Lakeland Forges National Reputation For Preserving Aerospace History

May 13, 2023

LAKELAND, FL — While it's named for the 38 lakes that lie within the city limits, in the last half century, Lakeland has become equally, if not more, well-known for the activities taking place in the skies above its scenic lakes.

What began 49 years ago as a family-friendly fly-in featuring vintage airplane exhibits, memorabilia from famed pioneering aviator Howard Hughes, demonstrations by military aerobatic teams and daring escapades by stunt pilots has evolved into a citywide focus on flight that has earned Lakeland a national reputation for preserving the legacy of air travel as well as inspiring new generations of pilots.

It started in 1974 when a group of sport aviation enthusiasts at Lakeland Linder International Airport decided to host a fly-in to promote the sport of aviation.

The founders of that first modest air show lit the spark that ignited an obsession with aerospace that put Lakeland on the map.

That fly-in has now grown into SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, the second-largest air show in the country, attracting 200,000 visitors to Lakeland each year and generating $249 million a year in economic impact on the city.

The air show provided the funding for the creation of the Florida Air Museum and The Aerospace Center for Excellence, which has emerged as a national recognized leader in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics-related and aerospace education for more than 50,000 students a year; led to the founding of the Lakeland Aero Club, the country's largest high school flying club; and ushered in the expansion of Lakeland Linder International Airport as a business aviation hub as home to Draken International, which provides readiness training for the military, and Amazon Air, making it Florida's fourth-busiest cargo airport.

With the money generated by the airport, the SUN 'n Fun Aerospace Expo and related flight events, the museum, The Aerospace Center For Excellence and the numerous flight schools that have opened in Lakeland, the flight industry now has an economic impact of $1.5 billion, according to Central Florida Economic Development Council.

The weeklong Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo remains the highlight of Lakeland's aerospace acclaim, attracting the nationally known Blue Angels, the high-flying flight demonstration squadron of the U.S. Navy; the U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightening II Demonstration Team; the U.S. Marine Corp F-35B Lightening II Demonstration Team; and flight pioneers including Bob Hoover, who performed the last flight in his renowned Shrike Commander at SUN 'n FUN, Bobby Younkin who debuted the world's first aerobatic Learjet at SUN 'n FUN and Bruce Bohannon, who set a world record climb in his turbocharged Exxon Flyin' Tiger.

However, it's the Florida Air Museum that attracts a steady stream of visitors year-round with its displays of one-of-a-kind aircraft designs, classic planes, war birds, early experiments in flight and cutting-edge technology.

Now located on the SUN 'n FUN campus, 4075 James C. Clay Drive, Lakeland, southwest of Lakeland Linder International Airport, the museum opened in a temporary space in 1989.

Under the leadership of volunteer curator Marion Robles, it quickly grew and claimed a permanent site on the SUN 'n FUN campus when the city of Lakeland approved funding to build the museum and formally opened the attraction in April 1992 during the SUN 'n FUN fly-in.

While the museum was being constructed, aviation enthusiast and volunteer Milt Voigt established an aviation research library, now located on the second level of the Florida Air Museum, and was instrumental in convincing the Howard Hughes Corp. that the museum would be an ideal facility to house a collection of Hughes’ aviation memorabilia.

Today, that collection, which includes Hughes' H-1 Racer, built in 1935 and setting the world speed record for its time, is the museum's most popular exhibit.

In 2002, the museum, previously known as the International Sport Aviation Museum, was renamed the Florida Air Museum. That same year, it received its designation as the "Official Aviation Museum and Education Center of the State of Florida" by then-Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Legislature.

The museum is housed in a main building and a hangar annex encompassing 25,000 square feet. The main building holds a collection of smaller aircraft, including the Boeing-Stearman Model 75 from the classic Red Baron Pizza aerobatic team, homemade planes and a Mercury rocket motor while the hangar annex houses larger aircraft. In all, there are more than 140 aircraft on display at the museum.

Also located on the campus is the Buehler Restoration Center, an 8,000-square-foot facility that opened in 2006. It is dedicated to the professional restoration of historic aircraft, including many of those on display at the museum.

In addition to the Howard Hughes exhibit, the museum features:

Visitors can explore a remodeled MD-80 fuselage to discover what it was like to serve on a B-29 or B-17 bomber during World War II.

Organized by the Florida Aviation Historical Society, the Florida Aviation Hall of Fame recognizes an inductee annually during the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo. Among the hall of fame recipients are Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, who set the world's land plane speed record in 1932; Brig. Gen. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., who flew the Enola Gay to Hiroshima; Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1928; Col. Charles Lindbergh, who flew from New York to Paris in May 1927; and Col. Daniel "Chappie" James, a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general in 1975.

Click here for more information about the Hall of Fame and the nomination process.

Kids can let their imaginations take flight in this family-friendly space that features STEM games, a dress-up station and a creative coloring booth.

This exhibit includes memorabilia belonging to well-recognized aviators including Bob Hoover, Howie O’Keefe and Jessie Woods.

A collection of engines on display at the Florida Air Museum representing innovations that have occurred during the last century, including the interactive Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major and the intricate Ion Engine used by spacecraft exploring deep space.

Visitors can view a variety of aircraft including the SeaDart, Vertical Riser, Tomcat, C-47 and Pietenpol.

In addition to being home to the Kennedy Space Center, Cecil Spaceport and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the first commercial passenger flight in the world occurred from St. Petersburg to Tampa on New Year's Day in 1914.

Visitors can explore an interactive exhibit that includes historic, cutting-edge and modern examples of fixed and variable pitch propellers.

The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.