force base in Mesa
