cool aviation museums

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

cool aviation museums

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 6, 2003 7:49 PM

I lived in northern Virginia for several years and frequently visited the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. This used to be my favorite museum until a couple of years ago. While TDY in Lincoln, NE. someone told me to check out the SAC museum. Boy am I glad I went there. This is with out a doubt one of the best aviation museums that I've seen. They have an SR-71, B-36 and B-52 under the same roof. The place is huge. I believe they have around 35 aircraft in the building and 6 or 7 rockets outside. Now granted there's not much else going on in Nebraska, but if your passing through make sure you stop in. This place is a must see for any aviation nut. Great opportunity to take lots of up close photos.

I'd love to hear about some other museums that people have been to. I feel a road trip coming on!!! I can hear the wife and kids groaning now.

thanks
Darren

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 7, 2003 2:55 PM

Hi Darren - My absolute favorite place on earth is the U.S. Air Force Museum In Dayton, Ohio. I don't know where you are, but I promise the trip is well worth it. I'm lucky enough to be about a four hour drive away. I go there at least once a year to see what they've added. Check out their website:

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/

I have some pics on my website with more being added as I have time to do so. Not only the USAF Museum, but I will be posting my photographs from several Eurpoean aviation museums and airshows. Check out:

http://www.bubbamoose.com/airplanes.html

Enjoy! Big Smile [:D]

Pat

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 7, 2003 6:34 PM

A favorite of mine is the Museum of Flight in Seattle at Boeing Field. Maybe I'm biased since it's my hometown and the first aviation museum I've ever visited!

http://www.museumofflight.org/

Another museum a little closer to where I live is the Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon (about 35 miles SW of Portland). It's the home of the infamous Spruce Goose and they are getting an SR-71 soon.

http://www.sprucegoose.org/

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 7, 2003 7:59 PM

I've never visited, but this one should probably be mentioned:

EAA AirVenture Museum - Oshkosh, WI
http://museum.eaa.org/

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 7, 2003 9:09 PM

Hey Pat,
Thanks for the tip on W-P AFB, looks like another must see on my list. It's about 900 miles from where I live in Massachusetts, not to bad. I checked out your web site. Lots of great pics. I think I saw that pair of F-104's a couple years back at an airshow. What a graceful bird to see in action. I hope to see them again.

It sounds as if everyone has their own favorite museum they like to visit. Thanks to all who take the time to share, I hope to see them all eventually.

Darren

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naplak

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by naplak on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 12:45 AM

These are cool... I have some links to Museums on my Links page...
http://www.naplak.com/modeling/museums.htm

And I have some photos from the Evergreen Museum... especially of the Spruce Goose...

http://www.naplak.com/modeling/evergreen_mus.htm

These are really cool places! Smile [:)]

http://www.naplak.com/modeling/

www.naplak.com/modeling ... a free site for modelers www.scalehobby.com/forum/index.php ... a nice Modeling Forum

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billc3207

Member since
December 2002

Posted by billc3207 on Friday, January 10, 2003 11:58 AM

No one mentioned the Museum of Naval Avation in Pensacola, Florida. It is located near Pensacola NAS which is the home of the Blue Angels. I highly recommend this place. They have every plane and helicopter the Navy has ever used except for three and they are working to find them. Compared to the Air and Space Museum in Washington, I prefer this one. And like Air and Space, it is free. You also have the benefit on being near the most beautiful beaches in all of Florida. Check it out too.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 10, 2003 9:21 PM

Last May I ventured to England and made a special point of going to Duxford, the WW2 USAAF air base (8 miles south of Cambridge, 45 miles or so north of London). The Imperial War Museum has made an air museum there that has an interesting mix of propeller-driven and jet planes. The hangars are a bit more spread out than the USAF Museum in Ohio. On the day I was there they were offering short rides in a Spitfire.

