The San Diego Aircraft Museum is located on the USS Midway, a World War II era aircraft carrier retired in 1992 after almost 50 years of service. The lead ship of her class, she is more than 1,000 feet long and 250 wide. Built in 1943 and active in the Vietnam War and in Operation Desert Storm, she had a new hull design that provided her with better maneuverability over all previous carriers. At full capacity, she had a crew of 4,500 and a monthly payroll of $1.2 million.
The museum features exhibits, audio guides,flight simulators, and tours of the carrier, including the opportunity to visit the ship's bridge, flight deck, hangar deck, mess deck, primary flight control, Tactical Flag Command Center, staff quarters, sickbay, and an engine room.
On the hangar and flight decks, there are several restored aircraft and helicopters, including SH-3 Seaking and H-46 Sea Knight helicopters and a T-2 Buckeye, which catapulted off the carrier, going from 0 to 150 miles an hour in just three dizzying seconds.
The museum is located along the Navy Pier in Downtown San Diego.
Attraction Information
- Hours:
- 10am to 5pm daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Last admission is at 4pm
- Admission:
- Adults: $18
- Seniors (62+) and Students (with valid ID): $15
- Retired Military (with valid ID): $10
- Youth (ages 6-17): $10
- Contact:
- Address: 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA
- Phone: 619-544-9600
- Website: www.midway.org
