How New England Air Museum Restores Aircraft

Walk the multiple hangars of aircraft on display at the New England Air Museum in Connecticut and you'll see a healthy collection of flying machines and accessories—many of which are one-of-a-kind and the only ones in the world. But perhaps even more impressive than NEAM's collection is how it restores and preserves these machines.

FLYING Media Group's Larry Anglisano recently spent some time behind the scenes with museum restoration lead Bob Vozzola for an exclusive look at the restoration and preservation process, and produced this video.

[WellRoundedWoodsman]

Thanks AVweb for this awesome tour. This shop made me who I am today. My mom took me to the museum when I was 12 and said "put my son to work" and for the entirety of my teenage years I got to work with the masters and help restore these beautiful machines. I worked on the L10A Electra for four years and my wife and I got married in front of it ten years ago. I'm now a pilot and A&P mechanic thanks to the skills I learned here.Truly an amazing and special museum with incredible people.

[AirJimInCT]

I’ve been a restoration volunteer at NEAM for the last 12 years and was on the Burnelli team for the seven years of restoration. Thank you for this video. It really shows the exceptional quality of work we do and our contributions to the preservation of aviation history.

[Arrow]

What a wonderful trip down memory lane for me. I no longer live in CT, but my childhood and teenage years were spent roaming around the NEAM and sitting in cockpits for hours.

I was lucky enough to work on the B29 for a short while with CAP, polishing the fuselage.

It's so wonderful to see these aircraft so lovingly restored and taken care of. Thank you to everyone at the NEAM for all that you do!

[Zaugger]

My Grandfather worked for Pratt after coming home from WW2. Was apart of Normandy invasion, then worked at Pratt for 40 years. Specifically on the engine rebuild and test stand. Growing up he would take me to the Bradley air museum once a month. He loved seeing Pratt engines he used to work on so many years ago. He passed a few years back at 97 years old. Miss him.

[garybrindle]

Well created homage to all museums that restore and display aircraft and have the volunteers to achieve this standard.

[FiveTwoSevenTHR]

The Burnelli is my favorite aircraft at the museum. It's just so cool and I love how large it is inside. I wish they entered production.

The exact F4 that's in the storage hangar is an F4 that my dad worked on when he was in the Air Force stationed in Florida.

[ianmangham]

Stunning bare polished alloy with beautiful rivets

[claytonmcnabbjr]

Please take good care of the F-4D, tail #66-269. The last time I saw her was in the mid 80s as her crewchief. She was assigned to the 309th, as was 66-463. I had paint shop put her star on after I searched threw Air Force historical records. Thanks

[smacmoyle]

Its been a while since ive been there. I think its time for another visit. Sorry to see the Hiller got moved to the storage hangar. Great video.

[rudycepedagomez]

This museum was one of my „happy places“ during the four years (2008-2012) I spent doing my PhD at UConn. Just earlier today, in a nostalgia attack, I was looking at pictures of it on google street view.

[Fleetwing]

Unfortunately, I've lost the photo somewhere in my mother's house, but I'm convinced there's a photo of a tiny me in the 1980s in the cockpit of their B-29, back when it was still outside. I have loved the NEAM and its collection my entire life.

[thereissomecoolstuff]

This is quite a museum. I look forward to going there. Thanks for the great video.

[barnstormingbandit]

Would love to see that caribou flying again, have a certain soft spot for them. better yet i would love to fly one some day

[gheathen]

Went there 2 weeks ago. Great time. Worth the drive from heath.

[roccotarulli]

Great video, I went to Brooklyn Tech High School and I was in the Aeronautical Group. We did several fabrication activities in the shops from sheet metal to machine shop to foundry. This really sound like it would be great to contribute to the efforts at the museum. I'd be interested in finding out what does it take to become a volunteer thanks.

[ianmangham]

Don't ya love a good hangar, i always wanted to live in an aircraft hangar 😅🤠🙏🇬🇧🇺🇸

[cbroz]

...used'ta work for Sikorsky in WPB, FL..looks like the facilities there...

[TopVideosOnTheWeb]

Saw the PBA card in the DC-3 pocket. In the earl y 70s, I was a passenger from Tampa to Naples in PBA DC-3.

[ianmangham]

Top welder ex pratt&whitney, got himself a nice welders table 👌

[FlyingNDriving]

Bradley airport, in Hartford but also called Windsor locks! EzPz