An airplane recovered from the depths of Lake Michigan, another flown by a future president (George H.W. Bush) and one rescued from the scrap heap of time from the Hawaiian island of Niihau are all part of the displays at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.
The planes are shown in two World War II-era hangars at the Pearl Harbor naval base. One of the buildings still has bullet holes in the windows, courtesy of the Japanese attack on Dec. 7, 1941. Hanger 79 has been retained in its 1941 battle condition, including the bullet holes visible in the windows above the MiG Alley exhibit of more recent fighter planes.
The air museum is part of the Pearl Harbor Historic Site complex. It is located on Ford Island, a short shuttle bus ride from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, and is often visited along with the Battleship Missouri Memorial, also on the island and accessible by the same shuttle bus.
For the complete story by Terry Richard of The Oregonian, click here.
Photo by Pacific Aviation Museum
