Rexburg Legacy Flight Museum

Rexburg Legacy Flight Museum sits on the edge of Rexburg–Madison County Airport, using an 18,000-square-foot hangar as both archive and workshop for historic military aviation. Founded by John and Terry Bagley and opened in 2006, the museum has evolved around aircraft and components that represent mid-20th-century air power and its engineering realities. Its collection has included powerplants such as R-3350 and Bristol Centaurus radial engines, giving enthusiasts a close view of the complex machinery that drove heavy bombers and late-war fighters. Ground-based weaponry, including a Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun, anchors the aviation story in the wider context of air defense and the industrial scale required to sustain it. The museum’s history also reflects the inherent risks of operating vintage aircraft, with several documented incidents and losses recorded over the years, underscoring the tension between preservation and flight. Situated in a small Idaho community rather than a major defense hub, the Legacy Flight Museum demonstrates how serious warbird stewardship, hands-on restoration, and periodic flying events can be sustained far from large coastal collections, offering a concentrated look at the technology and upkeep behind historic combat aircraft.