Our special emphasis is on the early development of both winged and rotary wing flight that materialized on our site, the military presence at the former Willow Grove Base, and our service men and women who have supported aviation through the years, and across the globe.  Harold F. Pitcairn’s development of the articulating rotorhead established Willow Grove as the birthplace of rotary winged flight and helicopter aviation as we know it today. 

On the 8th of April 1931, Amelia Earhart, flying a Pitcairn PCA-2 autogyro, reached an altitude of 18,415 feet (5,613 meters) over Willow Grove – Horsham, Pennsylvania. The duration of the flight from the Pitcairn Air Field, her second of the day, was 1 hour, 49 minutes. The Pitcairn PCA-2 was an autogyro developed in the United States in the early 1930s by Harold F. Pitcairn at his aircraft factory, right where the Museum is located today!

An autogyro is a rotary wing aircraft that derives vertical lift from a turning rotor system which is driven by air flow (autorotation). Unlike a helicopter, thrust is provided by an engine-driven propeller. The engine does not drive the rotor.

The Growth of The Museum’s Legacy.
While the name Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum has a relatively short history, the beginnings of displaying aircraft at Willow Grove began shortly after World War II. In May 1946, Lieutenant-Commander David Ascher arrived at Naval Air Station (NAS) Willow Grove as the station’s first Aircraft Maintenance Officer. A few months later, a local high school acquired a P-40E “Kittyhawk” from the Army Air Force but after deciding they did not want to keep it, they turned it over to the Navy. Ascher led the movement to modify the aircraft and change the markings to a “Flying Tiger,” thus becoming the first aircraft displayed at Willow Grove.

With a large public response, Ascher decided to pursue the acquisition of additional aircrafts. A former shipmate of Ascher’s, Navy Commander John Schwirtz, informed him that a seaplane had been removed from the captured German battle cruiser, Prinz-Eugen, in Philadelphia. Along with some of his personnel, Ascher went to Philadelphia Navy Yard and picked up the seaplanes returning them to Willow Grove. The seaplane, a German Arado, became the second aircraft displayed in early 1947.

Ascher then heard about several captured Axis aircraft scheduled to be scrapped at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland after they underwent evaluations. Seeing the potential for something great with these aircraft, Ascher along with the base’s training officer Lieutenant – Commander Hass, flew to Patuxent River in Spring 1947. Together they chose several unique enemy aircraft flown during World War II and gained approval for their return to the Naval Air Station Willow Grove. First, barged to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Ascher’s selections then had their wings removed for transport to Naval Air Station Willow Grove. These unique aircraft then made their way along the narrow roads north twenty-five miles under local police escort to Naval Air Station Willow Grove for display. Reassembled and repainted with their original markings, the aircraft were placed on display for the public to see.

Lieutenant – Commander Ascher remained at NAS Willow Grove until 1952 when he was transferred to the Naval Reserve Air Station at Niagara Falls Airport, NY. Ascher passed away in 2006 at the age of 94 but his acquisition of several aircraft and his dedication to preserving them began Willow Grove’s long history of displaying military aircraft for the public to view.

Continually growing … more recent history!
The National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) in Pensacola, Florida loaned 646 historical aircraft to 186 civilian museums in the USA. The DVHAA-Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum is ranked Number 7 in the list of the highest volume of aircraft on loan (Number 6 with aircraft engines being counted). The top seven museums on the list account for 206 of the 646 NNAM aircraft out on loan.

The DVHAA-Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum’s assemblage of 15 aircraft and 2 engines from NNAM represents and spans several eras in the history of aviation: World War I through World War 2, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, The Cold War Era, The Gulf War, The Balkan War, The Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan. In addition to the NNAM aircraft, we have 5 aircraft owned by the Museum or on loan from other sources, generating a total of 20 historically significant aircraft. Our museum is ranked in the top three civil and military aviation museums in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; based on the number of historical aircraft currently on display.

Our museum’s 60+ all-volunteer team are dedicated and passionate people. They take an enthusiastic and proactive role in preserving and teaching both local and global aviation’s history, growth and achievements. The Wings of Aviation Museum continually welcomes visitors from the local community, every State, and 43 countries internationally.

The DVHAA-Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum has been honored in 2017 with an award from Horsham Township for its support and contribution to the community. The Museum is undeniably a significant presence in the aviation museum sphere both locally and beyond. Our plans for vigorous and consequential growth will keep us at the forefront of aviation knowledge perpetuation in the museum and via growing Internet-based educational initiative.