Connecticut Air & Space Center

The Army Engine Plant/Stratford (AEP/S) property is located at 550 South Main Street in Stratford, Connecticut. The 126-acre AEP/S property is occupied by a U.S. government-owned, contractor-operated manufacturing facility comprising numerous manufacturing buildings. The operator was Textron Lycoming, a Division of AVCO Corporation, a contractor to the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command. The AEP/S property is bordered by industrial properties to the north; the Housatonic River to the east; a marsh which was a former landfill, to the south; and Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport to the west.

Prior to 1927, the site was farmland. The property was developed in 1927 for Sikorsky Aircraft. In 1939, one of the world's first successful commercial helicopters, the Sikorsky VS-300,[2] was developed in Stratford by Igor Sikorsky and flown at his plant.[3] The Chance Vought Aircraft company designed and constructed the Vought F4U Corsair as well as several other seaplanes and fighters until they moved in 1949. The Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division in Stratford built a total of 7,829 F4U fighters and these planes saw extensive combat in the Pacific Theatre of operations during World War II, and played a supporting role in the Korean War.[4] The Lycoming company produced Wright radial engines at the site and after World War II, the plant was converted to produce turbines. The site (then owned by the Air Force) was transferred to the U.S. Army in 1976. Because of the Base Realignment and Closure actions of the United States Department of Defense, closure of the plant was recommended in July 1995. The plant officially closed in October 1998.[5] [6]

Around the same time in 1998, numerous aviation minded preservationists began meeting to discuss the need for an air museum in Stratford to chronical the area's amazing list of aviation achievements. Led by Doc Gunther, the Connecticut Aerospace Hall of Fame Inc was founded that same year.

Around 2001 the Connecticut Air & Space Center received a "right of entry" into a portion of the Stratford Army Engine Plant. This included Building 6 (the original Research and Development wing of Chance Vought built in 1945) and building 53, a pre-fab metal storage building. The entire complex is separated from the main plant via Sniffins Lane and sits on 8 acres, consisting of 6 buildings, of which only 2 are operational. The location was opened to the public around 2002, but with one major restriction. Since the site is controlled by the federal government (and being a former heavy industrial facility) visitors must be 18 years of age or older to visit the site, receive a 5 min safety briefing, and sign a waiver before entering.

From 2001 until 2021 the Connecticut Air & Space Center solely operated out of this location and under these restrictions, not being able to be fully open to all ages. This precipitated the need for numerous external events to fundraise outside of the Army Engine Plant, namely the annual Corsair Car Show. In that time, the museum grew, expanding the collection to over 14 aircraft, alongside dozens of showcases and exhibits that were created simultaneously.

In 2012 the museum was damaged by Hurricane Sandy.[7] Over a foot of water flooded the entire facility, destroying and damaging numerous items / artifacts / aircraft / etc. Since then the museum has made a full recovery and created numerous contingency / disaster plans for any future storms.

With the opening of the publicly accessible museum (located in the "Blue Building" of the Curtiss Hangar across the street) Building 6 has since reverted to the restoration workshop / storage location. It is the intention of the Connecticut Air & Space Center to remain in Building 6 permanently to later develop the space as a world-class state-of-the-art restoration facility, complete with extensive workshops, classrooms, offices, facilities, display areas, etc.

Around 2010, museum officials began looking for an external location (outside the Stratford Army Engine Plant) to display the growing collection of aircraft and exhibits. It was quickly decided that the most appropriate location was also one of the closest in proximity to the plant. The Curtiss Hangar was (at the time) in a heavy state of decay and was in serious jeopardy with no signs of any rescue.

In 2015 the Connecticut Air & Space Center (working with the Town of Stratford and City of Bridgeport) was able to secure a 98-year lease for the dilapidated Curtiss Aircraft Hangar. A project plan was formed to see the significant structure restored back to its former glory when it was built in 1929. A groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration took place in May 2016.[8] Since then all of the crumbling brickwork has been removed, along with the entire original wooden rooftop, tanks, and other smaller items. In 2018 a $1 million grant from the state was issued to the project.[9]

On May 29, 2021, the Connecticut Air & Space Center hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony, celebrating the grand opening of a portion of the 1929 Curtiss Hangar to the public, and the completion of "Phase 1" in the restoration project plan for the building.[10] The "Blue Hangar" as it's become known, is a pre-fab metal hangar that was added onto the back of the Curtiss Hangar in the late sixties. The hangar was refurbished to become the first fully publicly accessible portion of the museum since its inception back in 1998. This space currently displays the FG-1D Corsair, Sikorsky S-52 (HO52-1), OH-6 Cayuse, S-60 Cockpit Cab, M2-Pack 75mm Howitzer Cannon, and numerous displays / exhibits. A small giftshop, bathroom, and presentation area are also located inside the museum. Is it currently open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am-4pm (barring any major holidays).

CASC officials are working tirelessly with local town and state officials to accelerate the project and begin "Phase 2" of the restoration of the main hangar. It is hoped that construction will begin in late Spring of 2022.

