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We quickly became members of this museum because our 2 year old loved everything about it. Close up of airplanes, military jeeps and some of the most incredibly well kept WW2 planes. You can even fly in some of the old ones, although we never did. It's a unique spot and now that we moved, one of our most missed places in the area. Oh and every volunteer was incredible. Super helpful, very kind and always accommodating. Best of the best.
5* all the way! This small but mighty aviation museum packs a big punch. From the docents (who are mostly veterans and 100% adorable) to the planes you can actually get inside, this is one of the most enjoyable aviation museums I have visited. We really had no plans to come here but when we found ourselves in the area with some time on our hands we decided to stop in. We arrived at 3pm and closing time was 4pm. Normally this would be enough time for a museum of this size but the fact that they actually let you inside to explore several of the planes you'll definitely want to give yourself more time. Biggest highlight for my family was crawling through the B-17. If you're claustrophobic you might want to skip this one. Cockpit tours were done for the day when we arrived but we were able to walk up the stairs to check out each on our own. We also were able to check out the inside of the two planes outside (super hot inside these in the AZ sun). Inside the main hangar were a variety of planes, helicopters and other war and aviation paraphernalia. The docents were very friendly and offered information at several spots. They also offer flights in several of these planes. Check out their website for schedules and pricing (not cheap but I'm sure they're quite an experience). I think most will enjoy this museum. Check it out if you're in the area.
My Vietnam era Marine husband loved it. That's good enough for me. It was the highlight of the trip for him.
Small but enjoyable aviation museum. Highlights for me were the World War I planes and pilot narratives and the films on the back wall for World War II. Normally, they will take you on rides but on the day we went, the planes had been flown out to an air show. I would recommend spending some time with the docents, they are interesting and full of all sorts of information. I gather they are volunteers, so they really enjoy what they do. Parking is plentiful and there is a small gift shop.
I am NOT a military OR aviation nut but am interested in history. There is something for everyone in this museum. It is well cared for by volunteers. Insider tips: take the free docent led tour visit the gift shop for unique souvenirs allow time to read diaries & watch actual footage
Great museum. It's small but well worth the visit. Several aircraft, lots of displays with detailed info, over 100 aircraft models, and friendly docents. There's also a free tour that's very informative. Just ask a docent for time of next tour.
Nice little air force museum. Lots of veterans volunteers and it's nice to see the museum honor their history. It's not super big. There are two hangars. One hangar is the museum itself where there are planes from WWI to WWII and more modern times like the Vietnam war. You can poke your head into different fighter jet cockpits. Everything is well organized and clean. The other hanger is where they maintain or restore all the planes. Personally, I think it's a one-and-done type of museum but I definitely recommend checking it out at least once.
The Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum is worthy of afternoon of your time. They have a behind the scenes tour every Friday at 11am and 1pm. You can buy tickets at the museum or online. They have a huge collection of planes and there is lots to learn and fun things to do. I enjoyed the museum so much that I returned for a visit this past December and was disappointed to learn that it was closed till early January. Unfortunately the telephone recording stated that they were open. I recommend that you check their website before visiting just to make sure that they will be open.
I was impressed with the good selection of planes covering WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The crawl through the B-17 from the cockpit and over the bomb bay was especially memorable. Knowledgeable docents were available, along with a movie room and a gift shop. They also offer rides on some of the historic aircraft. Excellent!
Tons of volunteers & veterans sharing stories and explaining the aircraft and their impacts during service. Beautiful facility with surprising access to the insides of many of the planes and into the maintenance areas outside. Great visit!
