Tillamook Air Museum

Tillamook Oregon

By Jim and Ann Sims

Our visit to this new museum was great. Some of the greatest war birds of World War II and other unique aircraft are on display along with a few of today's breed.

In 1942, the U.S. Navy began construction of 17 wooden hangars around the U.S. coastlines to house the K-Class blimps being used for anti-submarine coast patrol and convoy escort.  Two of these hangars were built at Naval Air Station Tillamook.  They were commissioned  December 1942 and served the Oregon-Washington coastal area. One of the hangers was destroyed by fire in 1992.

Here are some of the photos taken on our visit.

Hanger "A" was destroyed in a 1942 fire. This is the remaining Hanger "B".

Length = 1,072 feet     Height = 192 feet    Width = 296 feet   Area over 7 acres

By comparison, you can see how massive this structure is.

Doors are 120 feet high, 6 sections each weighing 30 tons providing a 220foot opening.

Left is the famous B-25 and to the right is a C-47.

To the left is a F4U Corsair.  On the right is a Grumman F-14 Navy fighter from the "Top Gun" film.

To the left is the cockpit of the F-14.  On the right is a 1934 Bellanca Air Cruiser.

Left is a German WWII ME-109 Messerschmitt.  On the right the famous MIG 17 of Korea days.

Left is a Grumman J2F-6 Duck.  Right is the famous WWII P-38.

Left is a the hot P-47 Thunderbolt.  Right is a P-51 Mustang.

To the left is PBY-5A Catalina and to the right is a English spitfire trainer with a split cockpit.

We didn't photograph all the planes leaving that surprise for you to see and photograph.