Castle Air Museum

05/31/2026

🎉 45 Years and Counting! ✈️

On June 20, 2026, we're celebrating 45 years of preserving military aviation history at Castle Air Museum—and we want to thank the community that has supported us every step of the way.

As our way of saying thank you, all Merced County residents will receive FREE admission to the museum for the day!

Join us for a day of family fun featuring:

✈️ Access to one of the nation's premier collections of historic military aircraft
🌭 FREE hot dogs, chips, and soda
🎯 Games and activities for kids
👕 The first 45 guests through the gate will receive a FREE limited-edition 45th Anniversary t-shirt (featuring Castle's first acquired aircraft, the B-17)

For 45 years, Castle Air Museum has worked to preserve the stories, aircraft, and sacrifices that shaped aviation history. We look forward to celebrating this milestone with the community that made it possible.

Bring your family, invite your friends, and help us celebrate 45 Years and Counting!

05/30/2026

On this week's episode, join Sparkle Soojian and CAM Chairman Maj. Gen. Clay Garrison at Open Cockpit Day in front of the iconic B-52 Stratofortress.
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The new paint job on the B-52 has drawn huge crowds to Castle Air Museum for Open Cockpit Day. The lines were long all day after the official dedication.

The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s, and NASA for over 40 years. The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.

Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. The B-52 has been in service with the USAF since 1955, and NASA from 1959 to 2007. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War–era deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 Peacemaker.

Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept them in service despite the development of more advanced strategic bombers, such as the Mach 2+ Convair B-58 Hustler, the canceled Mach 3 North American XB-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry Rockwell B-1 Lancer, and the stealth Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat.

The new paint job on the B-52 has drawn huge crowds to Castle Air M...

05/23/2026

Join us at the B-52 exhibit for a special Dedication ceremony with B-52 pilot, war veteran and guest speaker, Lt. Col. Al Osborn. Dedication Ceremony begins at 10:00am, followed by Plan Talk briefs at 12:00pm and 2:00pm.

Open Cockpit Day is happening tomorrow! Gates open at 8:30am. Bring the whole family for a day of fun at your local Castle Air Museum!

05/20/2026

On this Monthly Minute update, our biggest event of the year is about to unfold! Come on out to Open Cockpit Day on Saturday, May 23rd. Live music, beer garden, Members VIP experience, pet adoptions, food vendors, military/first responder displays, and more family fun will be available alongside 80 historical aircraft. Come support your local Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California!

05/16/2026

Get to Castle Car-Free with Gold Runner | Free Admission Included!

Traveling to Open Cockpit Day has never been easier and more affordable. Gold Runner (AmTrak) riders receive 25% off train fares and FREE museum admission on the day of the event, just show your same-day Gold Runner ticket at the gate. A free round-trip shuttle, operated by Merced Transit Authority ("The Bus"), runs throughout the day between the downtown Merced Amtrak Station and the museum entrance, so there's no car, no parking, and no hassle.

Book at GoldRunner.com, select AIR as your destination, and use code V661 at checkout. Upon arrival at Merced Station, look for The Bus shuttles headed to the museum.

05/15/2026

Open Cockpit Day is almost here at Castle Air Museum! ✈️

Step inside historic military aircraft and get up close to aviation history (you can literally *smell* the history inside these planes). Explore over 80 aircraft on display, plus enjoy food vendors, live music, military & first responder displays, animal adoptions, and more — available on Open Cockpit Day only.

Bring the whole family for one of the museum’s most exciting events of the year!

05/09/2026

Meet the new faces on our Castle Air Museum executive team, on this week's episode with Sparkle Soojian, Curator Rusty Wynn, and Executive Director Jared Hines.

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We invire you to meet the new executives at Castle Air Museum. Jared Hines the new executive director and Rusty Wynn the new curator. Watch as they discuss ...

05/03/2026

Check out the B-24 Liberator on this week's episode with Sparkle Soojian and CAM Restoration Manager, Greg Stathatos.
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The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was a powerful symbol of US industrial might, with more than 18,000 produced by the war’s end. Flown in all theaters and entering the fray before America did through Lend-Lease with Great Britain, Liberators flew faster, higher and farther than the older B-17, thanks to greater fuel capacity and an innovative low-drag wing design.

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was used by the 93rd Bomb Group, the predecessor of Castle Air Force Base’s 93rd Bomb Wing. The “D” was the first B-24 to be qualified for combat. The B-24 was the only combat aircraft to serve in every theater of operations during World War II. About 1600 late model B-24s (H, G, L, and M) were delivered under Lend-Lease to Britain. The RAF used them for anti-submarine work, day bombing, and as transports. The M version was the last produced by Consolidated Aircraft.

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category.

At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. In comparison with its contemporaries, the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low-speed performance; it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24 and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles.[3][4] At approximately 18,500 units – including 8,685 manufactured by Ford Motor Company – it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history.

44 likes, 3 comments. "Inside the Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" - Castle Air Museum"

05/01/2026

Open Cockpit Day is almost here! Pre-sale tickets are available online NOW!