Alberta Aviation Museum


The Alberta Aviation Museum is a museum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is located on-site at the former Edmonton City Centre Airport on the southwest corner of the field.
The museum operates daily except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.

History

The Alberta Aviation Museum hangar is the last remaining example of a 'double-double' Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan hangar. These hangars, built for the BCATP across Canada, were made of pre-cut wooden timbers of British Columbia fir. They could be built as single units, double units, and the 'double-double' which is four units.
Built in 1940 after 3 double hangars for RCAF Station Edmonton, it was originally opened 5 October 1940 as No. 2 Air Observers School under the command of Wop May. After the USA entered the Second World War the airport was used to service United States Army Air Forces aircraft heading to Alaska until the new USAAF base that was to become CFB Namao opened outside of Edmonton and absorbed some of the traffic. Postwar the museum hangar was used by No. 418 Reserve Squadron, Pacific Western Airlines and for Distant Early Warning Line construction before becoming a car dealership in the late 1960s.
Known in Edmonton as "The Hangar on Kingsway", it has been designated 'M' Hangar, Hangar #6 and later Building #14 by the Edmonton City Airport. It is now a designated municipal and provincial historic site.

Current

With the closure of the city centre airport the fate of the museum was, for a time, uncertain. However, since that time the building has been designated as a municipal and provincial historic resource. The Alberta Aviation Museum, now recognized by the Alberta Museums Association, will remain in its current location and act as a community fixture for the new residential neighbourhood, Blatchford.
The museum hosts several groups including the 504 Blatchford Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Cadets, the 180 Royal Canadian Army Cadets, #700 Wing - Air Force Association of Canada and 418 Squadron Association.

Collection

Airplanes

Helicopters

Gallery

Affiliations

The museum is affiliated with:Alberta Museums Association, Canadian Aeronautical Preservation Association, Canadian Museums Association, Canadian Heritage Information Network, Edmonton Heritage Council and Virtual Museum of Canada.