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AIRCRAFT WASH GUYS
TOURS
Visitor's Guide for
the Castle Air Museum
 Castle Air Museum Background
Castle Air Museum opened in 1981 to pay tribute to the
significant role military aviation has played in the defense of the free world. Today the
Museum has evolved into an exciting destination for families, history buffs, aviation
enthusiasts - anyone who wants an educational and entertaining stroll through the past.
Currently there are over 40 restored aircraft on the Museum
grounds which encompass flying history from WWII to the present. The aircraft displayed at
Castle Air Museum are as much a part of America's heritage as Independence Halls and the
Liberty Bell. These flying testimonials have survived neglect and the salvage torch and
remain as a history lesson to all who believe in freedom and democracy.
Castle Air Museum boasts a varied collection of grand old
warbirds. The B-25 medium range bomber is best known for its use in the one way
"Jimmy Doolittle raid" on Tokyo, retaliation for the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
The "workhorse" of the WWII airwar in Europe, our B-17 Flying Fortress, stands
proudly on Museum grounds. "Faster than a speeding bullet", the SR-71 strategic
reconnaissance aircraft is the fastest aircraft in the world today. It evokes the eerie
world of spy planes and the Cold War.
The outdoor exhibit sits on eleven acres of land and is
complemented by the Indoor Museum, which houses a fascinating collection of wartime and
aviation memorabilia. The Flight of Fancy Grill offers a varied lunch menu with a relaxing
outdoor patio eating area available. Museum visitors can purchase aircraft models,
clothing, books, videos and souvenirs from the unique collection offered in the gift shop.
The challenge of finding, restoring, maintaining and
displaying these aircraft is awesome. Often an aircraft is acquired in pieces, salvaged
from diverse locations in ragged condition, shipped to Atwater and then under the
direction of knowledgeable volunteers, lovingly restored. Through the enthusiasm and
generosity of dedicated volunteers Castle Air Museum has evolved into a premier showcase
of vintage war birds and military memorabilia. Our volunteers are young and old, aviation
buffs and aviation novices, local business people and retired Air Force personnel and they
contribute their time as restorers, tour guides, docents and other diverse Museum
functionaries.
The following list will give you information about our
aircraft.
- Consolidated B-24M Liberator
(Bomber)...This version was the last produced by Consolidated Aircraft.
The B-24 was the only combat aircraft to serve in every theater of operations in World War
II. More Liberators (18,481) were built than any military aircraft in history. B-24s were
built in 5 plants, with over 8,000 built by Ford at Willow Run, Michigan. They equipped 45
bombardment groups plus several special squadrons in 1944-45. Fully loaded with 8,800 lbs.
of bombs, they could fly 1,590 miles with maximum speed of 290 mph and reach 28,000 ft.
Most were out of service by the end of 1945. The Indian Air Force used Liberator received
from the RAF in maritime patrol service into the 1970s. Our B-24 carries the markings of
the 329th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb. Group, 8th Air Force.
- Boeing KC-97 StratoFreighter
(Tanker)...Originally designed in 1943 as a cargo version of the
B-29/B-50, a flying boom and tanks in the fuselage were added and it became an in-flight
refueler. Only 74 cargo variants were built while 816 were tankers. It was capable of
offloading 15,000 gallons of fuel. Jet engines were added on the outboard wings to enable
it to operate from shorter runways with a full load. This aircraft saw service with the
Strategic Air Command and, after the jets were added, with several Air National Guard
units before being retired in 1977. It was retrieved from an Air Forces storage facility
in Arizona, restored to flying condition and flown here to join the museum collection. A
civilian version, the Stratocruiser, was used by several airlines, including Pan Am,
Northwest and BOAC.
- Douglas B-23 Dragon
(Bomber)...Built in 1939, it started life as a modified B-18 Bolo. With
refinements made in the fuselage and tail and more powerful engines, it became the first
American bomber to have a tail gun. It was also armed with 3 additional guns and could
carry 2 tons of bombs. It was considered obsolete by the time it first flew and only 38
aircraft were built. Most were used in anti-submarine patrol or were designated as UC-67
and converted to transports with up to 12 passengers and a crew of 3. This one had an
effective career as a bomber of only 2 years, July 1940 to August 1942.
- Avro Vulcan B.Mk 2
(Bomber)...During post W.W.II modernization, Britain wanted an aircraft
with speed, altitude and bomb-carrying ability equal to anything in existence. The Vulcan
went into operation in 1952 and flew with the RAF until the 1980s, when it was replaced by
the European-built Tornado. This is the second version, which became operational in 1960.
The first bomber to use the delta wing, it had a maximum speed of 640 mpg, ceiling of
65,000 ft, range of 4,600 miles and bomb load of 21,000 lbs. They were used in the
Falklands war of 1982 and for a time held the record of the longest bombing raid in
history. (Eclipsed during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.) Some Vulcans were converted for
strategic reconnaissance. This aircraft arrived here in 1981 and is on indefinite loan to
the museum courtesy of Her Majesty's Government.
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