Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting
{{Infobox museum
| name = Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting
| logo =
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| map_type = Wyoming
| coordinates = {{coord|44.5104|-108.0851|display=inline,title}}
| former_name =
| established = {{start date|1987|df=y}}
| dissolved =
| location = Greybull, Wyoming
| type = Aviation museum
| founder =
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| website = {{URL|www.museumofflight.us}}
}}
The Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting is an aviation museum located at the South Big Horn County Airport in Greybull, Wyoming focused on the history of aerial firefighting.
History
Hawkins and Powers Aviation was founded at the airport in 1969 as an aerial firefighting outfit. It maintained a large collection of stored airtankers as a boneyard at the airport and, over time, a number of the airframes were towed to the south side of the airport where a small museum was opened in 1992.{{cite news |last1=Prevost |first1=Ruffin |title=Greybull Aviation Firm Slowly Grew Mighty, Hit Bottom Fast |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/414110930 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=Billings Gazette |date=31 January 2006 |page=10A}}{{cite news |title=Greybull Company Plans Aircraft Museum |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/348145799 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=Casper Star-Tribune |agency=AP |date=25 May 1992 |page=B1}} The museum was initially established five years prior, when the company became embroiled in the U.S. Forest Service airtanker scandal, in which former U.S. military aircraft that were allegedly to go to the Forest Service in exchange for older retired military aircraft instead ended up in the hands of private companies. This was followed by a pair of accidents which led to the grounding of their fleet and the company was sold in 2006.{{cite web |title=Our History |url=http://www.museumofflight.us/ourhistory.html |website=Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting |access-date=24 November 2023}}{{cite news |title=Former Aerial Firefighting Giant, Industry Facing Uncertain Futures |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/540544324 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=Daily Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |date=25 December 2005 |page=5B}}{{cite news |last1=Prevost |first1=Ruffin |title=Greybull Aircraft Company Bought |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/414095870 |access-date=24 November 2023 |work=Billings Gazette |date=16 February 2006 |pages=1C, 11C}}
Exhibits
File:Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting interior in Greybull, Wyoming.jpg
Exhibits include a memorial to the flight crews killed in the 2002 airtanker crashes.{{cite news |last1=Rossi |first1=Andrew |title=Wyoming Places: Greybull's Seriously Cool — And Rare — Military Planes |url=http://www.cowboystatedaily.com/2023/09/02/wyoming-places-greybulls-seriously-cool-and-rare-military-planes |access-date=25 November 2023 |work=Cowboy State Daily |date=2 September 2023}}
Collection
File:Consolidated P4Y Privateer 127, Greybull, Wyoming.jpg
{{Div col}}
- Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor N7391C (c/n 8460) {{cite web |title=About our Aircraft |url=http://www.museumofflight.us/aircraftgalleries.html |website=Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting |access-date=25 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Beech C-45F Expeditor, s/n 44-87201 USAF, c/n 8460, c/r N7391C |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=11978 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=25 November 2023}}
- Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter N1365N marked as tanker 97 {{cite news |last1=Oster |first1=Nathan |title=KC-97 is Museum’s New Attraction |url=http://www.greybullstandard.com/content/kc-97-museum%E2%80%99s-new-attraction |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=Greybull Standard |date=13 February 2025}}
- Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer N6884C (c/n 59701) marked as tanker 127
- Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer. N7962C (c/n 59882) marked as tanker 126
- Fairchild C-119G Flying BoxcarN5215R c/n 10773/'06 {{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, s/n 22108 RCAF, c/n 10773, c/r N5215R |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=11778 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=25 November 2023}}
- Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar N3935 c/n 10824, marked as tanker 136{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar, s/n 22113 RCAF, c/n 10824, c/r N3935 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=6135 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=25 November 2023}}
- Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune ’41-6363’ marked as tanker 61
{{Div col end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|www.museumofflight.us}}
- [http://www.ruudleeuw.com/usa14-greybull.htm USA Northwest 2014: Greybull, WY]
Category:Aerospace museums in Wyoming
Category:Education in Big Horn County, Wyoming
Category:1987 establishments in Wyoming
Category:Museums established in 1987
Category:Transportation in Big Horn County, Wyoming
Category:Firefighting museums in the United States