The Western Museum of Flight is a non-profit, educational institution dedicated to preserving and displaying aircraft history and artifacts of Southern California’s aviation heritage. The Air Museum’s educational programs give children an opportunity to see and touch the airplanes that made aviation history. The Air Museum offers an inside look at completed and in-progress aircraft restoration projects. The Western Museum of Flight’s collection includes numerous Warbirds, aircraft and target drones, piston and jet aircraft engines, aircraft components, aircraft ejection seats, World War II instruments, aircrew accessories, and an extensive model aircraft collection.

Volunteers are continually restoring airplanes ranging from World War II era up to the jet age, and visitors can browse through an extensive library with more than 1,000 books and several thousand magazines on aviation.

On the runway there is a YF-17, the prototype of the FA-18 currently used by the Navy and the Marines. There’s also an A-4 Skyhawk jet, the same type of plane used in “Top Gun” and the primary jet trainer for the Navy.

Inside there is a display of about 100 model airplanes, aircraft parts, engines, ejection seats visitors can sit in and a large collection of pictures and memorabilia. Everything in the museum has been donated by aviation buffs, and visitors often can watch restoration work in progress.

Located at the end of the runway at Hawthorne Airport, this is a hands-on museum featuring aircraft from the beginning of aviation to the present. It is located at the historic “Louis Zamperini Field.” It is operated by the Southern California Historical Aviation Foundation.

Western Museum of Flight

3315 Airport Drive, Red Baron #3

Torrance, CA 90505

(310) 326-9544

www.wmof.com

Kids (12 & under) – Free

General Admission – $5

Open: Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun.

Time: 10am – 3pm

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