CAFSoCal - Commemorative Air Force So Cal Wing — Attraction in Camarillo

Wow was I impressed by the management and service and the incredible staff of this museum! I thought this would be a quick walkthrough museum and that of one that’s small but I was very wrong! The experience I had here with my family was unforgettable and the tour that the veteran who guided us through was also very amazing. The aviation museum itself is in 3 separate hangars but the main area first accessible is more of the “museum”. It had exhibits of model aircraft throughout the World Wars, Korean War, and Vietnam War. They had displayed not only this but actual parts to the aircraft such as the B17 Underside Turret and incredible of displays of Women in War and the weapons of World War II with many more awaiting you. It tells about the experiences of well known figures in the Air Force and Army such as George H. W. Bush and Senator John Mc.Cain III’s Signatures to the site. The first hangar also includes a MIG-21 Cockpit that’s fully accessible and looks like it hasn’t been touched! The aircraft are almost all FAA approved for flight and are used for the air show held in August. Outside sits a C46 Commando and C47 Skytrain of which the C46 is accessible and has a interior that looks almost untouched and like the original! The other hangars include planes from a real A6M from WWII to a PBJ and its Army Counterpart the B-25 Mitchell. In all this was worth the experience and I suggest that if you love aviation you go to this wonderful museum. If I could I would rate this place 6/5 for “Best Aviation Museum in the Los...

The Commemorative Air force Museum is definitely one of the more exciting Passport 2 History participants! Full disclosure: the real meat of this museum are the planes outside. They have a bunch of cool ones, and you're right out on the runway of the airport, so there are actual real planes taking off and landing all the time, which is cool.

The coolest part is that there are two planes and a helicopter that you can go into! My toddler loved it! He (literally) didn't want to leave each one to see the next. It was kind of a problem actually... But eventually after our guided tour, we were left to go at our own pace, so we literally went and sat in each of those planes and helicopter again for quite some time as my son for to push all the buttons and "steer".

This is definitely a great place to check out and take your toddler. It is a $10 suggested donation for adults, which while I understand it, felt a bit pricey as you're not going to be here too long. Not so much for going once... but this is the type of place I'd love to visit again and again with my toddler just for a half hour of sitting in the plane, and I wouldn't be able to afford that. The museum part is okay, but fairly small. It's definitely an afterthought to the planes.

If you're traveling from LA, there are a TON of places to see not far from here... so you could make a day or it. Check out The Western Foundation of Vertebrae Zoology, The Pleasant Valley Historical Society Museum and Botanical Gardens, The Antique Mall of Camarillo to...

Located near the wonderful Waypoint Cafe at the Camarillo Airport, this museum and the associated wing of the Commemorative Air Force have a treasure trove of old warbirds still flying!

We made the requested donation and were hosted by a very knowledgeable and personable docent. (Not sure if the docents are there during the week.)

As luck would have it, a memorial service for a World War II vet was in progress, so we got to see a couple of the old planes do a missing man formation!

More recently, we were at the café and got to see a four-plane formation do a flyover.

Even if you don't catch a flyover, seeing the planes and watching the men restoring them is fascinating. They even have one of five Japanese Zeros still in existence. Up until a few years ago, Japan didn't even have one!

You get to board a World War II cargo plane, as well as a helicopter. The museum itself has a number of amazing World War II artifacts, uniforms, recruiting posters, etc. And there is a great little gift shop.

I'm fortunate enough to live in Camarillo, so I take all my visitors to the café and the museum. Nobody is ever...