Tucked off of busy Rt. 110 in Farmingdale at one of the many Long Island airports, Republic Airport, sits the American Airpower Museum. I have previously reported on the impact aviation has had on Long Island's past and present, when I attended the Jones Beach Memorial Day Air Show.
The site of the American Airpower Museum, 65 years ago, produced over 9,000 P-47 Thunderbolts. Today, the Museum is appropriately still the home to a set of operational World War II aircraft. Vintage aircraft frequently still take flight from the same runways that the P-47 Thunderbolts took flight to war from. Visitors are even able to partake in various flight experiences, including a C-47 D-Day re-enactmnet, a WACO bi-plane flight, or T-6 WWII trainer flight. Experiencing the flight brings the history to life, and to see Long Island from above brings such a unique perspective and point of view incomparable to anything else.
Guided tours led by volunteers around the museum sharing knowledge and stories about production during WWII. Several tour guides during my visit were either former Republic Airport workers or military veterans themselves. Such remarkable pieces of history have been preserved with great care, and remain to tell the stories of the past that have shaped today's community. The aircraft are situated inside and outside of the hangars, providing several sites and exhibits for visitors to see up close and personal. The intricacy and designs of the aircraft, especially when the mass production occurred over 65 years ago, was very impressive.
Guided tours led by volunteers around the museum sharing knowledge and stories about production during WWII. Several tour guides during my visit were either former Republic Airport workers or military veterans themselves. Such remarkable pieces of history have been preserved with great care, and remain to tell the stories of the past that have shaped today's community. The aircraft are situated inside and outside of the hangars, providing several sites and exhibits for visitors to see up close and personal. The intricacy and designs of the aircraft, especially when the mass production occurred over 65 years ago, was very impressive.