Pacific Aviation Museum (Ford Island Hotspots)

What do The Doolittle Raid, Battle of Midway, and The Attack on Pearl Harbor all have in common? They all involved warbirds, which is exactly what you will find here at the Pacific Aviation Museum. Now, upon coming to the museum, you will come across a familiar control tower...that is if you're a movie buff. I'll give you a hint, since it's based in Hawaii, Pearl Harbor to be exact, it was featured in an epic movie featuring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale. If you said Pearl Harbor you would be correct. This control tower is not only the original control tower that helped guide planes to and from Ford Island, it is also a movie star.

There are two parts of this museum; the first part has just a handful of planes and the stories that go with them; the cafe, and flight simulators. The other part has a larger number of planes, in a hanger that still has bullet holes in the doors. For the first part, you will come across a replica of the infamous Japanese zero, and the P-40 that managed to get up in the air to fight off the outnumbering attackers. Next to the zero is the B-25 Mitchell, made famous by Col. Jimmy Doolittle and his raiders in the bombing of Tokyo.

In the aftermath portion of this exhibit, journey far into the Pacific towards the Island of Midway where you will find a couple of maintainers fixing up a Hellcat, and a SBD Dauntless diving in for the kill.  If your brave enough, hop into the cockpit of one of the flight simulators to fight off Japanese fighters.

If you have the urge to grab a bite to eat, visit the Laniakea Cafe, which is themed back to the time period. They have burgers and fries, salads, and even Mahi Mahi. They even serve alcohol. Just don't climb into the pilots seat afterwards. Now, on to the second part, the bullet hole riddled hanger. When I was there, they were still developing this part of the tour, but were allowing visitors to come inside for a peek. Unlike the first part of the museum, the hanger has several different kinds of planes throughout the years. One of them is the deadly F-15 Eagle. They also have an F-86 Saber and Mig-15 locked in combat.

Be sure to visit the gift shop before you leave for some souvenirs, such as a bullet pen, models, books, films, etc. The Pacific Aviation Museum will take you up into the very bullet ridden skies of hell as American and Japanese Air Forces evade and engage each other in the Last Great War.

Entertainment: 4
Educational :3
Price: 3
Cafe: 4
Giftshop: 4
Overall: 4

Additional Information

Address
319 Lexington Blvd #37, Honolulu HI

Hours of Operation
Sun. - Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day

Prices
Adult: $20
Child: $10
Flight Sims: $10
Children under 4: free
Military Adult: $12
Military Child: $7

For more information, visit: www.pacificaviationmuseum.org

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FORD ISLAND RUNWAY AND USS UTAH

Apart from the Museum is the Ford Island Runway and the memorial to the USS Utah, Both of which are not accessible to civilians. The Ford Island Runway is EXTREMELY hard to find unless you know where to look. The best directions I can give you is to park in the parking lot right next to the road that leads to the USS Missouri, and go across the road northwest of the parking lot in what looks to be a bare patch of land. The area is almost completely covered in grass so you have to look carefully. This is what it will look like. The numbers are still visible but just barely.  On a rather interesting note, the Ford Island Runway was used by famous female Aviator Amelia Earhart on her solo trip across the pacific.

 The USS Utah is one of two ships still in the harbor, the other being, of course, the USS Arizona. It's a rather small memorial, and the ship itself has not been kept in as quite a good condition as the Arizona. Still, its a rather quiet place to visit. Because it is not open to the public, it has no physical address. The best way I can describe how to get there is this. Once you enter Ford Island via the bridge, take the first right you see on the roundabout and follow it around until you come up to a small parking lot. That is where you will find the rusting remains of the USS Utah.