On May 15, 2026, the Hickory Aviation Museum officially celebrated the grand opening of its long-awaited new hangar facility at Hickory Regional Airport in Hickory, North Carolina. The ribbon-cutting ceremony welcomed approximately 200 invited guests and marked a major milestone for the museum, whose remarkable growth we have followed over the years here at Vintage Aviation News.
(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
Guests gathered beneath the museum’s Blue Angels F/A-18A “Legacy” Hornet, displayed prominently in front of a massive American flag backdrop, while speakers reflected on the museum’s decades-long journey. Among those addressing attendees were Hickory Mayor Hank Guess, museum benefactor Frank Drendel, and retired U.S. Navy Commander Frank “Walleye” Weisser, a former two-time Blue Angels lead solo pilot who famously flew the museum’s Hornet into Hickory in November 2020. Weisser is also well known for performing many of the low-level flying sequences featured in Top Gun: Maverick.
(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
The ceremonial ribbon was cut by brothers Kregg and Kyle Kirby, whose aviation preservation efforts laid the foundation for the museum nearly four decades ago. Their dream began after rescuing an FJ-3M Fury from a city park in Taylorsville, North Carolina. From there, the collection steadily expanded with aircraft such as the Republic F-105B Thunderchief and Ling-Temco-Vought A-7A Corsair II, while a growing team of volunteers dedicated countless hours to restoration work.
(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
The museum achieved another major milestone in May 2007 when it opened inside the former Hickory Regional Airport terminal building. As VAN readers may recall from our previous coverage, the museum’s collection rapidly expanded in the years that followed, including several aircraft that were flown into Hickory upon retirement. The organization soon became a well-known destination for aviation enthusiasts throughout the Southeast. Planning for the new facility began during the early 2020s through a partnership involving the Hickory Aviation Museum, the City of Hickory, and Catawba Valley Community College. The resulting multi-use building would not only house the museum’s expanding aircraft collection, but also provide educational space for CVCC programs. After multiple revisions and years of planning, ground was finally broken in the fall of 2023.
The massive new structure was specifically designed to accommodate the museum’s Lockheed P-3C Orion without removing any flight surfaces — an impressive achievement in itself. During construction, volunteers continued restoring aircraft while maintaining normal museum operations, despite many aircraft having spent decades exposed to the elements outdoors.
(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
The museum officially reopened to the public on May 16, 2026, with free admission offered for opening day celebrations. Crowds began arriving well before the scheduled 10:00 a.m. opening, and museum staff ultimately opened the doors early as visitors lined the street outside the facility. Visitors entering the atrium were immediately greeted by the sight of a suspended U.S. Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter. Throughout the hangar, beautifully restored aircraft now hang from overhead beams alongside exhibits honoring aviation figures with ties to Hickory and North Carolina.
One of the most popular attractions proved to be the museum’s Lockheed P-3C Orion, currently the only fully intact P-3 Orion displayed indoors anywhere in the world. Four volunteer docents — all former Orion crew members — guided visitors through the aircraft, with some guests reportedly waiting up to two hours for the opportunity. Opening day attendance ultimately reached an impressive 3,536 visitors.
The museum’s restoration team continues work on several important projects, including what may become one of the collection’s crown jewels: the sole surviving Curtiss XF15C-1 Stingaree. Additional exhibits featuring artifacts long kept in storage are also planned for future display. For more information, visit the Hickory Aviation Museum website at www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org.
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(Image credit: Hickory Aviation Museum/BIll Baker)
