 | |
  Location in North Carolina | |
| Established | 19 May 2007 (2007-05-19) |
|---|---|
| Location | Hickory, North Carolina, United States |
| Coordinates | 35°44′32″N 81°23′22″W / 35.742214°N 81.389360°W / 35.742214; -81.389360 |
| Type | Aviation museum |
| Founder |
|
| President | Jeff Wofford |
| Curator | Kyle Kirby |
| Website | hickoryaviationmuseum |
Hickory Aviation Museum is an aviation museum at the Hickory Regional AirportinHickory, North Carolina. It features a museum located in the former airport terminal with artifacts, a hangar with aircraft and outdoor exhibits of aircraft on the former airport ramp.[1]
The museum originated from the Sabre Society, which was formed in 1991 to restore a North American FJ-3 Fury on display at a ballpark in Taylorsville, North Carolina. Co-founded by Kyle and Kregg Kirby, it opened to the public on 19 May 2007.[1][failed verification][2][failed verification]
In 2021, the museum announced it would receive an F4F on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum.[3]
In 2022, plans were announced for a new building located at Hickory Regional Airport. In addition to housing the museum's aircraft, it will also serve as a training facility for the Catawba Valley Community College.[4] The new facility will cost a total of $22 Million, with $15 Million appropriated from the state budget and the remaining $7 Million from museum fundraising. Stipulations of the plan include relinquishing the spot the museum has within the commercial terminal should commercial operations return to Hickory Regional Airport.[4] The museum broke ground on the new building on 26 October 2023.[5][6]
The museum has received a number of aircraft on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum, including a NU-1B in January 2024.[7] This trend continued with the announcement of the arrival of an AV-8B in July of that year.[8]
