Aviation Museum Blueprints, Concept Art, and Renderings

[Noha307]

Not quite full fledged museums, but we have renderings and a site plan for two United States Air Force air parks courtesy of the design firms:

Baer Field Heritage Air Park

• Picnic Shelter
• Aerial View

(Source: Viridian Architectural Design)

Scott Field Heritage Air Park

• Site Plan

(Source: Oates Associates)

[Noha307]

The Connecticut Air & Space Center now has more information about the restoration of their 1929 Curtiss Hangar on their website. In addition to the hangar itself, the project will also include the renovation or replacement of the attached workshop to have a second floor with bathrooms, kitchen, offices, an archive and an outside observation deck. The decision to locate the archives on the second floor is particularly well taken, as much of the museum's collection was damaged when Hurricane Sandy flooded the airport in 2012:[1]

Connecticut Air & Space Center

• Layout Proposal
• Mockup
• Potential Layout of Aircraft

(Source: Connecticut Air & Space Center)

[Noha307]

The Air Force Museum of New Zealand is planning a new $16 million "exhibition space" to display its P-3K2 and recently acquired C-130H inside:

Air Force Museum of New Zealand

• Exterior 1

(Source: Air Force Museum of New Zealand)

• Exterior 2

(Source: Facebook)

The museum also added a 70,000 square foot Technology Centre in 2012:

Air Force Museum of New Zealand (Cont.)

• Exterior 1

(Source: Air Force Museum of New Zealand)

• Exterior 2

(Source: Contech)

[Noha307]

A few years ago the National Museum of the United States Air Force had an exhibit called "100 Years of Heritage: National Museum of the United States Air Force, 1923-2023" that included a panel titled "A Look Into the Future" with a site plan of a proposed expansion of the museum. Unfortunately, it seemed to be short lived and pictures of it are hard to come by. The museum made a post on Instagram with some, but the site plan isn't legible. Luckily, one of the volunteers at the Tri-State Warbird Museum, who used to volunteer at NMUSAF, took a picture of the map when it was still up and sent me a copy:

What will the future hold for the Museum? In 2021-2022, Museum staff and professional planners studied needs and possibilities, producing a speculative "master plan" for efficient campus growth over the next 20-30 years.

The above plan shows another possible arrangement of existing and new facilities. The Master Plan study emphasizes energy and climate efficiency, the best possible preservation and visitor outcomes, and smart integration into the base environment. Development possibilities reflect a range of anticipated circumstances.

(Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force via Jim Newport)

[Noha307]

Apparently, the Tennessee Museum of Aviation is moving from Sevierville to Lebanon, where a new building is being built on 3.5 acres east of the Bakers School of Aeronautics:[1]

Tennessee Museum of Aviation

• Exterior 1

(Source: WKRN.com)

(Source: YouTube)

[Noha307]

The Piper Aviation Museum has plans for a 9,600 square foot addition on the back of their building. The goal is house ten to fifteen additional aircraft:

Piper Aviation Museum

• Exterior 1 & 2

(Source: Piper Aviation Museum)

[kalamazookid]

Apparently, the Tennessee Museum of Aviation is moving from Sevierville to Lebanon, where a new building is being built on 3.5 acres east of the Bakers School of Aeronautics:[1]

Tennessee Museum of Aviation

• Exterior 1

(Source: WKRN.com)

3D View 3 (Reduced).png

Interior 1 (Reduced).png

Exterior 2 (Reduced).png

(Source: YouTube)

Wow, I missed that news. I'll miss dropping into the museum on my regular visits to hike in the Smokies. Last time I was there was January 2024. Hopefully Lebanon will be a good long-term location. I believe there is a CAF unit at the field. Maybe they can collaborate on events and/or displays.

[Noha307]

As part of the "transformation" of the the Imperial War Museum Duxford mentioned in a previous post, the museum has released renderings of a planned Second World War exhibition:

Imperial War Museum Duxford

• Interior 1
• Interior 2
• Interior 3

(Source: IWM)

[DaveG]

Apparently, the Tennessee Museum of Aviation is moving from Sevierville to Lebanon, where a new building is being built on 3.5 acres east of the Bakers School of Aeronautics:[1]

Tennessee Museum of Aviation

• Exterior 1

(Source: WKRN.com)

3D View 3 (Reduced).png

Interior 1 (Reduced).png

Exterior 2 (Reduced).png

(Source: YouTube)

I can't find anything that states that the Tennessee Museum of Aviation is moving. The new facility will house the TN Aviation Hall of Fame as well as a museum, but nothing in this clarifying statement from the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame's Facebook page says that the museum in Sevierville is moving west: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EcqF73mcm/

[Noha307]

I can't find anything that states that the Tennessee Museum of Aviation is moving. The new facility will house the TN Aviation Hall of Fame as well as a museum, but nothing in this clarifying statement from the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame's Facebook page says that the museum in Sevierville is moving west: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EcqF73mcm/

Good catch, thanks for the correction! The statement is as follows:

There has been some recent local media coverage about our organization establishing a new, permanent museum/home near the Lebanon, TN airport. Some of the information shared in that coverage contained incorrect or incomplete information.

The following Press Release is intended to clarify some information about this project -

————————-

PROPOSED NEW AVIATION MUSEUM AT LEBANON AIRPORT

This will clarify incorrect, published news about a proposed aviation museum adjacent to Lebanon Airport in Wilson County Tennessee.