What a cool place to visit. Those of you that know me, know I'm ALL about some history. This place is packed wall to wall with exactly that - history! Now yea yea I'm in the Army, and just hit my 17th year. So why come to an Air Force museum? Well for one, it's packed with history, and two, most of this is WWII area stuff, which we all know was the United States ARMY Air Corps. Boo-ya! #ArmyStrong Tons of WWII era memorabilia. From flight suits to radio equipment, news papers to actual planes, this place has it all. Everything is in such great condition and it's all so legit, as in nothing here is fake. Several of the planes are STILL being flown weekly. I even got a personal tour inside and out of a B-17 in the maintenance bay that was being checked out prior to a flight it was going on later that day! I could go on and on but check this out: the history is accurate, the artifacts and planes are plentiful, and the staff is AMAZING and so helpful and knowledgeable. I recommend this place to anyone! A war vet, a history enthusiast, a aviation enthusiast, old men, young kids, whoever you are, you'll probably be interested here. Oh yea, active duty military (me): 100% FREE of charge. Discounted rates for other prior service members. Go check this place out. I loved it! I was just thrilled and talking the staffs ear off and asking questions and all kinds of stuff. #Hooah #ArmyAirCorpStrong
I stopped by the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, and this is a pretty cool little museum, especially if you're into aviation or military history! The majority of the museum focuses on World War II, but they also have exhibits covering World War I, Korea, Vietnam, and even some more modern military aircraft. There's a pretty good variety of planes and helicopters to check out, including several Vietnam-era helicopters. One of the things I really liked was that they have ladders set up next to a number of the aircraft so you can actually climb up and look inside the cockpits. That's something you don't get to do at every aviation museum, and it's pretty awesome being able to see where the pilots sat and what they were working with. You can also walk through a historic C-47 Skytrain, which is really cool! You get to see the seating and the inside of the aircraft while learning about how these planes were used during wartime. Another highlight was the B-17 bomber. You can walk around it, look into the bomb bay, and see the small ladder and access areas the crew had to use to get inside. It's pretty crazy seeing just how cramped some of these aircraft were. The people working here were all really nice and knowledgeable. I believe most, if not all, are volunteers, which makes it even cooler that they're spending their time helping preserve and share this history. They also have a nice little gift shop with some interesting souvenirs, puzzles, shirts, and other aviation-related items. My only minor complaint would be the admission price. At $20 per person, it's getting pretty close to what I'd consider a little expensive for the size of the museum. It's not a massive place. I spent about an hour and a half walking around, checking out the aircraft, and reading quite a bit of the historical information. You could probably spend longer if you really wanted to read everything. Even with that, I still think it's worth the price of admission. There's a lot of interesting history packed into this museum, and being able to get up close to these historic aircraft makes it a pretty unique experience. Definitely worth checking out if you're interested in aviation, military history, or just looking for something different to do in the Mesa area! read more
1 month ago
Five glowing stars. My late father was a Decorated WW2 Veteran for HM AF and I always enjoy visiting airplane museums. This facility is entirely staffed by volunteers including Korean War Veterans! They offer rides in vintage planes including vintage bombers, cargo planes, etc. Very expensive so we passed on that. It would have been a lot of fun. There is so much to see here. The hangar is full and they have a few restored beauties outside. I so appreciate the folks who Remember ALL Veterans of the Alliance. read more
7 months ago
We quickly became members of this museum because our 2 year old loved everything about it. Close up of airplanes, military jeeps and some of the most incredibly well kept WW2 planes. You can even fly in some of the old ones, although we never did. It's a unique spot and now that we moved, one of our most missed places in the area. Oh and every volunteer was incredible. Super helpful, very kind and always accommodating. Best of the best. read more
8 months ago
5 months ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
4 years ago
5* all the way! This small but mighty aviation museum packs a big punch. From the docents (who are mostly veterans and 100% adorable) to the planes you can actually get inside, this is one of the most enjoyable aviation museums I have visited. We really had no plans to come here but when we found ourselves in the area with some time on our hands we decided to stop in. We arrived at 3pm and closing time was 4pm. Normally this would be enough time for a museum of this size but the fact that they actually let you inside to explore several of the planes you'll definitely want to give yourself more time. Biggest highlight for my family was crawling through the B-17. If you're claustrophobic you might want to skip this one. Cockpit tours were done for the day when we arrived but we were able to walk up the stairs to check out each on our own. We also were able to check out the inside of the two planes outside (super hot inside these in the AZ sun). Inside the main hangar were a variety of planes, helicopters and other war and aviation paraphernalia. The docents were very friendly and offered information at several spots. They also offer flights in several of these planes. Check out their website for schedules and pricing (not cheap but I'm sure they're quite an experience). I think most will enjoy this museum. Check it out if you're in the area. read more
