From looking at the outside of the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa, Idaho, you probably wouldn’t expect one of the largest and most impressive war memorabilia collections to be inside. Once you step inside the two humongous airplane hangars, you’ll be blown away by just how much there is to see. The massive and incredibly restored planes will be what first grabs your attention, but it’s the veteran’s personal stories that you’ll get to hear that makes a visit to this museum so special.
This 40,000 square foot museum is home to some incredible history. The stories and the objects that go along with it can't be found anywhere else in the country. The Warhawk Air Museum first and foremost specializes in the restoration of rare fighter planes to put on display for the public.
Some of these planes are extremely unique with only a few remaining in the world, including two Curtiss P-40 World War II fighter airplanes and one extremely rare World War II P-51C razorback Mustang fighter airplane. These planes are so perfectly restored it's hard to believe they are generations old!
What makes seeing these planes so incredible are the stories that go along with them. You learn the personal history behind each plane, including the stories of the pilots who flew them.
The museum recently launched a project called the Veterans History Project. This project works to collect the personal stories of as many veterans as possible by interviewing and videotaping them.
The project is an amazing effort towards preserving the stories of the people who risked their lives for this country.
After you're done learning about the planes, you can make your way through the massive displays of other war memorabilia. There's so much to see that you could spend all day at the museum and not see it all.
The displays include items from every branch of the military and most wars including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Every item in the museum has been donated and comes with specific information regarding it. Every display includes binders of information filled with photographs and letters. You aren't just reading the soldier's name and moving on. You're learning all about them and seeing actual personal items that belonged to them.
Many of the museum's volunteers are veterans who have their personal stories to tell along with educating about the history of a specific item. It's clear that the Warhawk Air Museum has great respect for the veterans and their stories. A visit to this museum means an intimate and incredibly educational experience regarding important eras of American history. The Warhawk is easily one of the most unique and insightful war museums in the entire country!
Have you been to the Warhawk Air Museum? Share your experiences with us in the comments!
