Tillamook Air Museum

Tillamook Air Museum
Tillamook Air Museum is located in Oregon
Tillamook Air Museum
Location within Oregon
Established1994 (1994)
LocationTillamook, Oregon
Coordinates45°25′13″N 123°48′17″W / 45.420391°N 123.804835°W / 45.420391; -123.804835
TypeAviation museum
CuratorChristian Gurling
Websitetillamookair.com

The Tillamook Air Museum is an aviation museum south of Tillamook, Oregon, United States. The museum is located at a former U.S. Navy Air Station and housed in a former blimp hangar, known as "Hangar B", which is the largest clear span wooden structure in the world.[1]

History

The interior of the Tillamook Air Museum a few months prior to the damage caused in December of 2025

The six-blimp hangar was built by the United States Navy in 1942 during World War II for Naval Air Station Tillamook. It is 1,072 feet (327 m) long and 296 feet (90 m) wide, covering more than 7 acres (2.8 ha). It stands 192 feet (59 m) tall. Each door weighs 30 short tons (27 t) and are 120 feet (37 m) tall. Its companion building, Hangar "A", was destroyed by fire on August 22, 1992.[2][3]

The Blimp Hangar Museum was opened in mid to late May 1992.[4] It was founded by the Port of Tillamook, in part, to help alleviate the cost of maintaining the hangars and also based on rumors that one or both of them would be torn down.[5][6] The Mini Guppy was flown to the museum in September 1993.[7]

With the addition of Jack Erickson's collection in mid 1995, it became known as the Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum.[8][9] The aerial portion of the museum's first airshow was cancelled after its director, John H. Matlock, was killed on 11 October 1996 in the crash of an L-29 during practice the day before the event.[10]

By late 2000, the museum was being referred to as the Tillamook Air Museum.[11]

An engineering report in 2011 revealed that the condition of the structure was worse than initially thought.[12] By the end of the year, both Newport and Astoria were competing to try to entice the museum to move to their communities.[13] In April 2013, Erickson Air Tanker announced that it would not be renewing its lease on the building and instead moving the portion of the collection owned by Jack Erickson to Madras, Oregon.[14] The aircraft had begun to be moved to the new location by early May 2014.[15] In November 2014, the owners of Hangar B, the Port of Tillamook Bay, announced that they would continue operation of the Tillamook Air Museum with the remaining collection.[16][17]

In 2016, the Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum moved some aircraft to the museum.[18]

In 2021, the museum received a B-52 cockpit on loan from Scroggins Aviation Mockup & Effects.[19] The A-4B that served as a gate guard was dismounted and replaced with a metal scale blimp model in 2022.[20]

In 2025, the museum announced it would be receiving an HU-25.[21] Later that year it began fundraising for the restoration of its F-14.[22] In July, it revealed it was being given an AV-8B.[23] At the end of the month, the Port of Tillamook proposed a study for structural repairs to Hangar B.[24] In December, a large hole was opened in the hangar when an approximately 170 by 30 foot section of the roof was folded over by strong winds.[25] Estimates to repair and fully restore the building are at least $20 million.[26] In May 2026, the museum announced that it had applied for funding from FEMA to help pay for the repairs.[27] Later that month, the museum announced the director's resignation.[28] The following day, the Port of Tillamook Bay board voted against repairs to the hangar.[29] The museum announced in July that work to remove the dislodged piece of roof was due to begin soon.[30] It received the FEMA grant in August.[31]

Collection

Aero Spacelines Mini Guppy
External shot of Hangar B
Hangar B, Tillamook Air Museum

