Located on the grounds of the Military Aviation Museum is our specialized restoration, maintenance and repair facility, known as The Fighter Factory. Staffed by a dedicated team of professional mechanics who maintain the necessary wood, fabric and metalworking skills to care for vintage aircraft, the facility allows us to operate our collection for the enjoyment and education of the public.
In addition to respect for the aircraft as artifacts, The Fighter Factory is committed to safe operations, ensuring that the aircraft meet the standards for airworthiness that are established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Although The Fighter Factory does have the capability to conduct multi-year restoration projects for the Museum, the limited space available, and need to maintain the flying collection means that restorations are often shipped to other shops for completion. Please be aware that not all active projects are on display at the Museum at any one time.
Please Note: The Fighter Factory is not currently available for public tours.
Warbird Mechanic Apprenticeship Program
Are you working on your A&P certification? Do you have an interest in Vintage Military Aircraft?
Download the application below and submit to director@aviationmuseum.us
At the Military Aviation Museum we believe that preserving Vintage Military Aircraft means preserving the skillset to work on them, and operate them. To that end, our apprenticeship program is focused not only on building real-world shop-environment experience that can make an A&P student more appealing in any aviation workplace, but also on teaching skills that are slowly being lost from the A&P community.
Whether you are looking at our apprenticeship program as the first step into the Warbird world, and you plan to spend your life working on these incredible historic aircraft, or you are planning to make the career move to the airlines after you finish school, we believe that our program and its focus on fundamental aviation maintenance skills can help you realize your full potential.
Experience with Round Engines and warbirds like ours will help you learn how an aircraft works, not just how to work on an aircraft. This can be invaluable later in your aviation career as systems and aircraft become more complex!
Apprenticeship Information
Apprentices at the Fighter Factory:
- Receive an hourly compensation of $12 for each hour worked to assist you with the completion of your studies.
- Be willing and able to work during the 9am - 5pm hours that are kept by the Fighter Factory. Your actual hours can be set with the Fighter Factory Team, and we will work to accommodate your class hours.
- Must have completed the General Section of their A&P Studies.
- Must have reliable transportation to and from the Fighter Factory.
- Must have a good personality, be dependable and have a strong work ethic.
- Must purchase two Fighter Factory work shirts and own basic hand tools.
- Preference will be given to those with prior mechanical work experience.