The Arkansas Air & Military Museum
Arkansas Air & Military Museum looks plain from the outside, but step into this old wooden hangar and you’ll find rare warbirds with real battle scars, a Vietnam chopper that still smells like jungle, and planes built by local legends. Here’s your guide to the best exhibits in this hidden Northwest Arkansas treasure.
World War II Training Ground Still Stands
Built during World War II, this wooden hangar watched countless pilots learn their craft before facing combat.
Now listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places, it’s among the last wooden hangars still standing from the 1940s. When you first walk in, you’ll notice how the building itself tells a story as much as what’s inside it.
During wartime, Drake Field buzzed with activity as young men learned to fly. Museum staff arranged the aircraft to show them off while keeping the building’s historic feel, letting you step back to aviation’s early days.
Just around the corner, you’ll discover sleek machines from when air racing captured America’s imagination.
Speed Demons of the Twenties and Thirties
Gleaming racing planes from the 1920s and 1930s take center stage, showing off an era when pilots pushed boundaries of speed and daring.
These sleek machines represent a time when aviation thrilled crowds at air shows and races across America.
Look for the Howard DGA-18K, which holds special meaning as the very first plane the museum owned, having flown right here during training classes in 1942-43.
Many of these vintage aircraft don’t just look good but can still take to the skies, preserving both their beauty and function.
Walmart Founder’s First Plane Tells Stories
Sam Walton’s ERCO Ercoupe 415C sits proudly on display, connecting aviation history to Arkansas business legends.
He bought this 1946 model in 1954 while still running Ben Franklin stores, long before Walmart became a household name.
Jim Wilson from Missouri brought the plane to the museum after discovering Walton’s connection while checking old flight logs.
This silver two-seater shows the beginning of Walton’s love of flying, which later helped him build his retail empire by quickly reaching stores across the region.
Just a few steps away, warbirds remind visitors of aviation’s crucial role during global conflict.
Warbirds That Helped Win World War II
Several World War II aircraft fill the hangar, including the Aeronca L-3 observation plane that helped spot enemy positions during crucial battles.
These aircraft represent American air power during history’s largest conflict.
Sometimes famous visiting planes stop by, like “That’s All, Brother,” the actual C-47A that led paratroopers on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Each plane connects you to pivotal moments like the Normandy invasion or Pacific island-hopping campaigns that changed world history.
Choppers That Changed Modern Warfare
Vietnam-era Army helicopters include the famous Bell UH-1H Huey, whose distinctive “whop-whop” sound became synonymous with that conflict.
Standing nearby is the curved Piasecki H-21C Shawnee cargo helicopter, nicknamed “The Flying Banana” for its banana-like shape.
These rotary aircraft show how military flying tactics completely changed from earlier wars. Helicopters transformed modern combat by allowing troops to land almost anywhere, evacuation of wounded soldiers, and support from above.
Inside Look at a Military Transport Giant
You can climb aboard a C-130 Hercules for cockpit tours that put you in the pilot’s seat of military transport aviation.
This aircraft represents the Arkansas Air National Guard’s longtime use of the C-130 platform.
Friendly museum staff help guide these cockpit experiences, making the aircraft come alive through their knowledge. C-130s continue serving worldwide as one of the military’s most versatile and longest-used aircraft designs.
From Jeeps to Armored Scout Cars
Fifteen military vehicles fill the museum, including the famous Willys Jeep that became the face of American military mobility.
A WWII WC-54 Ambulance shows how battlefield medicine moved forward with vehicles built specifically for saving lives.
From the Korean War comes an M37 3/4-ton cargo truck, while a 2 1/2-ton 6×6 truck represents vehicles used during Operation Desert Storm.
Among the most eye-catching vehicles sits a British Ferret light armored scout car, showing international military design.
Power Plants That Made Flight Possible
Various aviation engines show the heart of aircraft technology, including the Curtiss OX-5, Rolls-Royce Spey, and Westinghouse J34.
The Curtiss OX-5 takes you back to aviation’s early days as the last V-engine designed by Glenn Curtiss starting in 1910.
Jump forward to the late 1940s with the Westinghouse J34 turbojet, producing at least 3,000 pounds of thrust and showing the massive shift to jet power.
By 1964, the Rolls-Royce Spey introduced turbofan technology that powered both civilian and military planes.
Black Military Pilots Who Made History
A new exhibit from early 2025 celebrates the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, focusing especially on the five who came from Arkansas.
Created by the local Jack & Jill of America teen group, this display honors Black military pilots who served during World War II despite facing discrimination.
These aviators trained from 1941-1946 and became the first African American military fighter and bomber pilots in U.S. armed forces.
You’ll also learn about Arkansas’ first Black pilot, Bessie Coleman, alongside other aviation pioneers who broke barriers.
Unveiled in February 2025, the “Black Flight” exhibit brings attention to achievements of Black aviators in military service, filling an important gap in aviation storytelling. Nearby, other displays focus on local flying heroes.
Local Flyers Who Reached New Heights
Colorful displays feature notable Arkansas aviators like Commander Richard O., highlighting homegrown contributions to flying history.
Special attention goes to trailblazers like Bessie Coleman and her significant role in state aviation history.
These exhibits emphasize Arkansas’ flying heritage through personal stories of courage and achievement. From early barnstormers to astronauts, the museum traces how Arkansans reached for the skies.
War Items From Battlefield to Home Front
Artifacts from nearly every American war fill display cases, including gas masks, home front rationing items, and captured German daggers.
Look for pieces of a Japanese Zero fighter plane, representing enemy technology faced during World War II.
Military uniforms, helmets, and personal gear help you connect with the human side of wartime experience. These smaller items provide context for the larger vehicles and aircraft throughout the museum.
Hands-On Aviation Experiences Await You
Climb into actual cockpits, especially the C-130 Hercules, for hands-on experiences that connect you with flying technology.
Museum staff provide helpful maps guiding you through three separate buildings housing different exhibits.
The museum joins the Museums for All program, offering lower prices to make visits available to more people. All buildings feature wheelchair-friendly ramps, with borrowed wheelchairs available and special “Drive-In” tours if you call ahead.
Planning Your Visit
Find the museum at 4290 South School Avenue in Fayetteville, Arkansas at Drake Field. Open Tuesday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM, the museum stays closed Sunday and Monday.
Regular tickets cost $11 for adults and $6 for children, though special events might have different prices.
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