Chennault Aviation and Military Museum
Museum in Monroe, Louisiana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Chennault Aviation and Military Museum is a museum located in Monroe, Louisiana that preserves and highlights the establishment of the local aviation industry. It exhibits artifacts from World War I to the Afghanistan War, including aircraft and vehicle displays. The museum is named in honor of United States Army Air Force General Claire Lee Chennault.[1]
| |
  Location within Louisiana | |
| Established | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Location | Monroe, Louisiana |
| Coordinates | 32.5115°N 92.0548°W |
| Type | Military, aviation museum |
| Website | www |
History
The museum grew out of a reunion, first held in 1986, of airmen who had trained at Selman Field during World War II.[2]
The Aviation Historical Museum of Louisiana opened to the public on 11 November 2000.[3] By July 2004, the museum's name had changed to the Aviation and Military Museum of Louisiana.[4] By February 2007, the museum had plans to build a 7,000 sq ft (650 m2) expansion, but difficulties obtaining funding from the state delayed the project.[5] The expansion was opened in November of that year, increasing the museum's total size to 10,625 sq ft (987.1 m2).[6][4] Following the passage of a bill in the Louisiana State Legislature, the museum's name changed again to Chennault Aviation and Military Museum in August 2008.[7][8] It broke ground on an aircraft restoration building in August 2010.[9]
Following the latter's financial difficulties two years earlier, the museum separated from the Louisiana State Museum system in 2015.[2][10] Chennault's granddaughter, Nell Calloway, became CEO of the museum in 2017.[1]
Beginning in 2022 the museum began partnering with local universities. These efforts included: students from Louisiana Tech University painting a mural on the side of the museum in May, the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the University of Louisiana Monroe in December and the restoration of the museum's deuce and a half truck by students from Louisiana Delta Community College in 2024.[11][12][13]
Facilities
Exhibits
Collection
- Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor – converted to resemble AT-7[19][20]
- Beechcraft SNB-5 – converted to resemble M18R[21][22]
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois[23]
- Curtiss P-40F Warhawk – 3/4 scale replica[24][25]
- Douglas DC-3[26]
- Hughes OH-6A Cayuse[27]
- Jones WLAC-1 White Lightning[28]
- LTV A-7E Corsair II 154485[29][30]
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI[31][32]
- North American F-86L Sabre[33]
Events
The museum holds an annual Run for the Red, White, and Blue Race.[34]
Programs
The museum operates a veterans' closet.[35] It hosts competitions for students as part of National History Day.[36]