Bellanca Airfield Museum
 Museum hangar | |
  Location within Delaware | |
| Location | New Castle, Delaware |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°39′51″N 75°35′12″W / 39.6643°N 75.5868°W |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Website | www |
The Bellanca Airfield Museum is an aviation museum located in New Castle, Delaware focused on the history of Bellanca Airfield.
History
[edit]After Bellanca Airfield closed in 1954, it the land was slowly taken over until the only remaining original building was a 1936-built hangar formerly operated by Air Service, Inc.[1] Following an announcement by the owners of the hangar that it would be demolished unless an organization came forward to restore it, the Friends of Bellanca Airfield was formed in March 2003. Seven months later, during a 75th anniversary celebration for the former airport, the state announced a matching grant for the building's restoration.[2] Two years later, in October 2005, the group received another grant from the Save America's Treasures program and the hangar was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3] In November 2008, it acquired two Cruisemasters for restoration.[4] By 2009, the group had replaced the roof, repainted the exterior and rebuilt an adjacent office space.[5] Despite a slow down in fundraising, work continued and a partnership was formed with a non-profit organizing restoration vacations in 2011.[6]
The museum received a Cruisair Senior from the National Air and Space Museum in 2014.[7]
By 2015, the museum had changed its name to the Bellanca Airfield Museum.[8]
The sole Bellanca Skyrocket II was donated by the Delaware Aviation Museum in 2020.[9]
Facilities
[edit]The museum is located inside a 7,800 sq ft (720 m2) hangar with an adjacent 1,600 sq ft (150 m2) office space.[10] The structure was built to replace a previous hangar at the same location that burned down in 1936.[2] It was not part of the Bellanca factory, but was operated by Air Service, Inc.[11][a]
A media center is located at the museum.[13]
Exhibits
[edit]Exhibits at the museum include a display with the members of the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame.[14][15][16]
Collection
[edit]- 1911 Bellanca Monoplane – replica[17]
- Bellanca 14-13-2 Cruisair Senior[18]
- Bellanca 19-25 Skyrocket II[19]
References
[edit]Footnotes
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Price, Jennifer (18 October 2009). "Aviation Buffs Rediscover New Castle's Bellanca Airfield". News Journal. pp. B1, B5. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ a b Kenney, Edward L. (10 October 2003). "Bellanca Airfield Lands Hope for Its Hangar". News Journal. p. B3. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Kenney, Edward L. (28 October 2005). "Bellanca Site No Longer Footnote in History". News Journal. pp. B1–B2. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Milestones". Friends of Bellanca Airfield. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Mulrooney, Rick (14 October 2009). "Flying Machines". News Journal. pp. A6–A7. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Brown, Robin (12 August 2011). "Patching History". News Journal. pp. A1–A2. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Ballanca [sic] Cruisair Senior" (PDF), Bellanca Airfield Newsletter, p. 4, 2014, retrieved 8 January 2024
- ^ "[Untitled]". Mailchimp. April 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Bellanca Skyrocket II" (PDF), Hangar Highlights, 2020, retrieved 8 January 2024
- ^ "About". Bellanca Airfield Museum. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Kenney, Edward L. (26 July 2003). "Airplane Replica Comes Home". News Journal. pp. B1–B2. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ Kenney, Edward L. (1 February 2003). "Historic Hangar May Be Lost". News Journal. p. B3. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Media Center". Bellanca Airfield Museum. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "[Untitled]" (PDF), Bellanca Airfield Update, p. 1, Fall 2013, retrieved 8 January 2024
- ^ "DAHF and Bellanca" (PDF), Delaplane, vol. 11, no. 2, p. 2, Summer 2011, retrieved 8 January 2024
- ^ "Bellanca Airfield Museum and DAHF Exhibits" (PDF), Delaplane, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 6, Winter 2012, retrieved 8 January 2024
- ^ "Parasol Monoplane". Bellanca Airfield Museum. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Airframe Dossier - Bellanca 14-13-2 Cruisair Senior, c/n 1514, c/r N74401". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Airframe Dossier - Bellanca 19-25 Skyrocket II, c/n 001, c/r N771AB". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved 8 January 2024.