MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is home to the Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and Aviation Museum, which houses more than 40 different types of military aircraft both fixed and rotary wing from the early days of military flight to the present Marine F/A-18 Hornet.

The museum staff is also in charge of current aircraft restoration projects as well as other old military items to include uniform and issued gear.

There are one to seven men and women both civilian and military working on a daily basis restoring these great aircraft.

“I have been interested in airplanes since 1972, which is when I saw my first air show,” said Steve Smith, assistant curator, Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and Aviation Museum, MCAS Miramar.

Smith, a former motor transport Marine, is one of the men responsible for the restoration of military aircraft that go on display in the museum.

“Currently, a General Motors TBM-3E ‘Avenger’ is being restored for the museum,” said Smith. “We have been working on this aircraft for the last six months and we are planning to be done in the next few months.”

The Avenger came into production in 1943, with a total of 9,836 aircraft built and made their combat debut at the Battle of Midway where only one out of six aircraft survived.

During World War II, the Avenger was used in many different roles such as a bomber, torpedo bomber, and was also used in anti-submarine warfare.

The Avenger is capable of flying at speeds faster than 270 mph, and has a range of more than 1,000 nautical miles.

The aircraft had an array of weapons systems including multiple .50 caliber machine guns and a 2,000 pound internal bomb load.

“The Avenger we are working on was used as a trainer,” said Smith. “After its work in WWII, this aircraft was used as a crop duster in Canada.”

This aircraft was accepted into the Navy fleet in 1945 and served in a variety of different tasks during its military career. Never seeing combat, it was retired in 1962 from the Navy after accumulating more than 792 hours of flight.

“The Avenger is not the only aircraft we are currently working on,” said Smith. “We are working on an A-6, which is a Vietnam era fighter jet.”

The A-6 was originally from Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242. This aircraft is being painted to the “Bats” style paint job.

“I love re-building aircraft,” said Tom O’Hara, curator, Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation and Aviation Museum, MCAS Miramar. “I was a Marine aviator, and flew helos (helicopters).”

“I started as a volunteer rebuilding aircraft in 1994,” he said. “I was in law school and did this job part time. I loved doing this so much I started doing it full time.”