Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum Prepares for AirFest 2026
The Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) Aviation Museum has announced the return of AirFest 2026, its signature annual event and primary fundraiser. Taking place from Thursday, September 3, through Sunday, September 6, 2026, the four-day festival runs daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Cape May Airport in New Jersey.
Located inside historic Hangar #1—a former World War II dive-bomber training facility dedicated to the 42 aviators who lost their lives training there—the museum will host an extensive lineup of historic warbirds, public safety aircraft, live entertainment, and family activities.
AirFest 2026 features a diverse roster of historic aircraft, highlighting aviation milestones from World War II to the Cold War:
– C-47 “Placid Lassie”: Built in 1943, this airworthy WWII combat veteran crossed the English Channel twice on D-Day towing assault gliders for the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division. It later participated in Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and Operation Varsity.
– Messerschmitt Me 262: A flying reproduction of the world’s first operational jet fighter, representing the German aircraft that ushered in the jet age.
– Pacific Theater Legends: Honoring NAS Wildwood’s original mission as a naval dive-bomber training base, the flight line brings together opposing sides of the air war: the U.S. Navy’s standard torpedo bomber, a TBM Avenger (“Doris Mae”), and a flying Japanese A6M Zero replica originally converted for the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!
– Stinson OY-1 Sentinel (“Gayle Ann”): Transported aboard the escort carrier USS White Plains, this aircraft flew artillery-spotting missions during the Battle of Saipan in June 1944.
– Coast Guard Heritage: A Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder (“Miss Cherrie II”) in U.S. Coast Guard markings highlights anti-submarine patrol history in Cape May County.
– Trainers & Comparative Aviation: Features include two privately owned SNJ/AT-6 Texan advanced trainers—which were historically used at NAS Wildwood—along with a side-by-side display of a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor and a Japanese Fuji LM-1.
Additional visiting aircraft under coordination include a rare Yak-52TD, Fairchild PT-26 Cornell, and a Douglas DC-3, alongside displays from the Aero Club of Pennsylvania, EAA, AtlantiCare Medevac, Cape May County Mosquito Control, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Beyond aircraft, the event includes military vehicles, fire trucks, living-history reenactors, STEM exhibits, live music, face painting, local food vendors, and a beer and wine garden.
Details:
Date and Time:Sept 3–6, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Address: 500 Forrestal Road, Cape May Airport, NJ 08204
Admission: Adults: $18 | Children (ages 3–12): $14, Free for Museum Members, Active Duty Military, and Children under 3.
Free on-site parking (shuttle service available Saturday & Sunday)
