Millville Army Air Field Museum

This place is an amazing place of historical value. It holds the Wheels and Wings airshow yearly and has several sections dedicated to our veterans of WW2. Not only does it have the museum dedicated to all parts of the war as well but the barracks and runways themselves are history. If you are at all interested in the history of not only the brave fighter pilots who flew P47 Thunderbolts there but also the relics of the war and many facts and counters and models of the items and the pictures of real heroism shown by the men and women of WW2 then this place is a MUST for you to check out.

I’ve spent a lot of time at this museum over the years and I still see something new every time I go. This is definitely a hidden gem in a small south Jersey community for WWII buffs and aviation lovers alike. Stop in for events ranging from the Wheels and Wings air and car show to Veteran’s Appreciation Day and you surely won’t be disappointed! And even when there aren’t events going on, there’s much more to see. The museum houses countless artifacts and models, including the powerhouse of the P-​47 Thunderbolt — the Pratt & Whitney R-​2800 Double Wasp engine. Many WWII vets spend time there as well — their stories alone are worth the trip!

Unfortunately Millville happens to be one of those little has been towns, boring, decaying and without much of a future to it. However, it does have a rather significant past and that past is best reflected in the Millville Army Air Museum which is really worth a stop by to visit particularly if you are with younger children having zero knowledge of early aviation or what America’s involvement and human commitment during World War II.
The displays aren’t elaborate and though they don’t show a lot of professionalism, the entire museum exudes with community and volunteer commitment. It’s chucked full of aviation and other memorabilia indicative of Millville as being America’s First Air Defense Field and P-​47 training base. Started by a local who wandered the wooded and farmlands of the area digging up and collecting various scrapes and discard items of the Defense Field and P-​47 Training Base, it has evolved into a massive collection and tribute to all of the local community volunteers who have contributed to its continued success. Indeed, one of the best features about the museum is the interest, helpfulness and friendliness of the many knowledgeable volunteers who freely dedicate their time working here.
You’ll find all sort of artifacts of what was then America’s most advanced fighter aircraft, so of a joke by today’s standards, but cutting edge state of the art for its time.

Every town has its claims to fame. For Millville, NJ it is the home of America’s First Defense Airport. This museum highlights its history.
It is small, but the folks who run are extremely helpful and pleasant. There’s a lot to see as things are jammed-​packed in here. My son goes wild because it is so stimulating.
There is a geocache «hidden» here.
If you are in town and are looking for something interesting to do, this is it. Right outside you may catch a Chinook helicopter hovering.

If you’re an aviation fan or World War II buff, this is a pleasant place to spend a few hours learning about Millville’s role as America’s First Defense Air Field and P-​47 training base. It also honors the memories of the 14 pilots killed at the base during training for overseas flight combat.
Started as local resident Mike Stowe’s collection of artifacts he dug up as a teenager while scrounging the woods at Millville Airport, the MAAFM is now a non-​profit museum preserving the aviation history of Millville.
It’s a small museum, but every inch contains something of interest to military and aviation buffs. Every sort of World War II artifact from military uniforms to entire P-​47 engines is on display. Kids will find most of it interesting, but will get bored pretty quick, since there are few interactive displays geared for kids.
A trip to the MAAFM is best planned as part of a trip that includes some of the other venues in town, unless you live close to Millville. While interesting and worthwhile, you realistically couldn’t spend more than a few hours there. You should Google the city’s tourism portal
to learn about other destinations to fill a day.

The Millville Airport claims the honor of being the first in a chain of defense air fields around the time of WW II. This museum commemorates the airports role in the defense of our country as well as other important periods in aviation history. It is a small museum packed full of items of interest. Anyone who finds the war or aviation interesting would really like this museum. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit the museum unless I specifically had an interest in avaition history or war. But since I live here, it’s a cool place to check out. Bonus is it’s free. The only ask for donations.