Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum

10/22/2026

Yesterday, the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum reached an exciting milestone: the topping-out ceremony marking the installation of the final steel girder in the framework of our new Museum at Great Park in Irvine, the former home of MCAS El Toro!

Hosted by our construction partner, Snyder Langston, the celebration brought together FLAM leadership, the Mayor of Irvine, City Council members, and the hardworking construction team helping bring our vision to life.

Here's what we're building:
Approximately 130,600 square feet
More than 40 historic Marine Corps aircraft spanning generations of aviation history
Interactive and experiential exhibits
STEAM educational experiences for students and visitors of all ages

As the only museum dedicated entirely to Marine Corps Aviation, FLAM will honor the Marines who flew, maintained, and supported these aircraft in peace and war—while inspiring future generations through education, innovation, and patriotism.

The final girder is in place, and our Museum is taking shape! We are grateful to Snyder Langston, the City of Irvine, our construction team, donors, supporters, and the Marine Corps Aviation community for helping make this dream a reality.

We're building more than a museum. We're building a legacy.

Educate. Honor. Preserve.

09/17/2026

History came full circle this week at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum this week.

We were honored to welcome former California Governor Pete Wilson to our hangar, where we had the opportunity to share the aircraft, artifacts, and stories that preserve the legacy of Marine Corps aviation.

Governor Wilson has his own connection to the Corps. After attending Yale on an ROTC scholarship, he served three years as a U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer.

And there was an especially meaningful connection to his visit: decades ago, when President Ronald Reagan arrived at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, he was welcomed by Pete Wilson and Brig. Gen. David Shuter.

So we recreated the moment with our very own Brig. Gen. David Shuter.

Then. And now.

Different decade. Different photograph. Same spirit of service, and the same connection to El Toro.

We are grateful to Governor Wilson for visiting and for taking the time to experience the Museum and the history we work every day to preserve.

Educate. Honor. Preserve.

09/08/2026

Fantastic work! FLAM is working hard to finish our new museum in early 2028 so we can bring this beautiful aircraft back home.

09/02/2026

81 years ago today, September 2, 1945, the Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, officially bringing World War II to an end.

But the end of a war is more than a date in history.

It represents the millions of men and women who served, the families who waited at home, and the countless sacrifices made across the battlefields and skies of the Pacific.

For the United States Marine Corps, aviation played a vital role throughout the Pacific campaign. From the Solomon Islands and Tinian to Okinawa and Iwo Jima, Marine aviators flew into some of the most demanding conditions of the war.

These aren't simply photographs. They are pieces of someone's story.

Today, we remember the men and women who served during World War II, and especially the Marine aviators whose courage, skill, and sacrifice helped shape the course of the war in the Pacific.

81 years later, we remember.
We honor. We preserve.

🇺🇸 Lest we forget.

Photos include: Colonel Walter W. Wensinger, Commanding Officer of the 23rd Marines, dictating a report on Tinian Island,1944. VMF-323 "Death Rattlers" Major Dorroh Waving on the Wing of Vought Corsair at Kadena Airfield, Okinawa, April 1945. VMF-323 Ace Capt. Joseph V. Dillard (2nd from right) standing next to Major General Francis P. Mulcahy (middle) and other squadron members. Solomon Islands, 1940s. Courtesy of Thomas Dillard, Capt. Joseph V. Dillard Collection. Iwo Jima from the top of Mt Subarachi, 1940s. Two Douglass SBD Dauntlesses midflight in the Pacific. This picture was taken from the window of a Douglass R4D-1 flying with South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command (S**T). Courtesy of Roz Hodgins, Col. William K. Snyder Collection.

08/14/2026

Help Us Bring a KC-130 Cockpit to Life -

Today, the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum has the opportunity to preserve one of the most iconic pieces of Marine Corps aviation history, the cockpit of a KC-130 Hercules.

07/29/2026

This week we sent our Chief Operating Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Grant Williams, to the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the restoration completion ceremony of SBD-1 Dauntless, Bureau Number 1612.
This aircraft is one of a kind, the only one left in the world. It crashed in 1942, sat at the bottom of Lake Michigan until it was salvaged in 1994, and has spent the last four years in the hands of the Air Zoo's remarkable restoration team. Calling that an intensive restoration is an understatement.
The Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum will receive the aircraft next summer, ahead of our grand opening in 2028.
We're proud to partner with an organization as professional as the Air Zoo. Give them a follow and go visit their museum. It's worth the trip.

Yesterday, we celebrated the incredible work our Restoration Crew has put into the SBD-1 Dauntless! See their hard work and dedication up close by visiting our Restoration Center during your next visit.

07/14/2026

The foundation is being poured... and history is taking shape! 🇺🇸✈️

Today marks one of the most exciting milestones in the construction of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum as 660 cubic yards of concrete are being poured into the museum's foundation!

Just weeks ago, this site was an empty pad. Today, it is becoming the permanent home of more than 50 historic Marine Corps aircraft, thousands of artifacts, and immersive educational experiences that will inspire future generations.

Every truckload of concrete, every footing, and every beam brings us one step closer to opening the doors to a museum that will honor the extraordinary legacy of Marine Corps aviation.

Over the coming weeks, crews will continue pouring concrete, installing the V***r Intrusion Mitigation System (VIMS), and preparing for one of the biggest milestones yet, the raising of the museum's steel columns and roof trusses!

This is more than construction...
It's the beginning of a legacy.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this journey. Together, we're building a place where history will live on for generations.

If you'd like to be part of building this incredible museum, please consider making a donation today!

07/04/2026

Today we celebrate the birth of our nation and honor the generations of Marines who have defended the freedoms we cherish.

For nearly 250 years, the United States Marine Corps has answered our nation's call with courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment. The aircraft, artifacts, and stories we preserve represent the brave men and women who stood ready to protect liberty around the world.

As we gather with family and friends this Independence Day, we remember those who made these celebrations possible.

Thank you to all who have served.

Wishing you and your family a safe and meaningful Fourth of July!

❤️🤍💙

06/01/2026

Our newest restoration project, the legendary F-5 Tiger II, has officially arrived at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum!

The aircraft was delivered to the hangar, and our team was excited to watch the wings being installed as the next phase of restoration begins. The F-5 may be small, but it has a big legacy. Known for its speed, agility, and reliability, the aircraft has served around the world for decades and is still used by Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) to train today's fighter pilots in realistic adversary combat scenarios.

As work continues on the F-4S Phantom, Lady Ace CH-46E, and many other aircraft in our collection, we're thrilled to add the F-5 to the growing list of restoration projects that will eventually be on display in our new museum. The aircraft was generally donated to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum by the team at Tactical Air Support, Inc.

Want to help preserve aviation history? Consider sponsoring an aircraft or making a donation to support these incredible restoration efforts.

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation. Memorial Day is more than a holiday; it is a solemn reminder of the extraordinary sacrifice made by generations of Americans who answered the call to defend freedom.

At the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, we honor the courage, service, and legacy of those who never came home. Their sacrifice lives on through the stories we preserve, the aircraft we restore, and the generations we educate.
As we gather with family and friends today, may we also take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of this day and remember the fallen heroes who made our freedoms possible.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” -John 15:13
We remember. We honor. We will never forget.