Aviation Museum: United States Marine Corps Air/Ground Museum

United States Marine Corps Air/Ground Museum

Brown Field

Quantico

Virginia

22134

703-784-2606

Description

The Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum: Housed in 1920s hangars at the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, the Air-Ground Museum gives visitors a glimpse of Marine Corps air-ground team development and its achievements in two major wars and numerous minor campaigns. The buildings which house the museum are themselves historic structures, being examples of early aircraft hangars. The interiors have been modified for the exhibit of historic aircraft and ground weapons, and illustrates the development of doctrine, tactics, and technology.
Marine Corps Historical Center and Museum: At the Washington, D.C. Navy Yard, approximately 40 miles north of Quantico, the Marine Corps Museum houses a standing exhibit which details the history of the Marine Corps from 1775 to the present. Uniforms, small arms, medals, accouterments, art, photographs, and documents are combined in a "time tunnel" which covers the last 200-plus years of Marine Corps history in 20 different chronological displays. This museum is open year around except Christmas and New Years Day.
Other resources of the Historical Center, including personal papers and art collections. library, and archives, are available to researchers by appointment, by telephoning (202) 433-3840.
1900-1940: The "Early Years" section of the museum traces the development of the air ground team from its inception just after the turn of the century to the occupation of Iceland on the eve of World War II. Included in this story is a detailed study of expeditionary service in the Caribbean islands, Central America, and China, as well as the contributions of the Marine Corps in World War I and in the years between the world wars. Special emphasis is placed on the development of amphibious warfare and combined arms tactics and technology which was centered, for the most part, at Quantico in the 1920s and 1930s.
1941-1945: This part of the museum, more than double the size of the "Early Years" and "Korean War" hangars, is devoted to the Marine Corps' role in World War II. The part that the Marine Corps played in the Pacific theater is told through exhibits which emphasize the evolution of air-ground tactics, amphibious operations, and combined arms. Supporting these exhibits are displays of uniformed mannequins and weapons, both Marine Corps and Japanese. From the first real use of an air-ground team during the defense of Wake Island to the close air support tactics used in the Okinawa campaign at the end of the war, the major campaigns of the war are illustrated by the aircraft, weapons, and vehicles which made victory possible.
1950-1954: In the "Korean War" area of the museum, the history of the "Forgotten War" is recounted through the five = * major phases, from the Pusan Perimeter in the summer of 1950 to the political stalemate three years later. The Korean War was a further testing ground of the air-ground team tactics which had been developing over the preceding 50 years. A major theme throughout the exhibits is the utilization of helicopters and jet aircraft for the first time by the Marine Corps air-ground team. The Marine Corps' ability to adapt to the suddenness of the war, the extremes of weather and terrain, and its flexible use of both offensive and defensive tactics are demonstrated throughout this portion of the museum.
Collections: The museum's study collections are available to the interested researcher. Besides the kinds of aircraft and large weapons illustrated in this brochure, Marine Corps study collections include small arms, edged weapons, uniforms, personal equipment, models, historic flags, medals, and badges.
Collections can be studied by appointment which can be scheduled by writing to the address or telephoning the number on this brochure.
Gift shop: The Marine Corps Historical Foundation operates gifts shops inside the Air-Ground Museum at Quantico and the Marine Corps Museum at the Washington Navy Yard, as well as a mail-order business with an 80 page catalog containing Marine Corps aviation related memorabilia, etc. They can be reached at 800-397-7585.
Location: The Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum is located at the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, 36 miles south of Washington, D.C., east of Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1. Research facilities are located in Building 2014, approximately two miles from the museum. Marine sentries assist visitors arriving at the base; visitors are issued vehicle passes and given directions to the museum or research site. Signs along the way direct visitors to the museum.

General Information

Hours of Operation: The Marine Corps Air-Ground Museuum is open to the public annually from 1 April to 26 November.; Tues to Sat and holidays 10:00am to 5:00pm; Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm; Closed Mondays for upkeep; Closed Easter and Thanksgiving; The research facility office hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday, federal holidays excepted.
Admission: Free
Parking: Free

This list is available sorted by Primary role

Exhibits - By Manufacturer

Bell: HTL-4 (Sioux) - Serial No: 128635
Boeing: FB-5 - Serial No: A-7114
Convair: OY-1 (Sentinel) - Serial No: 12054
Curtiss: A-2 (Pusher); F6C-4 (Hawk)
Douglas: A-4A (Skyhawk) - Serial No: 142226; EF-10B (SkyKnight) - Serial No: 124618; F4D-1 (Skyray) - Serial No: 139177; R4D-6 (Skytrain) - Serial No: 17278; SBD-5 (Dauntless)
Eastern (GM): TBM-3E (Avenger) - Serial No: 85890
Goodyear: FG-1D (Corsair) - Serial No: 13486
Grumman: F4F-4 (Wildcat) - Serial No: 12114; F6F-3 (Hellcat) - Serial No: 41476; F9F-2 (Panther) - Serial No: 123526
Gyrodyne: YRON-1
McDonnell-Douglas: F-4A (Phantom II) - Serial No: 143388
Mikoyan-Gurevich: Mig-15 (Fagot) - Serial No: 70007
North American: B-25D (Mitchell); FJ-3 (Fury) - Serial No: 136119; SNJ-5 (Texan)
Sikorsky: HO3S-1 (Dragonfly) - Serial No: 124344; HRS-1 (Chickasaw) - Serial No: 127834
Stearman: N2S-3 (Kaydet) - Serial No: 07481
Thomas-Morse: S.4 (Scout) - Serial No: R66Y
Vought: F4U-4 (Corsair) - Serial No: 97369
Yokosuka: MXY-7Model 22 (Okha 22) - Serial No: I-13
Other major equipment on exhibit at the Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum includes: .30-Cal. Gatling Gun M1901 3-lnch B.L. Rifle M1876 37mm Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon Model 1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun Benet-Mercie Machine Rifle 1915 King Armored Car 3-lnch Field Gun M1902 3-Ton Standard B "Liberty" Truck 5-Ton Artillery Tractor M1917 37mm Gun "Puteaux" M191G 6-Ton Tank "Renault" M1917 75mm Pack Howitzers and M1897 Field Guns 60mm, 81mm, 4.2" Mortars Roebling Alligator (LVT Protoype) Track-Mounted 7-lnch Naval Gun M3A1 Scout Car MBT and M38 "Jeeps" .50- and .30-Cal. Browning Machine Guns Twin 40mm AA Gun "Bofors" M3A1 and M5A1 "Stuart" Light Tanks M3 Half-Track (Radio Vehicle) LVT-1 and LVT-3 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) M4 "Sherman" and M26 "Pershing" Medium Tanks M29 Cargo Carrier "Weasel"

Last updated: 02/14/00.

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