Of the 18 aircraft currently in the museum's collection, seven are display ready, five are in active restoration, and six are in storage.

• Bell 47 / H-13 Sioux:

In 2004 the H. H. Ellis Technical School in Danielson, Connecticut donated the Bell 47 to the museum. The airframe was primarily restored by teachers and students at the school before being donated. The airframe sat for 22 years until 2021 when the airframe was finally put into the restoration queue. The largest item still needed for the project is the plexiglass bubble. It is anticipated the project to be completed in one to two years.

• Cessna T-37 Tweet:

In 2003 the Cessna T-37 arrived (along with the T-33 and T-38) from AMARC in Arizona. The T-37's cockpit was restored around 2013 by then Director, Drew King. The full restoration of the airframe didn't start until 2020. Since then, numerous missing pieces have been fabricated including fairings, covers, and small components. The project is expected to be completed and debuted by April 2022. It will be put on outside display, outside of the Curtiss Aircraft Hangar.

• Goodyear FG-1D Corsair, BuNo: 92460:

Known colloquially as the "Sikorsky Memorial Corsair", FG-1D Corsair BuNo: 92460 was originally built by the Goodyear Aircraft Company of Akron, Ohio under license by Chance Vought. She was accepted by the US Navy on 7/22/45. Too late to see any combat, she saw service with VMF-314, along with various Naval Air Reserve Stations. By 1955, 92460 was mothballed with the majority of the rest of the Corsair fleet at NAS Litchfield Park in Arizona. In 1957 the Corsair was stricken from the Navy's inventory along with 20 other Corsairs in a package deal to the El Salvadorian Air Force. By 1969, the Corsair was retired to a boneyard in El Salvador. Around the same time Nick Mainero (then Bridgeport Airport Manager and WWII Marine Corsair Pilot) wanted to erect a Corsair monument in Stratford to honor the pilots and factory workers who worked on the Corsair. Nick traveled to El Salvador, where he negotiated a deal for one of the derelict fighters in their junkyard. Picking the most complete airframe (along with a set of wings) the aircraft was eventually shipped aboard a freighter to Floyd Bennet Field in New York. From there the plane was "slung" underneath a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane and flown to the Sikorsky Airport (then Bridgeport Airport). Romeo A. Lalli, a local aerospace contractor, was hired to cosmetically restore the Corsair to display condition. Lalli and his team replaced many panels on the aircraft with new sheetmetal, including sheeting the entire cockpit section over. After a year of restoration, the plane was ready to be installed onto a specially made concrete pedestal at the airport in 1971. For decades the Corsair would remain perched high atop its pedestal with occasional washes, and repaints, but the venerable WWII fighter would change minimally for over four decades.

Thirty seven years later, time and neglect had taken their toll from sitting in the salt marsh (so close to Long Island Sound), the Corsair had become a giant battery, dissolving itself back to the base elements through galvanic corrosion. In 2006–07, after multiple inspections of the aircraft, it became apparent that the aircraft had deteriorated to the point that her structural integrity was now in question. In 2007 the museum was entrusted by the City of Bridgeport with the restoration of the former gate guard. The much locally discussed Corsair was finally removed from the pedestal in 2008. With many of the structural wing spars badly corroded and compromised, it is believed that if the airframe remained outside during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it would have been torn off its mountings and destroyed. Work began in earnest with the aircraft being moved to the adjacent Stratford School For Aviation where the wings were removed. After-which the plane was moved across the airport to the Connecticut Air & Space Center for a full restoration to static display. Upon removing multiple access panels and skins, it was discovered that the corrosion was much more extensive and far reaching than previously anticipated. A deal was struck with Warbird restoration shop, Ezell Aviation, to see the center section of the fighter plane transported to Breckenridge, Texas, to have the spars repaired, main landing gear / tail-wheel gear sourced and installed, as well as several smaller issues corrected. This one-year trip to Texas saved the CASC Restoration Team 3–5 years of additional work. On September 8, 2013, the Corsair was rolled out again on her own landing gear and wheels for the first time in over 42 years. On August 30, 2014, her wings were also installed for the first time, though they are routinely removed for additional work. In early 2021 the airframe was painted Gloss Sea Blue, as she would have looked in 1945. In May 2021 the Corsair went on display in the "Blue Building" at the Curtiss Hangar. The airframe is around 90% complete. Wings, control surfaces, and smaller systems still need to be restored / overhauled. It is considered by many to be the jewel of the collection and remains an active project while on display.

