The Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum, the largest
aviation museum
An aviation museum, air museum, or air and space museum is a museum exhibiting the history and cultural artifacts, artifacts of aviation. In addition to actual, replica or accurate reproduction aircraft, exhibits can include photographs, maps, P ...
in
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, occupied part of the grounds of the decommissioned
Chanute Air Force Base
Chanute Air Force Base is a decommissioned United States Air Force facility, located in Champaign County, Illinois, south of and adjacent to Rantoul, Illinois, about south of Chicago. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force t ...
in
Rantoul, Illinois
Rantoul is a village in Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,371 at the 2020 census.
History
The community was named after Robert Rantoul, Jr., a U.S. representative from Massachusetts, and a director of the Illino ...
. It and the base were named for
Octave Chanute
Octave Chanute (February 18, 1832 – November 23, 1910) was a French-American civil engineer and aviation pioneer. He provided many budding enthusiasts, including the Wright brothers, with help and advice, and helped to publicize their flying ...
, railroad engineer and aviation pioneer. The museum was dedicated to the life and works of Chanute, the former air base, the history of aviation in the state of Illinois, and hosted an annual
air show
An air show (or airshow, air fair, air tattoo) is a public event where aircraft are exhibited.
They often include aerobatics demonstrations, without they are called "static air shows" with aircraft parked on the ground.
The largest air show m ...
.
Highlights of the museum included a collection of over 40 aircraft including military fighters, bombers, rescue, recon, and cargo aircraft. Many of these were used for training purposes at Chanute, and most were on loan from the
United States Air Force Museum
The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is the ...
. Other exhibits of note included a replica of the Wright 1903 Flyer, a large collection of Frasca Flight Simulators, and tributes to the veterans who have served in America's conflicts and wars.
The museum closed on November 1, 2015.
History
Chanute Air Force Base operated in Rantoul from 1917-1993. After decommission, the cleanup and conversion of the grounds began. Economic redevelopment of the former base was a paramount concern to the surrounding community. As of 2008, portions of the site are still unoccupied, due in part to environmental concerns including asbestos contamination. Nevertheless, much has been repurposed into civilian concerns. The Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum was one of the earliest efforts, opening in 1994.
The museum was located in Grissom Hall, which functioned as the missile maintenance training facility during active Air Force operations. Until base closure in 1993, all Air Force
Minuteman missile
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G Minuteman III version is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and r ...
maintenance training was provided at Chanute. The building has largely been preserved and was restored to its condition at the time of base closure; four authentic Minuteman training silos were displayed at the museum.
The museum was administered under the direction of a private foundation.
Efforts to found a museum started as early as 1991, after it was recognized that the closure of the base would cause the dispersal of the aircraft on display there. A few months before it opened on 8 October 1994, the museum was involved in a dispute over the display of a
B-25
The North American B-25 Mitchell is an American medium bomber that was introduced in 1941 and named in honor of Major General William "Billy" Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation. Used by many Allied air forces, the B-25 served in e ...
. The United States Air Force wanted to transfer the airplane to a base in
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
.
On 23 April 2015, it was announced that the museum would be closing due to lack of funds on December 30 of that year. However, the closing date was later moved up and the museum closed on November 1.
Some of the exhibits went to other museums in the state of Illinois. In 2016 the museum’s archival records, including blueprints, maps, publications, oral histories, photographs, scrapbooks, videotapes, and administrative records were sent to the Champaign County Historical Archives for public access and research. Some aircraft remained on-site until 2018, when they were scrapped.
Status of known artifacts once at the museum
Non-military and replica airframes
*
Aeronca 65-LB Super Chief (N34496) (''Fate Unknown'')
*
American Aerolights Eagle
The American Aerolights Eagle is an American ultralight aircraft that was produced by American Aerolights, introduced in 1975. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' ...
ultralight (''Fate Unknown'')
* Chanute 1896 Glider replica (''Indiana Dunes Visitor Center'')
*
Curtiss JN-4D Jenny
The Curtiss JN "Jenny" was a series of biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for th ...
replica (''Fate Unknown'')
* Foose Tigercat (''Fate Unknown'')
* Mong Sport biplane (N4253J) (''Fate Unknown'')
*
Piper PA-22-135 Tri-Pacer (N8726C) (''Fate Unknown'')
*
Wright Flyer
The ''Wright Flyer'' (also known as the ''Kitty Hawk'', ''Flyer'' I or the 1903 ''Flyer'') made the first sustained flight by a manned heavier-than-air powered and controlled aircraft—an airplane—on December 17, 1903. Invented and flown b ...
replica (''Fate Unknown'')
Frasca International in
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Urbana had a population of 38,336. As of the 2010 United States Census, Urbana is the List of municipalities in Illinois, 38th-most pop ...
has taken back the flight simulators it had loaned to the museum.
See also
*
List of aerospace museums
This is a list of aviation museums and museums that contain significant aerospace-related exhibits throughout the world. The aviation museums are listed alphabetically by country and their article name.
Afghanistan
* OMAR Mine Museum, Kabul - inc ...
References
External links
* Champaign County Historical Archives
Chanute Air Force Base Archival Collection finding aidsRantoul National Aviation Center Airport InformationVillage of Rantoul Website
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Aerospace museums in Illinois
Aerospace Museum
An aviation museum, air museum, or air and space museum is a museum exhibiting the history and artifacts of aviation. In addition to actual, replica or accurate reproduction aircraft, exhibits can include photographs, maps, models, dioramas, cl ...
Museums in Champaign County, Illinois
Military and war museums in Illinois
Defunct museums in Illinois
Museums disestablished in 2015
2015 disestablishments in Illinois