Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum moves up California coast

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- After more than two decades at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum is on the move, piece by piece.

It's the only museum in the world dedicated to Marine Corps aviation.

In order to preserve that history and share it with the public, the museum is relocating to Orange County.

In the coming weeks, you may catch a glimpse of Marine aviation history along Interstate 5. Flatbed trucks will carry dozens of aircraft 85 miles to a new home in Irvine after spending more than 20 years on display at MCAS Miramar as part of the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.

Retired Marine Corps Brigadier General Mike Aguilar is the museum's CEO and president. He says the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation helped fund and operate the museum, which the Marine Corps closed in 2020.

"Money just got tight. The base commander could no longer afford to maintain the museum so he made a decision to close it down," Aguilar said.

Aguilar says the museum's future was up in the air, then the City of Irvine came to the rescue, inviting the museum to relocate to the city's Great Park, which includes a renovated hangar that was part of MCAS El Toro -- the museum's original home -- before moving to Miramar in 1999.

“I can't tell you how thrilled we are to be partnering with the City of Irvine," Aguilar said. "Not only did they help us in working with the Marine Corps to provide this large hangar to us to do the restoration, they've actually given us a $20 million grant to help start our fundraising to build the new museum. So they've been very supportive. We're just thrilled to be in this private-public partnership with them.”

Forty aircraft will end up at the hangar, where they will be restored and reassembled beginning in April.

Hugo Gonzalez, a Marine veteran and aircraft mechanic, was all smiles as a CH-46 helicopter was brought in.

“I think it's great, I think it's awesome that they're coming back and that they belong here. They’re coming home, that’s what I think," Gonzalez said.

“This particular aircraft is our most significantly historically important aircraft. It's the actual aircraft that flew the American ambassador and American flag out of Vietnam in 1975," Aguilar said. "So it's a pretty special aircraft that we take care of.”

The City of Irvine is now preparing the site, near the old hangar, where the 100,000-square-foot museum will be built beginning next year.

"We are honoring the history and legacy of Marine Corps aviation and all those who served as Marines, aviators and the maintainers of the aircraft," Aguilar said. "Our displays will be very interactive, immersive, that we hope will stimulate ideas in our youth, going what makes that airplane fly? How do you maintain that aircraft? Who designed these aircraft? So our exhibits and displays hopefully will inspire all our visitors.”

The museum is slated to open in early 2026.

To learn more about making donations, volunteering, or just getting progress reports on the relocation, visit FlyingLeathernecks.org.