• Hughes OH-6 Cayuse / Loach (67-16477):

Built around 1967, the museum's OH-6 Cayuse 67-16477 served with the 101st Airborne, 2nd Brigade, Brandy Wine Company in Vietnam. Logging over 2200 hours, the small but resilient helicopter was shot down, and recovered twice. By 1972 the Cayuse was transferred stateside to Fort Rucker and joined the Silver Eagles, an Army stunt flight team until 1974. It was then transferred to the 1st Battalion, 342nd Aviation, ARNG, based at Albany County airport in New York. By 1991 she was then moved to the 1/142 Aviation Brigade, ARNG based at Rochester, NY. By this point the helicopter was considered surplus to military needs, and was made avliable to other departments and branches. Finding new life with the Westchester County Police Department Aviation Unit at the Westchester County Airport in New York, the OH-6 would be deployed across the tri-state area for the next 18 years. In 2013 the Cayuse was donated to the Connecticut Air & Space Center. Restoration started in earnest by Drew King, then director of the CASC. After two years, the combat vet emerged in accurate markings she wore in Vietnam while serving in the 101st Airborne, 2nd Brigade, Brandy Company. In May 2021 the OH-6 went on display in the "Blue Building".

• Sikorsky S-52 / H05S:

The first restoration project at the Connecticut Air & Space Center included a pair of Sikorsky S-52 (HO5S) helicopters. In 2003 a complete S-52 / HO5S (owned by the National Museum of the Marine Corps) was acquired for restoration and display with the intention of reverse engineering and fabricating all of the missing components for the museum's own example. The restoration of the Marine Corps' airframe was completed in 2020 and went on display in the "Blue Building" at the Curtiss Hangar in 2021. While still missing several major components, the CASC S-52 has progressed to a point that it can sit on its own landing gear. It is still an active project and requires additional volunteers.

• Sikorsky S-55 / H-19 Chickasaw (52-7573):

In 2004 the H. H. Ellis Technical School in Danielson, Connecticut donated the S-55 / H-19B to the museum. It remained in storage for many years until CASC member Cliff Fava began planning out the project. The restoration was started around 2015 and was completed by the end of 2018.

• Sikorsky S-60 Flying Crane Prototype:

In 2010 the remains of the one-of-a-kind Sikorsky S-60 Flying Crane prototype was acquired from the New England Air Museum for restoration and promptly transported to Stratford. The cockpit section was mostly completed by 2018, though it will require a repaint. Simultaneously the center section, wing spar, and rear fuselage section are all progressing as well, with most of the torn wreckage removed and replaced with new metal. In 2020 the complete fabrication of the missing tail section began. It remains an active long-term project.

• Whitehead No.21 (replica):

In 1986 Andrew Kosch (local high school teacher and future CASC member) led a team which built a replica of Gustave Whitehead's No.21 "Condor". The replica, called 21B, had few changes: the landing gear track was increased for better ground handling and two ultralight aircraft engines were used in place of the original steam and acetylene engines (the exact construction remains a mystery). On December 29, 1986, Kosch made 20 successful flights, the longest being 100 m (330 ft). The reproduction was also shown at the 1986 Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-In. In 1986, Cliff Robertson flew the reproduction while under tow behind a sports car, for the benefit of the press. After which the replica was put in storage at Kay William's Captain's Cove in Bridgeport for many years. In 2007 Andy decided to bring the replica to the Connecticut Air & Space Center to restore it back to like-new condition. The overhaul took around 1.5 years to complete. Since then, the replica has been displayed at dozens of events across the state, and was featured in a segment of the Travel Channel show, Mysteries at the Museum, where museum volunteer's assisted the film production with not only the replica, but constructed period sets, and era dressed reenactors for the 1900 reenactment scenes. The replica is on display outside the Curtiss Hangar and external events during the warmer months.

Aircraft on the short list to be put in the restoration queue next is the Lockheed T-33 / TV-2 Shooting Star, Cessna O-2A Skymaster, and Sikorsky S-76 (donated to the museum in 2016).[11]

• Bede BD-5
• Bell 47[12]
• Cessna T-37B Tweet 57-2346[13]
• Cessna O-2A Skymaster 67-21318[14]
• Cessna 150L 15074606[15][16]
• Christen Eagle II[17] Serial #1
• Goodyear FG-1D Corsair 92460 – Previously located on a pedestal at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport.[18]
• Hiller OH-23B Raven 51-16225[19]
• Hughes OH-6A Cayuse 67-16477[20]
• Lockheed T-33B 57-6558[21]
• Northrop T-38A Talon 60-0900[22]
• Sikorsky S-52[23]
• Sikorsky S-52[23]
• Sikorsky S-55 52-7573[24]
• Sikorsky S-58[25]
• Sikorsky S-60[26]
• Sikorsky S-76
• Whitehead No. 21 Replica[27] – Achieved powered flight at Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport in December 1986, piloted by Andy Kosch.[28]

• List of aerospace museums

• Boyle, Doe (2008). Fun with the Family Connecticut, 7th: Hundreds of Ideas for Day Trips with the Kids (Fun with the Family Series). GPP Travel. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-7627-4776-4.
• Burgeson, John (6 January 2013). "Group has high-flying hopes for Corsair, and the ancient hangar it will call home". CT Post. Hearst Media Services Connecticut. Retrieved 2 December 2017.