The U.S. Navy constructed the Cape May Airport from 1941 to 1942. It was commissioned in April 1943 as Naval Air Station Rio Grande, but the Navy renamed the airfield to Naval Air Station Wildwood in June 1943 due to communication confusion with Rio Grande City, Texas, which caused problems with mail, telegram, and telephone service.
In the mid-1990s, Dr. Joseph Salvatore purchased Hangar #1, which was then dilapidated. The museum is housed in Hangar #1, a design typical of 1940s U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft hangars, many of which are still in use today at active Naval Air Stations, Marine Corps Air Stations, and Coast Guard Air Stations. The museum's hangar is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The museum's aircraft collection focuses on World War II training operations, but also includes vintage military aircraft from the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, and post-Cold War periods. The museum suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The collection includes a United States Coast Guard Humvee used in Afghanistan and an R-2800 WWII aircraft engine recovered from the ocean.
In 2022, the museum had a new roof installed. The museum temporarily closed in October 2023 to complete second phase roof repairs. It continues to hold an annual AirFest airshow for the public.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Kyle McLonely
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