Today is Open Cockpit Day at Castle Air Museum

Open Cockpit Day is planned Memorial Day weekend, marking the 20th year of the popular event that’s been held since Castle Air Force Base closed in 1995.

Between 3,000 to 4,000 people have been known to attend the event at the museum in Atwater. The day runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 24 at the museum, 5050 Santa Fe Drive.

Joe Pruzzo, chief executive officer of the museum, said he’s been with the museum since the beginning, in one way or another. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years,” he said.

The museum, which opened in 1981, has changed considerably, he said. There were only five aircraft that first year, but it now has more than 60. The growth owes much of its thanks to Open Cockpit Day, Pruzzo said.

“It’s a fundraiser that raises a lot of necessary revenue to maintain and operate the museum,” he said.

More than half of the roughly 65 vintage aircraft will be open for viewing. This time around, the museum will feature some new aircraft, as well as old favorites.

In March, a crew landed a Northrop-Grumman EA-6B Prowler, an electronic warfare jet, on the base where it has been retired. Just this week, crews were preparing it for its reveal at Open Cockpit Day.

Also new to the museum is a Grumman S-2 Tracker, which was used for detecting submarines during World War II.

The Saab TF 35 Draken, a Swedish fighter aircraft manufactured by Saab between 1955 and 1974, will also be new to folks who haven’t been to the museum recently. The jet was flown by four European nations, and the one in Merced is marked with a Danish flag.

“This is a pretty rare airplane, especially in the States and North America,” Pruzzo said.

The B-52 Bomber and B-36 Peacemaker, both massive bomber jets, as well as the stealth SR-71 Blackbird, are popular with many visitors.

The aircraft are the stars of the show, but it’s the museum’s volunteers who really keep the museum going. Dozens of volunteers restore and maintain the aircraft to keep them looking historically accurate.

One of those volunteers, Bud Butz, 79, of Merced, said he spends an average of 24 hours a week putting together and taking apart aircraft. He retired as a master sergeant from Castle Air Force Base in 1976, he said.

Working on the old “birds” brings back many good memories. He’s volunteered for the museum since 1997.

“I love it,” he said, with a laugh. “It keeps me young.”

Castle Air Museum in Atwater receives no government funding, but operates using the donations of private citizens. The collection includes a former Air Force One used by Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.

Along with the aircraft, the museum plans to display vintage military vehicles, as well as law enforcement fleet vehicles.

Also planned are helicopter rides, as well as model planes for children to build and take home.

Admission to Open Cockpit Day is $14 for adults, $8 for seniors and $5 for children under 18. Children 5 or younger and active duty military personnel with valid ID are admitted for free.

Open Cockpit Day is held twice a year at Castle Air Museum – on the Sundays of Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. The late-summer version of the event was introduced about seven years ago.

For more, call the museum at (209) 723-2178, or go to www.castleairmuseum.org.

This story was originally published May 12, 2015 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Today is Open Cockpit Day at Castle Air Museum."