Windsor's Canadian Aviation Museum unveiled on hangar's 81st anniversary

Thursday marked the 81st anniversary of the Windsor hangar that houses some of the most iconic wartime aircraft in the world, and now that space has a new name. 

Windsor's Canadian Historical Aircraft Association has been rebranded as the Canadian Aviation Museum.

Staff say the name better reflects its desire to showcase Canadian aviation and military history.

"in 1940 on July 22nd, it opened as No. 7 Elementary Flying Training School — the main hangar," said Don Christopher, president of the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association. 

"Over the course of the next four-and-a-half years, 2,400 men became pilots and started their pilot training in this building."

WATCH: Here's the plane that got the president involved with the museum 10 years ago: 

Canadian Aviation Museum president on where his love of planes comes from

3 years ago

Duration 1:33

The Canadian Historical Aircraft Association, home to some iconic wartime aircraft, has been rebranded as the Canadian Aviation Museum. Its president shares what influenced him to get involved with the museum 10 years ago.

Christopher explained that since its start as a pilot training school, the hangar, located at the Windsor International Airport, has also been a cargo facility until it was bequeathed to the association in 1994. 

As for the museum's new name, that rebranding came after the association won a Windsor-Essex contest held by local design company Generator Design.

Every year, a charity or non-profit is eligible for design and consulting worth about $15,000. 

After a year of consulting, and due to the ongoing pandemic, the museum finally revealed its new brand Thursday.