Champaign Aviation Museum

The Champaign Aviation Museum displays multiple vintage aircraft in a modern hangar at the north end of Grimes Field airport. The collection focuses on World War II era planes, showing their construction and role during that period of aviation history.

The museum began in 2005 starting with three truck loads of B-17 parts and gradually built its collection of World War II aircraft. This foundation led to ongoing expansion and increasingly ambitious restoration projects over the following years.

More than 100 dedicated volunteers work regularly to maintain and restore the historical aircraft on display. Their hands-on approach brings the machines to life and shows visitors how deeply people care about preserving aviation history.

Visitors can arrange guided tours of the facility and book seats for flights aboard the B-25 Mitchell bomber named Champaign Gal. It helps to reserve in advance since both tours and flights require scheduling ahead of your visit.

The museum is undertaking an extensive restoration of a B-17 Flying Fortress using parts recovered from an aircraft discovered in Talkeetna, Alaska. These parts found in the wilderness show how planes can be rediscovered and restored to flying condition decades after they were built.

Location: Urbana

Inception: 2005

Website: https://champaignaviationmuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 40.13464,-83.74896

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:05