Small but enjoyable aviation museum. Highlights for me were the World War I planes and pilot narratives and the films on the back wall for World War II. Normally, they will take you on rides but on the day we went, the planes had been flown out to an air show. I would recommend spending some time with the docents, they are interesting and full of all sorts of information. I gather they are volunteers, so they really enjoy what they do. Parking is plentiful and there is a small gift shop. read more
I am NOT a military OR aviation nut but am interested in history. There is something for everyone in this museum. It is well cared for by volunteers. Insider tips: take the free docent led tour visit the gift shop for unique souvenirs allow time to read diaries & watch actual footage read more
Great museum. It's small but well worth the visit. Several aircraft, lots of displays with detailed info, over 100 aircraft models, and friendly docents. There's also a free tour that's very informative. Just ask a docent for time of next tour. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Nice little air force museum. Lots of veterans volunteers and it's nice to see the museum honor their history. It's not super big. There are two hangars. One hangar is the museum itself where there are planes from WWI to WWII and more modern times like the Vietnam war. You can poke your head into different fighter jet cockpits. Everything is well organized and clean. The other hanger is where they maintain or restore all the planes. Personally, I think it's a one-and-done type of museum but I definitely recommend checking it out at least once. read more
The Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum is worthy of afternoon of your time. They have a behind the scenes tour every Friday at 11am and 1pm. You can buy tickets at the museum or online. They have a huge collection of planes and there is lots to learn and fun things to do. I enjoyed the museum so much that I returned for a visit this past December and was disappointed to learn that it was closed till early January. Unfortunately the telephone recording stated that they were open. I recommend that you check their website before visiting just to make sure that they will be open. read more
I was impressed with the good selection of planes covering WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The crawl through the B-17 from the cockpit and over the bomb bay was especially memorable. Knowledgeable docents were available, along with a movie room and a gift shop. They also offer rides on some of the historic aircraft. Excellent! read more
3 years ago
Tons of volunteers & veterans sharing stories and explaining the aircraft and their impacts during service. Beautiful facility with surprising access to the insides of many of the planes and into the maintenance areas outside. Great visit! read more
What a cool place to visit. Those of you that know me, know I'm ALL about some history. This place is packed wall to wall with exactly that - history! Now yea yea I'm in the Army, and just hit my 17th year. So why come to an Air Force museum? Well for one, it's packed with history, and two, most of this is WWII area stuff, which we all know was the United States ARMY Air Corps. Boo-ya! #ArmyStrong Tons of WWII era memorabilia. From flight suits to radio equipment, news papers to actual planes, this place has it all. Everything is in such great condition and it's all so legit, as in nothing here is fake. Several of the planes are STILL being flown weekly. I even got a personal tour inside and out of a B-17 in the maintenance bay that was being checked out prior to a flight it was going on later that day! I could go on and on but check this out: the history is accurate, the artifacts and planes are plentiful, and the staff is AMAZING and so helpful and knowledgeable. I recommend this place to anyone! A war vet, a history enthusiast, a aviation enthusiast, old men, young kids, whoever you are, you'll probably be interested here. Oh yea, active duty military (me): 100% FREE of charge. Discounted rates for other prior service members. Go check this place out. I loved it! I was just thrilled and talking the staffs ear off and asking questions and all kinds of stuff. #Hooah #ArmyAirCorpStrong read more
5 years ago
This was one of my favorite museum experiences anywhere. Besides the amazing and important subject matter, all of the staff are knowledgeable and friendly volunteers. One docent was a WWII B-17 pilot docent, many others just wanted to share their knowledge of this amazing collection. My wife and daughter enjoyed hearing the history of female factory workers and highly skilled riveters. I will be back soon. read more
5 years ago
Friends recommended this place on our journey to Phoenix. Don't expect to see hundreds of planes there, but what's more important is attention to history, the atmosphere itself, and very helpful and knowledgeable gentlemen happy to answer all the questions. We were super happy to literally walk through the B-17. Hopefully we will fly it one day! :) read more
Checked out this museum for the first time today, and boy, I had a blast! The volunteers were excellent as they were professional and knowledgeable. Had some quality conversations with them about aviation and military history. Enjoyed learning about the World War II bomber jets and the like. Also, I enjoyed the aviation film in the makeshift theater room and I bought an airplane vinyl sheet before heading out. read more
4 years ago
I loved this museum ..the volunteers are very patient and explain the significance and importance of each of the artefacts and the planes displayed here ..they are mostly of the world war era...I was happy to see the flags up there .there was even Indian flag with the US flag and several other countries ...I was transported to the era when they would have fought the war with these planes and stuff back in history ..having served the nation then they now stand glorious ....wars were and are never good but they leave behind memories which can be reminisced in the carvings and the data kept here...the engines of the aircraft ...you actually get to go up and see the cockpit of the aircraft ..there is an article of mia..I just wondered how many lives were lost in those wars back then so that we the present generation could live peacefully ..the soldiers the airforce ,the army the defense they guard our national day and night just so we could sleep in peace ..the visit to this museum brought out the patriotism in me .. Having always been in service sector and never much knew of the defense ppl but the spirit of patriotism ,the volunteers are ex servicemen who work here even on holidays and weekends and explain us so much of the heritage .I always studied in history of the wars ..I loved social studies as a subject but here I got to see first hand experience and insight of the people who fought the war ...the brain buckets ,the technology used back then . The medals ,the flag ,the planes they all brought to me memories and I remembered all the unsung heroes of all the countries who just protect the nation and lay down their lives for we civilians ...we must learn to respect them ,to make this world a better place so that their sacrifices do not go wasted .I loved this museum a lot !! It kind of made my day !! read more
