Combat Air Museum


The Combat Air Museum is a non-profit aviation museum at Topeka Regional Airport in Topeka, Kansas, United States. The museum preserves and displays U.S. military aviation history through a collection of more than 40 historic aircraft, including World War I replicas, World War II trainers, Cold War jets, and helicopters. In addition to its aircraft, the museum features aviation artifacts, educational programs, and exhibits on regional and national military aviation heritage.

History

The Combat Air Museum was established in the fall of 1976 as the Kansas Wing of David Tallichet's Yesterday's Air Force, a private collection dedicated to preserving military aviation history. The organization's first aircraft was a B-24 named Delectable Doris. It moved to Hangar 626 and opened in July 1977. By 1979, the group reorganized as the Combat Air Museum and relocated to Hangar 602 at Forbes Field in Topeka, Kansas.
The museum explored the possibility of establishing a wing in Wichita in early 1981. Later that year, it partnered with the AirCraft Enthusiasts Society to propose an aviation museum in the city.
The museum's "Detachment 1" operated at the Augusta Municipal Airport in 1991.
The museum attempted to acquire an RB-47 named City of Salina from the Salina Airport in 1991 after the airport sought a new home for it.
A tower that had been built as a memorial to World War II veterans was re-erected at the museum in 1993.
The board of directors decided to no longer fly the museum's aircraft in April 1996 due to a lack of insurance.
An O-47 that was on loan to the museum was sold by its owner in 2014.
The museum added three bays to display additional artifacts in 2025. A temporary exhibition of art featuring the Red Baron was announced in July 2025.

Collection

The museums collection includes more than 40 aircraft ranging from World War I replicas to Cold War-era jets and helicopters, illustrating the evolution of U.S. military aviation.
The collection includes:

Aircraft

The museum held an annual airshow called Superbatics from 1976 to at least 1995.
The museum holds an annual 5k run/walk fundraiser.