FLYING LEATHERNECK AVIATION MUSEUM
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum (FLAM), located aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, is just one of three aviation dedicated museums in the Greater San Diego Area. The other two museums are USS Midway which is anchored in San Diego Bay and the San Diego Aerospace Museum located in that city's Balboa Park.
The FLAM is the only museum in the world dedicated to the primary purpose of preserving the history of U.S. Marine Corps aviation and boasts a collection of over forty vintage aircraft, a library with extensive research materials, photos, video, valuable memorabilia and artifacts.
In 1989 a team of dedicated Marine volunteers established the museum and the foundation at MCAS El Toro, CA. When El Toro was closed in 1999 by BRAC, a group of former Marines from San Diego, led by Major Generals Bob Butcher and Frank Lang formed the “Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation” and assumed the 501(c)(3) charter from the El Toro Foundation.
Entrance to the Museum is through a separate gate and the public is welcome. Both parking and entrance to the Museum is free although donations are requested to supplement the extremely austere budget supplied by the Marine Corps. The museum is located directly across the street from 8604 Miramar Road. From I-15, proceed west for 1.3 miles and turn left into the parking lot. From I-805, proceed east for 3.9 miles and turn right into the parking lot. Look for the American flag and Marine Corps flag on the fence.
Museum hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00AM to 3:30PM.
Visit the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and Aviation Museum's website at: http://www.flyingleathernecks.org/index.html
I thoroughly enjoyed my all-too-brief visit and intend to revisit this wonderful museum. Most images were shot using a 12-24mm f/4 Tokina lens. A wide lens is pretty necessary in order to get all of an aircraft included in an image. I was impressed with the Russian MIG-15 that was on display. It was exceptionally interesting because the F9F Cougar, also on display, was Navy aircraft which fought the MIG-15 over the skies of North Korea during that conflict. This gallery is a work-in-progress and I plan to add additional aircraft images as well as images of the memorabilia inside the museum.
Note: Before 1962, the Navy and Marine Corps used different designators for their aircraft than did the Army and Air Force. As an example: the Navy and Marine Corps F8U-1P Photo Crusader designation was formed as follows:
F - Fighter
8 - Model
U - Manufacturer Chance Vought
1 - 1st Modification
P - Photo designated
About 1962 the Department of Defense required the armed services to use a common joint designation for each aircraft and the F8U-1P became the RF-8G. Other Navy and Marine Corps Aircraft were re-designated with common designators.
Read MoreThe FLAM is the only museum in the world dedicated to the primary purpose of preserving the history of U.S. Marine Corps aviation and boasts a collection of over forty vintage aircraft, a library with extensive research materials, photos, video, valuable memorabilia and artifacts.
In 1989 a team of dedicated Marine volunteers established the museum and the foundation at MCAS El Toro, CA. When El Toro was closed in 1999 by BRAC, a group of former Marines from San Diego, led by Major Generals Bob Butcher and Frank Lang formed the “Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation” and assumed the 501(c)(3) charter from the El Toro Foundation.
Entrance to the Museum is through a separate gate and the public is welcome. Both parking and entrance to the Museum is free although donations are requested to supplement the extremely austere budget supplied by the Marine Corps. The museum is located directly across the street from 8604 Miramar Road. From I-15, proceed west for 1.3 miles and turn left into the parking lot. From I-805, proceed east for 3.9 miles and turn right into the parking lot. Look for the American flag and Marine Corps flag on the fence.
Museum hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00AM to 3:30PM.
Visit the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and Aviation Museum's website at: http://www.flyingleathernecks.org/index.html
I thoroughly enjoyed my all-too-brief visit and intend to revisit this wonderful museum. Most images were shot using a 12-24mm f/4 Tokina lens. A wide lens is pretty necessary in order to get all of an aircraft included in an image. I was impressed with the Russian MIG-15 that was on display. It was exceptionally interesting because the F9F Cougar, also on display, was Navy aircraft which fought the MIG-15 over the skies of North Korea during that conflict. This gallery is a work-in-progress and I plan to add additional aircraft images as well as images of the memorabilia inside the museum.
Note: Before 1962, the Navy and Marine Corps used different designators for their aircraft than did the Army and Air Force. As an example: the Navy and Marine Corps F8U-1P Photo Crusader designation was formed as follows:
F - Fighter
8 - Model
U - Manufacturer Chance Vought
1 - 1st Modification
P - Photo designated
About 1962 the Department of Defense required the armed services to use a common joint designation for each aircraft and the F8U-1P became the RF-8G. Other Navy and Marine Corps Aircraft were re-designated with common designators.