They have a separate "American Air Museum" in which they have crammed all types of American planes (e.g., B-52, F-4, P-41, etc.). The building itself is a concrete shell, designed by the esteemed Sir Norman Foster. As an architect, I probably spent as much time studying the building as the planes!

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 11, 2003 1:52 AM

Jugman, I liked Duxford too. I was stationed at RAF Alconbury, about 15 miles away and got to go there often. The A-10 and U-2 on display there came from Alconbury. As an added attraction, you may get to see some of these old planes flying around the area. They also put on some good airshows a couple times a year. I did not get to see the American Air Museum as it was still under constuction the last time I was there. Since you were in England, I trust you also went to the RAF Museum in London? Great place. I really liked the fact that Hannants put a hobby shop at the Colindale tube station just a couple minutes away from the Museum!

regards,

Pat

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 7, 2003 10:46 AM

Fantansy of Flight on I-4 naer Disney World in Florida is also good.They are restoring a B-17 and most of the aircraft will fly

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, February 7, 2003 8:02 PM

If you do decide to give the Museum of Flight in Seattle a try, I would suggest waiting until summer of 2004. By that time they should have to first of two major expansions completed and most of the WWI and WWII planes displayed. If all goes well with the financing the second expansion will be across the street from the main building and will be able to house all of the LARGE jets--such and the B-52 and the original 747.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 8, 2003 4:26 AM

Pretty ordinary displays, but interesting stuff. Try the Indian Air Force Museum guys. Went there some time ago and found a Hawker Tempest, a Griffon-engined Spit (post-war, I think), and a beautiful example of Dr. Kurt Tank's post-war work - the grossly underpowered but graceful HF-24 Marut, India's first home-built jet fighter.

And surprise, surprise, there is a 'Baka' flying bomb, all the way from Japan!

Bad pics, but interesting site.

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Museum

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 9, 2003 10:49 AM

The Pima Air Museum near Tucson, AZ, has some really great and rare planes. Everything from a replica Wright Flyer to an SR-71, to the first F-107A built (and 1 of only 2 left in existance!). The museum's right next to the USAF "Graveyard/Mothball Fleet", and they are able to "borrow" alot of planes from there.

Check it out at http://www.pimaair.org/

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 9:40 AM

How about the National Warplane Museum http://www.warplane.org/ in Elmira, New York? I visited there in the summer of 2001. Not a large collection, kind of heavy on jets, some of it not yet restored, but pretty nice all the same. They had some financial difficulties shortly after I visited, and they were closed for a while. But that seems to be sorted out, and they're open again. Worth a visit if you're passing through.

Nice countryside there--I was staying in Rochester, so I got to drive down through a pleasant area called the "Lakes" region.

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weebles

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by weebles on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 10:03 PM

If in Phoenix check out the Champlain Fighter Aircraft Museum. I've been there three times and I'd go back again. All aircraft are in flyable conditioin, althought last I heard they only flew the P-51D... sometimes. Here's their web site...

http://www.champlinfighter.com/

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Papa-Echo-64

Member since
February 2003
From: Seattle

Posted by Papa-Echo-64 on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 11:42 PM

In Seattle.....oh Hi! new guy here!......as I was saying we have the Museum of Flight! They just installed a Spitfire mk-9, We have a B-17B, Corair, F4 phantom, Ford tri motor and a bunch of other GOOD STUFF! They have just purchased 99 more aircraft from WWI and WWII area! and they are building another place to show off all this COOL stuff!

UPDATE: Ok....it looks like my o'l pal qtan has beat me to it! and I was going to send him a link to this site.....anyone else from the Pacific North west here? Tongue [:P]

Straighten up and fly right.....

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 9:58 AM

Wright Patterson is the best I've ever been too; they have a wealth of airplanes.

Fantasy of Flight, mentioned above, was also pretty cool. When I was there they were having a classic car show which made it doubly interesting.

