As reported in the Hickory Record, on Tuesday, June 21st the Hickory City Council approved a $1.2 million contract with the architecture firm McMillian Pazdan Smith for the design of the building. Deputy City Manager Rodney Miller told the council the total cost for the new building will be $22 million. Catawba Valley Community College will have a new workforce facility at the Hickory Regional Airport in a building that also will serve as the new home for the Hickory Aviation Museum.
The Hickory Aviation Museum is located at the Hickory Regional Airport (HKY) in Hickory North Carolina and is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organization. The interior of the Hickory Aviation has artifacts and memorabilia ranging from WWII to the present day. Including an exhibit about famed North Carolinians Bill and George Preddy, provided by the Preddy Foundation. Models are on display which depict how aircraft designs changed over time from the Wright Flyer of 1903 to the present-day F/A-18 Hornet. The Naval Aviation Annex is located in the old baggage claim area. Various artifacts are on display including an F-14 Camera Pod, two 20mm Vulcan cannons, one carried in an F-14, the other in a F/A-18 Hornet. USN and USMC uniforms are on display along with models of a WWII-era aircraft carrier and a modern Nimitz Class Carrier.
As we reported previously, the Marine Corps decided to permanently close its only museum devoted solely to aviation on March 28th, 2021 — an unfortunate decision which the institution’s foundation and volunteers had worked hard to avoid for the past decade. Subsequent to its closing, however, came the thorny issue of where to place the aircraft within its collection. As we noted on August 2,2021, their unique Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless found a new home with the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Immediately after, their FM-2 Wildcat was moved across the country to join the Hickory Aviation Museum in Hickory, North Carolina.
The Hickory Aviation Museum at Hickory Regional Airport in Hickory, North Carolina had a busy 2021, with the arrival of several new airframes, including OV-1D Mohawk 62-5874, FM-2 Wildcat BuNo.16278 and A-6E Intruder BuNo.155629. The advent of 2022 finds their growing aviation collection of nearly two dozen aircraft will soon receive yet another historic addition, this being McDonnell F-101B-50-MC Voodoo 56-0243.
We wish the Hickory Aviation Museum great success with their endeavors and look forwards to reporting more once further news becomes available. For more information, please visit www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
Look great hope to visit
So glad to hear these fantastic old air birds are going to a new home. Would love to visit some day.