On October 26, 2023, leaders from the City of Hickory, the Hickory Aviation Museum, and Catawba Valley Community College (CVCC) gathered at Hickory Regional Airport to mark a major milestone with the groundbreaking of a new museum facility. The project represents a partnership between the City of Hickory, the Sabre Society of North Carolina/Hickory Aviation Museum, and CVCC, bringing aviation history, education, and workforce development together under one roof. The new facility is designed to house the museum’s collection of vintage military aircraft while serving as a center for STEM education and hands-on learning in collaboration with CVCC. When complete, the building will preserve significant aircraft while supporting aviation-focused training and career pathways for future generations.
Progress accelerated in June 2025 with the arrival of the museum’s first two aircraft inside the partially completed structure. The FM-2 Wildcat and the TO-1 Shooting Star were successfully moved indoors, marking an important step toward transforming the construction site into a functioning museum space. In early January, museum volunteers achieved another major milestone by moving the P-3C Orion into the new hangar for a test fit. The operation went smoothly, thanks in part to Skeets Wrecker Service, which assisted with the tow. Once positioned, it became clear that the aircraft will be a striking centerpiece within the facility.
The Orion will now undergo a comprehensive exterior wash, scrubbing, and application of new stencils, along with a thorough interior cleaning. Interior photos are being deliberately withheld to preserve the surprise for visitors when the museum opens later this spring, with the exact date still to be determined. The P-3C Orion arrived at Hickory Regional Airport in September 2017 following its retirement after 48 years of service with the U.S. Navy. After hundreds of volunteer man-hours dedicated to preparation and cleaning, the aircraft opened for public display in May 2018. Once installed in the new building, it will become the only complete P-3 Orion in the world displayed indoors and fully open for interior tours. While examples in Australia and New Zealand are housed inside buildings, those aircraft are displayed with major components removed. The Hickory aircraft remains intact. The Orion is one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, particularly meaningful given that several volunteers flew or maintained the type during their naval careers. The aircraft is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.
As of December 31, 2025, the Hickory Aviation Museum is closed to the public while preparations continue for the move into the new facility. Volunteers are in the process of relocating displays from the former Hickory Regional Airport passenger terminal, and all aircraft will be transferred to the new site. Many aircraft have already been restored, while others required little more than cleaning to reveal their excellent condition. The restoration team continues to make steady progress. Next in line for major work are the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, and the Stingaree. True to form, the museum is keeping the interior of the new facility under wraps, building anticipation for its long-awaited opening later this spring. For more information about the Hickory Aviation Museum, visit www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org.
