The Air Zoo took possession of an F-14A Tomcat on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation on May 18, 1995. It is thought to be only the fourth museum in the world to have that fighter in its collection. Other than the Pensacola museum, the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum is the only known museum to have all of the Grumman cats when Art Wolk's Panther is in residence. The Kalamazoo Air Zoo, like most nonprofit institutions, could not survive without its dedicated volunteers. They do everything from maintenance and gift shop sales to tour escort and security.
Tour guides explain the role various aircraft played in the history of the United States.
More than half of the aircraft in the collection are airworthy, and many more are flown on a regular basis. There almost always is a lot happening at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. Close to 60,000 visitors come to the museum annually, and though the wear and tear of that many people should take a toll on the building, it is as pristine as the planes it holds. The floor glows with the reflections of aircraft like the camouflaged Supermarine Mk. Colorful banners with aviation insignia and geometric shapes brighten up the main exhibition area.