Butler County Warbirds

{{Infobox organization

| name = Butler County Warbirds

| logo =

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| map =

| established = {{start date|2000|df=y}}

| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Sandra Arany|Timothy Epperhart|Jean Lail|Roger Palmer|William Palmer}}

| defunct =

| type = Nonprofit

| purpose =

| location_city = Middletown, Ohio

| location_country =

| coordinates = {{coord|39.5335|-84.3850|display=inline,title}}

| pushpin_map = Ohio

| owner =

| leader_title =

| leader_name =

| website = {{URL|http://www.bcwarbirds.com}}

| former name =

}}

The Butler County Warbirds is a non-profit organization located at the Middletown Regional Airport in Middletown, Ohio focused on military aviation history.

History

The Butler County Warbirds was founded in 2000 by Sandra Arany, Timothy Epperhart, Jean Lail, Roger Palmer and William Palmer. Originally based at the Butler County Regional Airport, after 11 years, the group moved to and opened a museum in the 1938 City Hangar at the Middletown Regional Airport in Middletown, Ohio.{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Lori |title=Warbirds Museum Will Educate and Entertain All Ages |url=http://www.warrencountypost.com/g/franklin-oh/n/70936/warbirds-museum-will-educate-and-entertain-all-ages |access-date=4 December 2023 |work=Warren County Post |date=21 March 2022}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2025}}{{cite web |title=Museum |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/museum.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=18 December 2024}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2025}} The organization's facility is located in the National Aviation Heritage Area and is adjacent to the site of the Aeronca Aircraft factory. Butler County Warbirds is also part of the Aviation Trail.{{cite web |title=ATI Trail Sites |url=https://www.aviationtrailinc.org/trail-sites |website=Aviation Trail Inc |access-date=18 December 2024}}

The organization began raising funds to purchase a North American AT-6 Texan in October 2022.{{cite web |title=Mission |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/mission.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}} Plans call for the profits from rides sold in the airplane to go to an aviation scholarship for women.{{cite web |title=Scholarship Details |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/scholarship-details.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}

Exhibits

Their facility inside the 1938 City Hangar includes a {{convert|2,100|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} artifact display which houses over 1,800 artifacts from the American Civil War to present day, with a bulk of the collection being from World War II. The display includes an interior recreation of a Nissen hut complete with an officer's bar.{{cite web |title=Museum |url=https://www.bcwarbirds.com/museum.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=18 December 2024}}{{Failed verification|date=May 2025}}

Collection

{{Div col}}

  • Aeronca L-3E Grasshopper{{cite web |title=Aeronca L-3E |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/aeronca-l-3e.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}
  • Fairchild PT-19{{cite web |title=Fairchild PT-19 |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/fairchild-pt-19.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}
  • Fairchild XUC-86A{{cite web |title=Fairchild XUC-86A |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/fairchild-xuc-86a.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}
  • Grumman American AA-5{{cite web |title=Grumman AA-5 |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/grumman-aa-5.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}

{{Div col end}}

Programs

The organization offers rides in three of its aircraft.{{cite web |title=Airplane Rides |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.shop/product-category/services/airplane-rides |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}} It also provides a Vintage Cadet Experience, in which participants take part in a recreation of World War II flight training.{{cite web |title=Aviation Cadet Experience |url=http://www.bcwarbirds.com/aviation-cadet-experience.html |website=Butler County Warbirds |access-date=4 December 2023}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}