Tuesday - Saturday 9AM - 4PM (CST)
BEECH PARTY
October 12-14, 2023
ADULTS : $10.00
AGES 12-17 & 65 - Over : $8.00
AGES 11 & Under : FREE
931.455.1974
Admission
Hours of Operation
Special Events
*Please call if inclement weather
CLOSED ON ALL MAJOR HOLIDAYS
Our Location
570 Old Shelbyville Hwy
Tullahoma, TN 37388
WEATHER CONDITIONS
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CAMPGROUND
The museum has RV and primitive camping available year round for our fly-in guests. We offer two 50 amp and six 30 amp hook-ups for our RV guests.
CAMPGROUND INFORMATION
The Beechcraft Heritage Museum is a distinctly original one-of-a-kind, “living and working” aviation museum that traces the lineage of the Beechcraft family of airplanes.
The Museum began life as the Staggerwing Museum Foundation, incorporated in October of 1973, under the auspices of the Staggerwing Club. In April 2007, the Museum became the Beechcraft Heritage Museum. This change reflects our commitment to promoting aviation education and preserving the heritage nurtured by generations of enthusiasts of all Beechcraft models from 1932 through the present.
The Museum is situated in a picturesque campus-style setting adjacent to the Tullahoma, Tennessee Regional Airport (THA). An attractive blend of authentically restored early American log structures and modern museum-quality construction, this 60,000 square foot facility currently houses thirty-six aircraft, in addition to many aviation artifacts, original pieces of art, and aviation memorabilia for the enjoyment of our Members and visitors.
The Museum’s history begins early in the archives of aviation in this country. Walter H. Beech was born in 1891 and raised in nearby Pulaski, Tennessee. In 1924, prior to founding the Beech Aircraft Company, he, along with Clyde Cessna, and Lloyd Stearman, became principals in the newly formed Travel Air Manufacturing Company, located in Wichita, Kansas. Each of these legendary aviation pioneers soon founded successful aircraft companies bearing their respective names.
In August of 1929, Travel Air became a major subsidiary of the giant Curtiss-Wright Corporation, and by early 1932, as President of the Curtiss Wright Airplane Company, Walter Beech believed that the market was in need of a “high-speed, four-place cabin biplane.” When he attempted to interest Curtiss-Wright senior management in producing this new aircraft by presenting the concept drawings of engineer Ted Wells, they refused, citing the harsh economic climate as the reason. Consequently, Walter resigned from Curtiss-Wright to found the Beech Aircraft Company on April 19, 1932. His partners were his wife, Olive Ann Beech, Ted Wells, K.K. Shaul, and investor C. G. Yankey.
The first Beechcraft, a Model 17R, registered NC499N, was test flown by Wilbur “Pete” Hill on November 5, 1932, less than seven months after the company was founded. The aircraft served as the Beech Aircraft demonstrator until May 24, 1934, when it was purchased by the Ethyl Corporation. This masterpiece is beautifully displayed in the museum’s Walter Beech Hangar.
The initial inspiration for the 1973 founding of the Museum by the Staggerwing Club came from pioneer aviatrix Louise Thaden. Flying a stock 1936 C17R “Staggerwing,” she and co-pilot Blance Noyes won first place in the 1936 Bendix Trophy Race, besting racing professionals and military aircraft in a one-day flight from New York to Los Angeles. Early in the 1970’s Louise was a guest speaker at the Club’s annual fly-in and offered to donate all of her racing and aviatrix paraphernalia if the Staggerwing enthusiast’s would start a museum. The original museum structure was a log cabin erected in 1974 and was named the Staggerwing Museum Foundation. In 1995, the museum expanded its Beechcraft family to welcome the Twin Beech 18. Following on the heels of the Model 17 Staggerwing, the Model 18 “Twin Beech” was introduced by Beech Aircraft. In 1937. This airplane is arguable the most versatile general aviation aircraft ever developed, enjoying a civilian/military production run of nearly 8,000 aircraft in over thirty-three years.
