Texas Air Museum - Stinson Chapter

Aviation museum in San Antonio Texas

29°20′24″N 98°28′33″W / 29.33993°N 98.47597°W / 29.33993; -98.47597TypeAviation museumCollection size24 planes, 6 replicas, and 1 helicopterFounderJohn Douglas ToshDirectorJohn Douglas ToshWebsite[1]

The Texas Air Museum - Stinson Chapter is located on Stinson Municipal Airport (the second oldest continuous operating airport in the United States). The museum has many static aircraft, along with several rare examples under restoration.

History

The Texas Air Museum Stinson Chapter was founded by John Douglas Tosh, a World War II veteran,^[1] on November 12, 1999. This is San Antonio Texas only aviation museum open to the general public. Its mission has been dedicated to telling the stories of Texas and San Antonio's vital role in the development of civilian and military air power.

It pays tribute to aviation pioneers, notably the co-founders of Stinson Airport Katherine Stinson, her sister Marjorie Stinson and brother Edward Stinson. The museum also highlights technical achievements in the realm of aviation, and above all, pays respect and honor to those who gave their lives to defend freedom.

Collection

The museum's newest collection of aircraft^[2] to be restored includes one Stinson Model R (NC12159 - believed to have once owned by Arlene Davis), one SM-8A Stinson Junior, one PT-23, one PT-26, one AT-17 Bobcat, two PT-19, one frame of 1928 Heath Parasol and one Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner. All these projects were received in October 2023.^[3]

The museum's newest library collection is photographs from John W. Underwood with a few photos of Stinson Model R aircraft. One Model R belonging to American aviator and air racer Arlene Davis.

Aircraft on display

Sikorsky H-34

HUS-1A Seahorse: 145728 Delivered to the Navy in 1958. Is painted in original Navy orange when assigned to NASA's Project Mercury used in training Navy Underwater Demolition Team Frogmen in space capsule recovery. Reassigned to the Marine Corp as one of forty HUS-1s fitted with amphibious pontoons, re-designated UH-34E in 1962.

Northrop F-89 Scorpion

Northrop F-89B Scorpion: 49-2434 Delivered November 1951. Was the first airframe converted as a B model. Is the oldest surviving F-89.

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II: 63-7415 On 20 November 1963, The U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command accepted its first two production McDonnell F-4C Phantom II jet fighters^[4] and this museum has the original F-4C-15-MC 63-7415 on display.

McDonnell F-101 Voodoo

McDonnell F-101 Voodoo: 59-0421 1959 McDonnell F-101B-115-MC Voodoo C/N 745 was originally assigned to the United States Air National Guard Niagara Falls International (IAG / KIAG)

Stolp SA-500 Starlet

Stolp Starlet SA 500: N808JR Built 1973

Waco 10

Waco 10: NC7970 Built 1928 with OXX-6 Engine

Piper J-3 Cub

Piper J-3 Cub: NC32851 Built 1940

Spinks Akromaster

Spinks Akromaster: N31SA Built prior 1970

Funk B

McClish Funk B85C: N77712 Built 1946

Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner

Merlin IV C Expediter 556: N566UP Built 1983

Pietenpol Air Camper

Pietenpol Air Camper: N36RN Built 1968 (Home Built) with 5 cylinder Lambert Radial Engine

Eichmann Aerobat I

Eichmann Aerobat I Experimental Aircraft: NX17638 Built (est.) 1937 with 40 HP Continental Engine by Mr. Ellis Eichmann in Brownsville, Texas

Midget Mustang

Palomino or Omega II: 1960 (est.) This is a two-place, tandem-seating incomplete static display. Research still underway. Article suggest this is a third generation of the Midget Mustang.^[5]

Piper PA-20 Pacer

Piper Tri Pacer: This is an incomplete static display (unknown year or ID number) once used by St. Philip's College (United States) as a training aid.

