Combat Air Museum
Aviation museum in Kansas, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Combat Air Museum is a non-profit aviation museum at Topeka Regional Airport in Topeka, Kansas, United States. The museum preserves and displays U.S. military aviation history through a collection of more than 40 historic aircraft, including World War I replicas, World War II trainers, Cold War jets, and helicopters. In addition to its aircraft, the museum features aviation artifacts, educational programs, and exhibits on regional and national military aviation heritage.[1]
.jpg)
Overview of Hangar 602 | |
  Location within Kansas | |
| Established | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | Topeka, Kansas |
| Coordinates | 38°56′28″N 95°40′40″W |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Website | www |
History
The Combat Air Museum was established in the fall of 1976 as the Kansas Wing of David Tallichet's Yesterday's Air Force (YAF), a private collection dedicated to preserving military aviation history.[2][3][a] The organization's first aircraft was a B-24 named Delectable Doris. It moved to Hangar 626 and opened in July 1977.[5] By 1979, the group reorganized as the Combat Air Museum and relocated to Hangar 602 at Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas.[6]
The museum explored the possibility of establishing a wing in Wichita in early 1981.[7] Later that year, it partnered with the AirCraft Enthusiasts Society (ACES) to propose an aviation museum in the city.[8]
The museum's "Detachment 1" operated at the Augusta Municipal Airport in 1991.[9]
The museum attempted to acquire an RB-47 named City of Salina from the Salina Airport in 1991 after the airport sought a new home for it.[10][b]
A 60 ft (18 m) tower that had been built as a memorial to World War II veterans was re-erected at the museum in 1993.[c][12]
The board of directors decided to no longer fly the museum's aircraft in April 1996 due to a lack of insurance.[13]
An O-47 that was on loan to the museum was sold by its owner in 2014.[14][15]
The museum added three bays to display additional artifacts in 2025.[16] A temporary exhibition of art featuring the Red Baron was announced in July 2025.[17]
Collection
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
The museums collection includes more than 40 aircraft ranging from World War I replicas to Cold War-era jets and helicopters, illustrating the evolution of U.S. military aviation.
The collection includes:
Aircraft
- Airco DH-2 – replica[18]
- Beech RU-8D Seminole[19]
- Beech SNB-5[20]
- Bell UH-1H Iroquois[21]
- Bell UH-1M Iroquois[22]
- Boeing CH-47 Chinook[23]
- Cessna AT-17 Bobcat[24]
- Curtiss JN-4D – replica[25]
- Douglas C-47D Skytrain "Kilroy"[26]
- Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight[27]
- Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk[28]
- Etrich Taube – scale replica[29]
- Fairchild UC-61K Forwarder[30]
- Fokker Dr.I – replica[31]
- Fokker E.IV – replica[32]
- Grumman F9F-5 Panther[33]
- Grumman F11F-1 Tiger[34]
- Grumman F-14A Tomcat[35][36]
- Grumman US-2A Tracker[37]
- Hiller OH-23A Raven – under reconstruction[38]
- Lockheed EC-121T Warning Star[39]
- Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star[40]
- McDonnell F-101B Voodoo[41]
- McDonnell F-4D Phantom II[42][43]
- McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle[44]
- Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 – scale mockup[45]
- Meyers OTW Serial #1[46][47]
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF[48]
- Nieuport 27 – flying replica[49]
- North American F-86H Sabre[50][51]
- North American Harvard IV[52]
- Pfalz E.I – scale replica[53]
- PZL-Mielec Lim-2[54][55]
- PZL-Mielec Lim-6R[56]
- Republic F-84F Thunderstreak[57]
- Republic F-105D Thunderchief[58]
- Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 – replica[59]
- Sikorsky CH-53A Sea Stallion[60]
- Sikorsky CH-54B Tarhe[61]
- Sopwith Scout – full-scale replica[62]
- Vultee BT-13 Valiant[63]
Other
Events
See also
- Cosmosphere in Hutchinson
- Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita
- Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal
- Kansas World War II army airfields
- List of aerospace museums
- List of museums in Kansas
