Aircraft Museum Has New Attractions

The Confederate Air Force, Southern California Wing, World War II Aviation Museum has extended its hours to six days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and now features new interactive displays.

The 3,000-square-foot museum offers an outdoor tour of a C-46 transport, the largest twin-engine transport used in the war, a generic flight simulator designed to teach navigation and communication, a fighter gun site, a cutaway of a 1920s radial engine, various inside tours of aircraft, including the rare Japanese Zero fighter and other interactive sites including actual 3 pound World War II helmets.

The museum is also expanding. Two new 100- by 150-foot hangars in the lot next to the museum--one for aircraft restoration and the other to house the museum and a new gift shop--will be open to the public late this summer.

“Aircraft restoration was our original goal,” said Pat Brown, public information officer at the museum. “We try to do that here and it’s kind of hard because it’s all outdoors.”

Museum tickets are $3 for adults, $5 for a couple and $1 for kids. Children under 7 are admitted free. All field trips are free. The museum is at the Camarillo Airport, 275 Pleasant Valley Road. For tours or information call 482-0064.