Hailstorm damages historic aircraft at Fort Worth Aviation Museum

This past weekend's severe storms didn't just devastate Runaway Bay. 

Communities across North Texas are now assessing damage, including the Fort Worth Aviation Museum, where hail left its mark on rare and historic aircraft.

The museum, often described as a hidden gem in Fort Worth, is now facing a costly cleanup.

"Our goal is to inspire young people to careers in aviation and aerospace and to inspire the community about its rich aviation history," said Jim Hodgson, the museum's executive director.

But after the storms, Hodgson is asking the community for help.

Hail punched holes in the ground – and the planes

"One of our members was out here on Sunday and was finding holes in the ground where the hail had hit, and they were like two inches in diameter and in the ground like two to three inches, like throwing golf balls right into the ground," Hodgson said.

Instead of just hitting the ground, the hail pounded the museum's collection of one‑of‑a‑kind planes and helicopters.

"We got some broken canopies, you've seen we've got some dents on some airplanes. Others we've got what we call splatter marks," he said.

Damage extends inside the museum

The building itself didn't escape the storm's force.

"The building got hit so hard with hail that it knocked all the insulation out of the ceiling," Hodgson said.

Repairing the aircraft will take time and significant resources, but the immediate priority is stabilizing the building.

"It's going to be tens of thousands of dollars. What's going on inside is going to require massive cleanup, doing the replacement of the insulation and those kinds of things," he said.

Museum staff keeping perspective

Despite the setback, Hodgson says he knows others across North Texas suffered far worse.

"When you consider what's happened in Runaway Bay and some of the other places, we're minor, we're just minor," he said. "This is damage that can be repaired. We didn't lose a house, we didn't lose a life."

Outdoor exhibits reopening soon

There is some good news for aviation enthusiasts: while the museum's indoor exhibits will remain closed indefinitely, Hodgson says the outdoor aircraft displays could reopen as soon as this weekend.