The museum promoted aviation education, research and American aviation heritage. The museum provided aircraft restoration, maintained and displayed historically significant vintage aircraft, some of which were in flyable condition, and maintained an aviation collections department featuring aviation artwork.
History
The aircraft collection held by the museum began as the personal collection of businessman Jim Cavanaugh. His collection began with the purchase of a half-share in a 1939 Piper J-3 Cub in 1980.[4] The museum opened in October 1993.[5]
On December 29, 2023, the museum announced it would be closing indefinitely on January 1, 2024.[6][7] A spokesperson for the town of Addison told WFAA that the museum's lease had been terminated to allow the site to be redeveloped as new hangars, office space, and parking. The museum said that its aircraft would be moved to North Texas Regional Airport in Denison, Texas, but it would not state whether the collection would be returned to public display.[8]
Exhibits and collections
The flight museum housed an aviation art gallery that includes pieces from Keith Ferris, Roy Grinnell, William Phillips, John Shaw, Stan Stokes, Robert Taylor, and Nicholas Trudgian.
B-29 "FiFi" Project
In a January 2008 press release,[9] the Commemorative Air Force and the Cavanaugh Flight Museum pledged $1.2M USD to re-engine FiFi, a B-29 Superfortress. The pledge was made by Jim Cavanaugh, museum founder. As a result of the contribution, FiFi was returned to flight status, and the B-29/B-24 Squadron of the CAF was relocated from Midland, Texas, to Addison Airport. The B-24 and the B-29 were, for the six months of each year they were not on tour, kept and maintained at Addison. FiFi was sent to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth during winter.
FiFi was based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum until 2013, when it was relocated to the Vintage Flying Museum at Meacham.
^Marvel, Bill (1993-10-26). "A Crowded Plane Field; The opening of a third Dallas-area aviation museum is fueled by a growing interest in our airborne heritage". The Dallas Morning News. Newsbank ID 0ED3D3C02B19FAC7.
