Santa Maria Museum of Flight

The origins of the museum lie in the efforts of fifteen business leaders who formed a committee in 1983 to evaluate the possibility of an aviation museum. Less than one year later, the Santa Maria Aeronautical Museum and Exhibits was chartered.{{cite web |title=Museum & Ramp |url=http://www.smmof.org/museumandramp.aspx |website=Santa Maria Museum of Flight |access-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220170625/http://www.smmof.org/museumandramp.aspx |archive-date=20 February 2020}} The museum initially opened in 1988 as a gift shop in the Santa Maria Airport terminal building.{{cite news |title=Volunteers are Paying Off at Santa Maria Airport Shop |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/579898343 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder |date=30 November 1988 |page=13}} Construction on a {{convert|6,000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} hangar began in June 1989, with plans at the time eventually calling for a {{convert|140,000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} facility.{{cite news |title=Work Under Way on Flight Museum |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/808799432 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=South County Tribune |date=29 June 1989 |page=8}} The museum opened to the public in July 1990.{{cite news |last1=Jackoway |first1=Richard |title=Air Museum Ready to Take Initial Flight; Opening Next Week |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/579888863 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Five Cities Times-Press-Recorder |date=20 July 1990 |page=8}}

A second hangar, built as a set for the movie The Rocketeer, was brought in from a different location at the airport and by 1994 was being renovated for use by the museum.{{cite news |title=Fans, Cast, Locals Blast Off with 'Rocketeer' |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/781498929 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=16 November 2021 |page=A6}}{{cite news |last1=Scully |first1=Janene |title=Board Considers Movies |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/446756780 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=18 February 1994 |pages=A-1, A-6}} Two years later, after the Western Spaceport Museum and Science Center failed, the Museum of Flight acquired its collection.{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=Matt |title=Spaceport Museum Plans Shelved |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/540680134 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Lompoc Record |date=18 September 1996 |pages=A1, A3}}

The museum received an F-4S on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in February 2000.{{cite news |last1=Scully |first1=Janene |title=Phantom Flight |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/447000965 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=31 January 2000 |page=A-1}}{{cite news |last1=Scully |first1=Janene |title=Phantom Delivery |url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/446885099 |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=3 February 2000 |page=A-1}}

The museum was engaged in fundraising to build a {{convert|7,200|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} hangar in 2003.{{cite news |last1=Scully |first1=Janene |title=Museum Expansion Slowly Taking Off |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/museum-expansion-slowly-taking-off/article_40359500-8d04-5517-a3ee-055b7e1c6990.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=19 August 2003}}

A memorial garden for the Ninety-Nines women's pilots association was dedicated in 2012.{{cite news |title=Pilots Dedicate Garden, Celebrate History |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/pilots-dedicate-garden-celebrate-history/article_56930c8e-fa3e-11e1-8ae1-001a4bcf887a.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=9 September 2012}}{{efn|1=It built upon an existing garden called the Runway of Roses.{{cite news |last1=Bullock |first1=Brian |title=Remembering Amelia, Others |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/remembering-amelia-others/article_9acffb00-4ca6-11e1-a4df-001871e3ce6c.html |access-date=17 June 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=1 February 2012}}}}

While the museum was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic it added a new member of the board of directors and replaced the roof and siding on one of the hangars.{{cite news |last1=Hodgson |first1=Mike |title=Former Fairpark CEO Persons Joins Board of Santa Maria Museum of Flight |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/former-fairpark-ceo-persons-joins-board-of-santa-maria-museum-of-flight/article_bb6b872d-d47f-5fc5-a36a-f610dfd02d92.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=9 November 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Hodgson |first1=Mike |title=Santa Maria Museum of Flight Takes Wing Again at Santa Maria Public Airport |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/santa-maria-museum-of-flight-takes-wing-again-at-santa-maria-public-airport/article_5f653c6c-57f3-535b-b64c-bb241f24208e.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=18 April 2021}}

The Edward J Horkey Memorial Research Library is located in the museum's Early Aviation Hangar and holds over 4,000 books.{{cite web |title=Research Library |url=http://www.smmof.org/library.aspx |website=Santa Maria Museum of Flight |access-date=23 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220171055/http://www.smmof.org/library.aspx |archive-date=20 February 2020}}

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• Douglas A-4C Skyhawk{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Douglas A-4C Skyhawk, s/n 147825 USN, c/n 12589 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=13397 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Fleet 2{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Consolidated-Fleet 2, c/n 157, c/r N7629B |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=1084 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Hughes H-1 – replica{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Hughes H-1B (replica), c/n 2, c/r N258Y {2} |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=199943 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Lockheed P-38 Lightning – scale replica{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Lockheed P-38 (replica) Lightning, c/n 003, c/r N238P |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=166177 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• McDonnell Douglas F-4S Phantom II{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - McDonnell F-4S Phantom II, s/n 153868 USN, c/n 2403 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=16513 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Rotorway Exec 90{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Rotorway Exec 90, c/n 5066, c/r N92SF |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=166178 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Rutan Quickie{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Rutan Quickie |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=160750 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Stinson L-5 Sentinel{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Stinson L-5 Sentinel, c/r N63393 |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=29666 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}
• Stinson Reliant{{cite web |title=Airframe Dossier - Stinson-Vultee V-77 Reliant, c/n 77-0104, c/r N9280H |url=http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=34055 |website=Aerial Visuals |access-date=23 January 2024}}

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The museum held an annual airshow called Thunder Over the Valley until 2015.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Logan B. |title=Santa Maria's Thunder Over the Valley Has Been Grounded |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/santa-marias-thunder-over-the-valley-has-been-grounded/article_285e0616-de96-5700-9bf5-8155cbe2a664.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=4 April 2016}}{{efn|1=The later Central Coast AirFest was unrelated to the museum.{{cite news |last1=Syed |first1=Razi |title=Central Coast AirFest to Host Inaugural Airshow at Santa Maria Airport |url=http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/central-coast-airfest-to-host-inaugural-airshow-at-santa-maria-airport/article_8591ff20-5e8f-562b-a8c5-055f23f696cd.html |access-date=23 January 2024 |work=Santa Maria Times |date=16 April 2018}}}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.smmuseumofflight.com}}

Category:Aerospace museums in California

Category:Museums in Santa Barbara County, California