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, February 15, 2003 10:17 AM

Going on a bit of a tangent here, but has anyone been in the small scale model display at the Milwaukee Airport? It's setup as a seperate room with TONS of model aircraft on display. I was on a connecting flight there once and I stumbled on it!! Wow, what a find! Made business travel seem not so bad!!

M.

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U-96

Member since
February 2003
From: United Kingdom

Posted by U-96 on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 10:20 AM

The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, UK. is well worth a visit. They have a great 1970s carrier deck mockup with a simulated arrival by helicopter and Phantom take-off, as well as lots of rare navalised aircraft on display.

http://www.fleetairarm.com/

...

[edit] forgot there is also a great enthusiasts' museum at Newark Racecourse. Lots of classic British airframes of the 1950s and 1960s, and some good cockpit/component displays

http://www.newarkairmuseum.co.uk/

On the bench: 1/35 Dragon Sturmpanzer Late Recent: Academy 1/48 Bf-109D (Nov 06) Academy 1/72 A-37 (Oct 06) Revell 1/72 Merkava III (Aug 06) Italeri 1/35 T-26 (Aug 06)

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coldwar68

Member since
February 2003
From: Zanesville, OH USA

Posted by coldwar68 on Wednesday, February 19, 2003 10:47 AM

Hello,

I have to say that I really liked Air Museum at Wright-Pat. I spent almost 8 whole hours there one day and did not get through the whole place. I was in heaven. I plan on making a trip there this spring or summer.

Jerry

I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it. -Jack Handy

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dkmacin

Member since
January 2003
From: Upper left side of the lower Penninsula of Mich

Posted by dkmacin on Friday, February 21, 2003 5:32 AM

I have been to Wright-Patterson, very nice.
I was at Seattle, must have been when they first opened it up. . .it was pretty bare.
Pensacola is a good place for not only US Navy, but US Coast Guard as well (I helped restore the USCG HH52A on display)
But, by far the best I have seen was in Cadillac Michigan. . .not a museum but a WWII fly in! A B17G, a B24J, a P47, a P51, a Spitfire, 10 SNJ's with various "make up" Best of all, you were allowed to view each aircraft up close and go inside the B17 and B24 with NO FEE!
ANGB Selfridge (MI) has a fly in airshow every other year with lots of aircraft of all eras that must fly in to participate, one exception was an Me109G being restored.

Don

I know it's only rock and roll, but I like it.

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Jim Barton

Member since
February 2003

Posted by Jim Barton on Friday, February 21, 2003 5:49 PM

I should let you all know that the Champlin Fighter Museum near Phoenix will be no more after Memorial Day. They are going to move the entire collection to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, and they hope to have them on display for D-Day 2004. If any of you will be in Arizona before then, I strongly suggest you hightail it out to Champlin before they close it down for the big move.

An excellent museum in California is the Castle Air Force Base museum in the small town of Atwater, near Merced (between Sacramento and Fresno). They've got dozens of aircraft, including a B-36, a B-52, an F-104, an F-101, and others. Another good one if you're in southern California is the one in San Diego (I forget its exact name) that has both airplanes and spacecraft. It's in Balboa Park, not too far from the San Diego Zoo--that'll keep the wife and kids happy!

"Whaddya mean 'Who's flying the plane?!' Nobody's flying the plane!"

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weebles

Member since
December 2002
From: USA

Posted by weebles on Friday, February 21, 2003 10:47 PM

Jim,
Thanks for the update on Champlain. About a year ago I heard it was sold to some interest in the east and that's where it would be moving. I think that must have fallen through. Glad to know where it's going.
Dave

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murph

Member since
January 2003
From: West of the rock and east of the hard place!

Posted by murph on Saturday, February 22, 2003 6:16 AM

I lead a sheltered life...I've only been to two...the Canada Aviation Museum here in Ottawa and the Canadian Warplane Heritage in Hamilton.

