Page 76 - SLO Visitors Guide Winter 2023

Paso Robles
Estrella Warbirds Museum home of the Woodland Auto Display, where history still flies
Museum celebrates
30th anniversary
See some of the rarest airplanes, vehicles, and military collections in the United States at the Estrella
Warbirds Museum, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022.
Gary Corippo and Glen Thom- son got the idea for the museum
in 1989 after seeing some aircraft displays at Moffett Field.
Located at the Paso Robles Mu- nicipal Airport, formerly Estrella Army Airfield, the Estrella War- birds Museum was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1992.
It was originally organized as a chapter of the Confederate Air Force, now the Commemorative Air Force.
When the Estrella Army Air- field was dedicated in 1943, no one
could have foreseen that it would become a bustling municipal air- port – and the home of the Estrella Warbirds Museum.
From its first building on a small parcel of land, the museum has grown to a 14 building com- plex, including hangars, exhibit halls, restoration workshop, library,
gift shop, and conference facili- ties. Dedicated to the preservation of military aircraft, vehicles, and memorabilia, the museum cur- rently has a collection of 40 aircraft and 43 military vehicles.
In 2009 the Woodland Auto Display opened with a collection of period and race cars that increased
public interest in the museum. Perhaps the most valuable assets are the thousands of volunteers who, over the past 30 years, have restored and maintained the artifacts.
Museum Expansion Plan Project
Fast forward 30 years and the museum is embarking on a huge expansion project. The recently acquired 10 acres to the west has already received a large donation to cover the grading, sewer, water and electric and the engineering has almost been completed.
The future plans include a large hangar to house several of the aircraft indoors out of the elements, a conference/dining facility, smaller hangars and a veteran’s memorial. The museum is actively seeking donations to help with this over $5 million project.
Education is a large part of the
THE BLENDERS
A UNIQUE WOMENS BOUTIQUE
MERLE NORMAN COSMETICS
538 12TH STREET • PASO ROBLES, CA 93446 LORI ALPERT • (805) 238-5554 BLENDERS2@SBCGLOBAL.NET
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76 WINTER 2023
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As seen on “Ghost Adventures”