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| Established | 1985 |
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| Location | Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada. |
| Coordinates | 48°57′09″N54°37′22″W / 48.952423°N 54.622791°W /48.952423; -54.622791 |
| Type | Aviation Museum |
| Website | North Atlantic Aviation Museum |
TheNorth Atlantic Aviation Museum is anaviation museum located in the town ofGander, Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada.
The association to establish the museum was formed in 1985 and the museum opened to the public in 1996.[1]
The museum contains 4 primary sections; the construction ofGander International Airport and Gander's involvement inWorld War II, particularly with regards toRAF Ferry Command. Second is a section regarding International and transatlantic civilian travel. Next is a section onEastern Provincial Airways as well as international flights fromEastern Bloc nations, theSoviet Union andCuba. Finally, there is a section on Gander's participation during 9/11 when over 6700 passengers were rerouted toGander International Airport, with a steel beam from the World Trade Center on permanent display. Various other displays and artifacts are scattered around the museum, including an operationalRolls-Royce Merlin engine produced byPackard, aLink Trainer, ade Havilland Tiger Moth and the oldest known mercurybarometer in Newfoundland.
Aviation has played a crucial role in the development of Gander. The original airport, then known as the Newfoundland Airport, was completed in 1938 with the first landing on January 11 of that year. It was a major refueling stop fortransatlantic flights starting during theSecond World War (RAF Ferry Command and laterRAF Transport Command) and continuing until the increased range of commercial jetliners eliminated the need for refueling. Gander earned the nickname "Crossroads of the world" at the height of its civil aviation role. Gander was used for test flights ofConcorde starting in 1974. On September 11, 2001, Gander played host to 6700 people stranded on redirected and rerouted US-bound international flights.[2]
The museum's static displays include: anF-101 Voodoo, aLockheed Hudson,[3] a "Canso"waterbomber (derived from thePBY Catalina), ade Havilland Tiger Moth, and aBeechcraft Model 18-S. In the front of the building the tail of a 1930s-era DouglasDC-4 was used as an awning, but has since been removed. The cockpit of the same plane is located on the back of the building and can be accessed from inside.
The museum is affiliated with:CMA,CHIN, andVirtual Museum of Canada.