Aircraft on display

Exhibits

The museum also features an exhibit hall with a large collection of rare historical wartime and aviation themed artifacts including pieces of the great German airship, the LZ-129 Hindenburg, a World War II Luftwaffe flight jacket and a WWII Japanese Army Winter flight suit.[53]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Larsen, Jeff (March 21, 2002). Short Trips: Slice of History and a Wedge of Cheese Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2008-04-24
  2. ↑ "The Building". Tillamook Air Museum. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Naval Air Station Dirigible Hangar B". National Park Service. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ "In One Ear". The Daily Astorian. May 29, 1992. p. 8. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  5. ↑ Forgey, Pat (June 14, 1992). "Tillamook's Unique Blimp Hangars Become Museums". The Sunday Oregonian. pp. E1, E10. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Hangar Out at Blimp Museum in Tillamook". The Columbian. AP. July 12, 1992. p. C3. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  7. ↑ Scarbrough, Roy (September 10, 1993). "'Guppy' Leaves Medford for Retirement". The Oregonian. p. D2. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  8. ↑ "The High & Mighty". The Daily Astorian. March 22, 1995. pp. 108–109. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  9. ↑ Delaney, Pat (August 25, 1995). "Two Regional Museums Focus on Flight, History". The Olympian. p. 17. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  10. ↑ Freedlander, Kate (October 13, 1996). "Tillamook Air Museum Remembers Director". The Sunday Oregonian. p. C3. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  11. ↑ "[Homepage]". Tillamook Air Museum. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  12. ↑ Tobias, Lori (August 19, 2023). "As Tillamook's WWII-era Blimp Hangar Turns 80, Future Hangs in Balance". The Oregonian. p. A11. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  13. ↑ Tobias, Lori (December 24, 2011). "Fight for Flight Museum". The Oregonian. pp. A1, A6. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Air Museum's Press Release on Moving the Air Museum". Tillamook Headlight Herald. April 4, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  15. ↑ Hammers, Scott (May 9, 2014). "Air Museum Collection Landing at Madras Airport". Bend Bulletin. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Port to Assume Operation of Tillamook Air Museum". Tillamook County Pioneer. November 6, 2014. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  17. ↑ Tobias, Lori (May 7, 2013). "Future of Tillamook Blimp Hangar in Question as Air Museum Prepares to Move". The Oregonian. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  18. ↑ Loose, Travis (September 23, 2016). "Hillsboro hall relocates classic airplanes to Tillamook". Hillsboro Tribune. Pamplin Media Group. Archived from the original on October 24, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  19. ↑ Gurling, Christian (November 26, 2021). "From the air museum: Come see the changes at the air museum". Tillamook Headlight Herald. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  20. ↑ Gutierrez, Adriana (September 7, 2022). "Tillamook Air Museum's 'Gate Guard' Plane Out of the Skies". The Oregonian. p. A6. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  21. ↑ Godlewski, Meg (May 23, 2025). "Tillamook Air Museum Acquires Rare Coast Guard Jet". Flying. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  22. ↑ Webb, Patrick (June 9, 2025). "Tillamook Air Museum preserves 'Top Gun' jet". Discover Our Coast. Retrieved June 18, 2025.
  23. ↑ Hale, Jamie (July 19, 2025). "Oregon Museum to Receive Combat-Tested Fighter Jet in 'Rare and Historic Moment'". OregonLive. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  24. ↑ Chappell, Will (July 30, 2025). "Port Seeks $500,000 for Hangar B Studies". Headlight Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  25. ↑ Haskins, Devon (December 18, 2025). "Windstorm damages Tillamook Air Museum's 83-year-old roof". KGW8. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  26. ↑ Swindler, Samantha (January 16, 2026). "A storm tore open the roof of this massive Oregon landmark. Will anyone save it?". OregonLive. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  27. ↑ DePaola, Amy-Xiaoshi; Haskins, Devon (May 2, 2026). "Tillamook Air Museum says they may get FEMA funds for storm that tore off the roof — but need the community to help match". KGW8. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Tillamook Air Muaseum [sic] Director Steps Down". Tillamook Headlight Herald. May 20, 2026. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  29. ↑ DePaola, Amy-Xiaoshi (May 21, 2026). "Port Will Not Fix Tillamook Air Museum Blimp Hangar Damaged in Winter Storm". KGW8. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  30. ↑ Basu, Amreetam (July 17, 2026). "Storm Damage Repairs to Begin at Tillamook Air Museum's Historic Hangar B". Vintage Aviation News. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  31. ↑ Burke, Darryl (August 13, 2026). "Tillamook Air Museum Takes First Step Toward Possible Rebirth After Storm Damage". KATU. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  32. ↑ "Aero-Spacelines Mini-Guppy". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "Aircraft". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  34. ↑ "Boeing B-52 Stratofortress". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  35. ↑ "Bell TH-57 Helicopter". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  36. ↑ "Cessna 180F Skywagon". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Chris-Teena Mini-Coupe". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  38. ↑ "Douglas A4-B [sic] Skyhawk". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Erco Ercoupe 415-C". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  40. ↑ "Fairchild Gk-1 [sic]". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Grumman F-14A Tomcat". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Kaman HTK-1 (Helicopter)". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  43. ↑ "Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair ll". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  44. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Vought A-7E Corsair II, s/n 158819 USN". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  45. ↑ "F-4 Phantom". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  46. ↑ Meagher, Sean (August 6, 2025). "Historic fighter jet retires at Tillamook Air Museum". OregonLive. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  47. ↑ "Nieuport 11 (Replica)". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  48. ↑ "Nord 1101 Noralpha". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  49. ↑ "Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-17/Lim 6". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  50. ↑ "Airframe Dossier - Mikoyan Gurevich-WSK-Mielec Lim-6bis, s/n 319 SPRP, c/n 1F 03-19, c/r N2503N". Aerial Visuals. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  51. ↑ "Quickie (homebuilt aircraft hanging above Café)". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  52. ↑ "PT -17 Stearman [sic]". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  53. ↑ "Exhibits". Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
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