8 years ago
Our family enjoyed a wonderful experience at the Arizona Commemorative Air Museum. My brother also bought his lady a special birthday flight in their Stearman Model 75 Biplane! She had quite the day! Our appreciation to the outstanding crew who made our visit so memorable and who keep history alive at the Arizona Commemorative Air Museum! Hook 'em! read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
9 years ago
If you are an airplane buff you will love this place. I walked through a B-17 and a C-47. The B-17 is still flying, you could literally see the oil from the big radials. The people working there are the nicest you will meet. At least half of the planes are still flown regularly. They were servicing five planes in their hangar with unbelievable access. I could literally walk up to all the planes. But remember look but don't touch. The day I was there they were helping a WWII vet through the B-17! Awesome! read more
4 years ago
Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately even at 10am at opening, in July it was miserably hot in there. Expected though as it is in an aircraft hangar. It was a great collection! read more
13 years ago
I could not believe how cool this place is! My little cutie pie was not too enthused when I told him we were coming here. He's more of a natural outdoorsy science kid. Right when I parked our vehicle, his eyes lit up. I have to admit, mine did too! Military planes everywhere! Veterans walking around, eager to talk about their stories were one of the highlights of our trip! I could not peel my son off the inside the B-17 Bomber plane! WWII, Korean and Vietnam memorabilia galore! I wish we had one of my uncles here to tell us of their experience. I can't wait to take hubby here. He'd definitely appreciate all the marvels of engineering. read more
8 years ago
Interesting, though the main planes were missing it was still interesting to see the others and learn the history. Also to see how much the technology has changed. If you don't really like old planes, cars, etc you really wouldn't be into this and I would say shy away. read more
15 years ago
Let me preface by mentioning that I'm a sucker for every and all Aerospace/Aircraft museums... Located at Falcon Field in Mesa, AZ, this museum is in close proximity to the now closed Champlin Fighter Museum (Champlin exhibits were purchased and are now on display at the Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA). While not nearly as extensive as the Champlin museum used to be, it does have one important and very cool draw... the "Sentimental Journey", a restored WWII era B-17. What makes this B-17 special is that they allow you to get a taste of what it was like to be a WWII airmen by climbing through the hatch and crawling through the very cramped interior of the aircraft! It is an eye opening experience to get a taste of how brave these men used to be as they loaded up for each bombing raid, knowing they would be traveling in those small, cold, and dangerous conditions. The remainder of the museum contains about a dozen other aircraft primarily from the WWII era with a couple of Cold War jets (F-4 and MiG-21) thrown in for fun. There are a few very interesting stories and biographies covering local Mesa WWII heroes on the walls and a few fun exhibits covering the Women Air Service Pilots (WASP's), Doolittle Raiders, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Otherwise, this is one of the smaller aircraft museums I've been to. It will take you about two hours to see it all, although there were several volunteers working who probably have a story or two to add about each exhibit. Highlight: Walking across the 6 inch wide catwalk inside the "Sentimental Journey" with the bomb-bay doors open. It is hard not to image what it must have been like flying above enemy territory at 20,000 ft with enemy fighters and anti-aircraft artillery trying to kill you! Definitely worth the admission charge (~$6 for most). Active military is free! read more
8 years ago
This was so much fun. I am not interested in airplanes but took my friend because he is very much into them. I found it fascinating and wished we had had more time to spend. The volunteers were kind and courteous as well as being knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge. The videos were interesting, the several historical planes were fascinating and the visual descriptions were very complete. Loved it and will definitely return. read more
8 years ago
My almost 3 year old son absolutely loved it here! It's a bunch of planes in a big display room for the most part and they were all cool to check out. There were much larger planes outside and one transport plane that people can board and walk around in - that was his favorite part. On the way home, he kept telling me he wanted to go back and see the airplanes. We don't live close by but I hope to bring him back again. read more
6 years ago
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More info about Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum
2017 N Greenfield Rd
Mesa, AZ 85215
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(480) 924-1940
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http://www.azcaf.org
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CAF Airbase Arizona has a 30,000 square foot, air-conditioned exhibition hangar operated as a museum year-round.
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12 years ago