Scale replica aircraft on display

Curtiss Model D
Curtiss Headless Pusher
Boeing P-26 Peashooter
Avro 1910 Alliott Verdon Roe Mk IV
V-1 flying bomb Fieseler Fl.103 a.k.a. FZG or V1. This is the Hanna Reitsch piloted version.
Blériot XI Fitted with the original 1909 Detroit Aero Engine owned by Katherine Stinson. The engine is from a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle.

Aircraft scheduled for restoration

McDonnell F-101 Voodoo
Northrop F-89 Scorpion
Fairchild PT-19 1943 Serial Number T43-5112 N56547 Fairchild PT-19
Fairchild PT-19 1943 Serial Number T43-5106 N54411 Fairchild M62A
Fairchild PT-26 1943 Serial Number T43-4374 NC75902 Fairchild M-62A-3
Fairchild PT-23 Year build, serial number, and N number unknown. However, does have sliding canopy and Continental 220 stamped 25986
Cessna AT-17 Bobcat 1943 Serial Number AF42-58380 C-78/AT-17 Bobcat
Stinson Model R 1933 NC12159 (In Storage)
Stinson Junior 1930 Serial Number N231W Stinson SM-8A
Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner 1983 Serial Number N566UP Merlin IV C Expediter
Vultee BT-13 Valiant (In Storage)
Heath Parasol 1928 Heath Parasol Model CA-1
Palomino monoplane 1960 Palomino aircraft.

Engines on public display

Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone 18 cylinder rated at 2,200 HP
Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major 28 cylinder rated 3,600 HP
Pratt & Whitney J57
Allison J35
Lycoming R-680 Production Number 201
Ranger L-440 Model L-440-1, Ranger Model 6-440C-2, Air Corps. Number 42-191765, Mfrs. No. 4919 mounted in engine test stand.
Kinner R-5 Kinner R-55
Jacobs R-755 Number Identification J-19945
Continental R-670 1942 200 HP used on a Stearman Aircraft
Lycoming O-145
Continental R-670 W670-N, W670-240 240HP Aircraft engine modified by Gulf Coast Dusting Co., Houston, Texas. Mod. Ser. No. 4901272
Crosley 1947 Modified 25 HP Crosley CoBra used in first seven Mooney M-18 Mite.
Northrop Ventura PD-74/D reciprocating engine for drone and aircraft. Serial number 1.
Allison J35 Allison J-35 turbine engine with a few cutaways to see turbines.
Ramjet XRJ-30-MA-1
North American P-51D with Ramjets. SN 44–63528 with two XRJ-30-MA Ramjets in May 1948 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 061023-F-1234P-024
Allison T56 Three different displays in stage completion order; bare T-56 on stand, T-56 with added propeller gear box on stand, and complete C-130 engine with cowlings mounted on ground support tow trailer.
Westinghouse J34 Two J34-WE-36A used as A&P training aids removed from Lockheed P-2 Neptune.

Vehicles on public display

Jeep CJ 1953 - Willis CJ-3A 2.2L used by the U.S. Navy.
M151 ¼-ton 4×4 utility truck 1964 - Forward Air Controller Radio Equipped used by the U.S. Air Force. Markings suggest last unit assigned was 463rd BG (not verified).
Ford Model T 1924 - Ford Model T Ambulance used by the U.S. Army.
International L series 1950 - International L-170 Fire truck once used at Stinson Municipal Airport.
Clarktor-6 1949 - Clarktor-6 Towing Tractor, mfg. by Clark Tructractor S.N. L-4908 and W-630114.
Textron 1998 - E-Z-GO Model 7997009 Hawk, 48V, 235 AMP HR. 'Eagle 1' was used on Brooks Air Force Base before closer.

References

^ America's Youngest Warriors 1996, Vol I, p.481.
^ Davis, Vincent T. (16 October 2023). "'Daddy's Home': San Antonio woman recalls days of flight on the wild Northwest Side". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
^ Davis, Vincent T. (31 October 2023). "'A hell of a good airplane': San Antonio family donates vintage aircraft to Texas Air Museum". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
^ McCarthy, John (20 November 1963). "'This Day in Aviation': Important Dates in Aviation History 20 November 1963". This Day in Aviation. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
^ Flying Magazine January 1967, p.15.