In February 2025 two Enshrined Members of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame*, John and Deborah Baugh, graciously donated land adjacent to the Lebanon Municipal Airport to the TAHF*.

Their intent and purpose of this donation is to facilitate building an aviation museum on the property.

The City of Lebanon finalized a necessary zoning change in April 2025.

The TAHF is currently beginning the extensive “due diligence” process - beginning with preliminary planning and conceptual design ideas.

No time-line related to expected completion is expected until early 2026.

We look forward to sharing more about this project in the coming months and years, as well as creating opportunities to get each of you involved to see this project to completion!

(Source: Facebook)

Although I have to say, no offense to TAHF, but that is a not a well written press release. It states that its goal is to "clarify incorrect, published news". However, it never states what the incorrect news is aside from referring to "recent local media coverage" - which is not linked or named. I presume the reader is supposed to infer that the mistake is the suggestion that the TMOA is moving with the TAHF, but the former is never mentioned. Instead, the first time I read through it, I was confused because the preface to the press release proper in the Facebook post seems to imply that the TAHF is not moving to Lebanon, Tennessee. However, it then goes on to strongly suggest that TAHF is moving. I get that because they are early in the process they probably can't release much information, but the problem is that it doesn't explicitly state one way or the other, so you have to read between the lines to understand it.

I will admit to a mistake on my part as well, as neither of the news reports I cited specifically use the name "Tennessee Museum of Aviation". However, the two organizations have been co-located since approximately 2001 and, as far as I can tell, not much distinction has been made between the two. Nevertheless, it's a good lesson in making sure you have the details correct.

[kalamazookid]

Thanks for posting that, DaveG. I looked through a couple news articles and it appears some outlets used the term Tennessee Museum of Aviation and Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame interchangeably. That's probably the source of the confusion.

[DaveG]

Hey Noha307 and kalamazookid, I'm in Knoxville and although it's been a few months since I've been to the museum, I knew we hadn't heard anything locally about the TMOA (Tennessee Museum of Aviation) moving. It really isn't a very clear, uh, clarification, is it?

I'll keep an eye out for any announcements/updates from Sevierville, but this really appears to only involve the Hall of Fame.

Dave

[Noha307]

A group called the Airloom Project associated with the Delta Flight Museum produced at least one rendering for the display of their Boeing 747-400:

Delta Flight Museum

• Exterior

(Source: The Airloom Project)

The Aviation Historical Museum of Louisiana, later to be known as the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, produced a site map and rendering for a planned 40,830 square foot expansion in 2004:

Aviation Historical Museum of Louisiana

Retired architect Roy Johns shows the site plans Tuesday for the expansion of the aviation museum. Johns is also chairman of the board of directors for the museum.

The Aviation Historical Museum of Louisiana Inc. has plans to add the Chennault Memorial Hangar to the museum in honor of retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault.

The News-Star, 31 March 2004, Page 1A, Image 2.png (243.27 KiB) Viewed 1128 times

(Source: Newspapers.com)

A few renderings from the original design of the National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum

• Site Plan
• Exterior
• Interior

(Source: Ghosts of DC)

EDIT (25-07-15): So the same blog above also has a different post with rejected designs for the National Air and Space Museum:

National Air and Space Museum

• Exterior ("National Shrine to Aviation")
• Front, Elevated View ("Wineglass Design")
• Street Level View from the Northeast ("Wineglass Design")
• Close Up of Main Hall from West End ("Wineglass Design")
• Exterior 1 ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Entrance ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Aerial ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Interior ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Exterior 2 ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Elevation ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Exterior 3 ("A Museum for the Space Age")
• Cross Section Through Wing (HHLL)
• Long Section (HHLL)
• Cross Section Through Main Entrance (HHLL)

(Source: Ghosts of DC)

[old iron]

The links for the Flying Leatherneck Museum no longer work.

Is this museum now closed? Have the aircraft holdings been dispersed?

[Noha307]

The links for the Flying Leatherneck Museum no longer work.

As a general FYI for everyone, all of the links and images in this thread (indeed, all my threads) are archived in the Internet Archive. So, if they break, input them there.

Is this museum now closed? Have the aircraft holdings been dispersed?

No, it is moving to moving to the Great Park in Irvine, California. See the museum's website for more information.

First up for this post, is a model of a never built concept for the Pima Air & Space Museum:

Tucson Air Museum

Blair Brown (left), director of materiel for the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; A. V. Grossetta (center), president of the Tucson Air Museum of Pima County and Col. Rupert P. Collins of Davis-Monthan AFB examine a scale model of the air museum planned here.

(Source: Newspapers.com)

This next rendering actually answers a lot of questions about how exactly Planes of Fame was named and its relationship to the automobile museum with which it was paired. Each museum had one of two side by side 50,000-square-foot buildings that shared a common entrance:

Movieworld: Cars of the Stars and Planes of Fame Museum

Movieworld, as seen in this artist drawing, is a two-part structure housing "Cars of the Stars" and "Planes of Fame" in Buena Park. It is the newest attraction in Southern California, opening last June.

(Source: Newspapers.com)

Lastly, once it had moved to Chino, the Planes of Fame Air Museum was eventually successful with its expansions. However, there was a large glass atrium building that didn't pan out:

Planes of Fame Air Museum

An artist's rendition of the Planes of Fame air museum in Chino.

(Source: Newspapers.com)