A new museum featuring some well-known flying warbirds as well as several significant military vehicles holds its grand opening Saturday in Granite Falls, Minn. The Fagen Fighters World War II Museum will open its doors to the public at the Lenzen-Roe Memorial Field/Granite Falls Municipal Airport.
A fleet of eight distinguished warbirds, owned by longtime Experimental Aircraft Association member Ron Fagen, is hangared in the new 15,000-square-foot brick structure. While the collection includes several trainers, the stars are the Curtiss P-40 Desert Shark, the Lockheed P-38 Ruff Stuff, and a pair of North American P-51s, Sweet Revenge and Twilight Tear (featured in the September 2012 issue of EAA’s Sport Aviation). There’s also a rare Waco CG-4A glider that’s cut away to show its extensive workmanship.
Among the ground vehicles in the collection are a Ford GP (Jeep) used by U.S. Army Gen. Omar Bradley during the D-Day Invasion, an M3 half-track troop carrier (M16 MGMC version), an M35A2 (deuce and a half) cargo truck, a Harley Davidson WLA motorcycle, and a Cushman Model 54 scooter.
Along with the large hangar, the museum constructed a Quonset hut briefing room, dedicated to WWII triple ace C.E. “Bud” Anderson and the other P-51 pilots making up the U.S. Army Air Force 357th Fighter Group. The museum in fact recreates England’s Leiston Field, home of the 357th’s Yoxford Boys.
For more information, visit the museum site here.
I’ve started a fund where anyone can be a part owner of restoring our first project. The F4F Wildcat. Check out my website for additional information if you want to get involved.
http://www.tallyhorestoration.com
Patrick