Sherry Roepke - Secretary
Bill Schutzler - Twin Bonanza Association, Vice President
“Old” Bob Siegfried
Robert Siegfried, II - Bonanza/Baron Advisory Committee Vice President
Rand Siegfried
Mike Stanko
Ronnie Sudduth
Bob Thomas
Thomas Thomas
Kirby Totty - Curator
Pete Tracy
Ron Vickrey - Bonanza/Baron Advisory Committee President
Scott White
Larry Wixom
Tom Wood
Joe Wyatt
Emeritus -
John/Russell Latta - Staggerwing Club President
Morton Lester
Marge Lindemer
Steve Parker
Dick Perry
Bill Russell
Tom Warner
Harold Bost
Mary Lou Apple
Steve Beck - Twin Beech 18 Society Vice President
Jack Braly - King Air Society Vice President
Charlie/Ken Cianchette - Campaign New Horizons Chairperson
Tom Clements - King Air Society President
Stephen Craig - Twin Bonanza Association President
Jody Curtis - Executive Vice President
Steve Dyer
Gordy Germany
Karl Gobel
Jim Gorman
Michael Greenblatt - Chairman of the Board
Dick Hansen
Jim Hawkes
Bob Hoff
John Hess - Twin Beech 18 Society President
Ron Hyde
Sara Hiern
Chris Jacobsen
Jeff Knight, Beech Aero Club President
Morty Lloyd - Beech Fan Club President
Mark/Ron Morrison
Dennis Nikolaus
Chris Olstad
Charles Parish - President
John Parish, Jr. - Treasurer
John Parish, Sr. - Chairman of the Board, Emeritus
Robert Parish
Bob Parmerter - Historian
Edward Phillips - Historian
Charles Parish
President
Sherry Roepke
Resident Director
Jody Curtis
Executive Vice President
Hayley Williams
Kirby Totty
Staggerwing Club - Thomas Hoff
T-34 Association - Julie Clark
T-34 Association - Jud Nogle
Beech Aero Club - President, Jeff Knight
Beech Fan Club - President, Jeff Knight
Bonanza/Baron Advisory - President, Ron Vickrey
King Air Society - President, Tom Clements
Twin Beech 18 Society - President, John Hess
Twin Bonanza Association - President, Stephen Craig
Bob & Dixie Hickey
Carl & Darlene Marciniak
Doreen Schulz
Charles Parish & Jody Curtis
Carl Marciniak
Dick Tonan
Bob Parmerter
Edward Phillips
• Preserve Beechcraft and related aircraft
• Foster and promote aviation education
• Provide a library of books, manuals, technical data, publications, documents and records of the Beechcraft and related aircraft
• Recognize aviation personalities and historical events
• Encourage, assist and conduct aircraft restorations
• Conduct seminars on maintenance, repair and restoration of aircraft
• Promote safety in flying and maintaining the Beechcraft and related aircraft
• Conduct conventions and special aviation events
Click the link below to view
a PDF of our recent Financial Statement.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT PDF
(2.7 mi)
Address :
206 S. Anderson St.
Tullahoma, TN 37388
Phone : 1.931.455.9365
Hours : Monday - Saturday 10am - 8pm
Closed Sunday
Website :
( 11.8 mi)
Address :
34 Hiles Street
Lynchburg, Tennessee 37352
Phone : 1.931.632.5031
Website :
( 11.8 mi)
Address :
34 Hiles Street
Lynchburg, Tennessee 37352
Phone : 1.931.632.5031
Website :
(11.3 mi)
Address :
133 Lynchburg Hwy
Lynchburg, TN 37352
Phone : 1.931.759.6357
Hours : 9AM - 4:30PM
Website :
(6.8 mi)
Address :
1950 Cascade Hollow Rd
Normandy, TN 37360
Phone : 1.931.857.4110
Hours : 9AM - 4:30PM
Website :
(2.5 mi)
Address :
135 W Lincoln St
Tullahoma, TN 37388
Phone : 1.931.455.5497
Hours : 8:30AM - 5:00PM
Website : www.tullahoma.org
(2.1 mi)
Address :
807 William Northern Blvd
Tullahoma, TN 37388
Phone : 1.931.455.3884
Website : www.tullahomatn.gov/airport/
570 Old Shelbyville Hwy. P.O. Box 550
Tullahoma, TN 37388
Phone: 931.455.1974 Fax: 931.455.1994
© 2022 Beechcraft Heritage Museum | Website Design: Forty-Second Street, Inc.
Photographers : Bob Burns, Thomas Hoff, Pat Racy, Bob Hickey, Adam Stuart & Eddie Phillips