The C.A.M. has a very extensive collection. Once they get the second building finished they'll be able to display their entire collection. Many of the aircraft there are capable of flight however it's strictly a static display. Their site is at :

www.aviation.nmstc.ca

On the other hand, the C.W.H. is a smaller collection but many of the aircraft are flown regularly. If you have the desire, and the financial ability, you can go for a flight in their Lancaster. I was fortunate enough to be able to do so. It's an experience I'll never forget. They also sell flights in their Beech 18, Harvards, and PBY 5A Canso (Catalina to our friends south of the 49th parallel). Their site is at:

www.warplane.com

Retired and living the dream!

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Woody

Member since
December 2002
From: Third rock from the sun.

Posted by Woody on Friday, April 25, 2003 12:21 PM

The Kalamazoo Air Zoo is a very interesting museum. They have a nice selection and they fly them for the guests. My Dad paid for a ride on a vintage Ford Trimotor! How cool is that Big Smile [:D]

" I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way." --John Paul Jones

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JGUIGNARD

Member since
March 2003
From: USA

Posted by JGUIGNARD on Friday, April 25, 2003 3:16 PM

Here in Southern California we have Planes of Fame at Chino airport. They are a working museum and a large percentage of their planes fly. They put on a great warbird show every year ( next month, in fact ). They also give rides in many of their aircraft ( if you have the $$ to pay that is ). I live just a few miles away, so am out there fairly often. Chino airport is also home to the Yanks Air Museum, as well as two warbird restoration companies - Square One Aviation & Aero Traders. Yanks has some very unusual aiplanes - a YP-47M, and a P-51A for instance. While many of Yanks airplanes are flyable, they never do fly.

Also in So. Cal. there is the March AFB Museum, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and Palm Springs Air Museum.

Jim

Most of us are acquainted with at least one "know-it-all". He may be as close as the mirror. [}:)]

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J-Hulk

Member since
February 2003
From: Tochigi, Japan

Posted by J-Hulk on Thursday, May 1, 2003 11:09 PM

In Georgia, the museum at Warner-Robbins is quite good. Tons and tons of planes! Most of them displayed outside, just parked around.
Let's see if I can remember some of what they had there...
B-25, B-29, B-52, B-57, SR-71, C-47, Globemaster, C-119, bunch of C-130 variations, A-3, MiG 17, F-4E, F-100, F-101, RF-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, F-106, P2V Neptune, a British Lightning, and a U-2.
Inside, they have a beautiful F-15 display, a P-40, a P-47, a bunch of choppers and other aircraft. They also have a great display of models.

I haven't been there since 1995, so a lot of things may have changed, but it certainly was an interesting place. It's off of I-75, south of Atlanta.

~Brian

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fuzzy

Member since
May 2003
From: Lewisburg , Tenn

Posted by fuzzy on Friday, May 2, 2003 2:13 AM

The 8th AF museum near Savannah,GA. was just opening several years
ago when we visited. Small , but they had some rare equipment and
aircraft on display. Also an excellent film on the events prior to WW2
and its effect on a young boy in the USA. An 8th AF B-17 pilot from WW2
gave us a breifing and answered questions.
Fuzzy

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djmodels1999

Member since
December 2002
From: United Kingdom / Belgium

Posted by djmodels1999 on Friday, May 2, 2003 2:18 AM

If you guys ever go to Belgium, it's well worth visiting the Air Museum in Brussels (in the same location you also have the Army and Tank Museum and the coolest AutoWorld museum. Entrance to the Air Museum is free. There's some cool aircraft there, including some really rare WWI stuff, and of course many, many machines flown by rthe Belgian Air Force, from the Hanriot HD1 to the F-16. Lots of Easter European/Russian stuff nowadays too. My favourite though was always the Saab Draken...

http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/ocp/R.HTM#BELGIUM

http://www.autoworld.be/

The Le Bourget museum North of Paris ia also worth a visit (there's a fee to get in though).

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 3, 2003 4:17 AM

Of all museums I have visited, these are my top five.
There's a few I wish I could visit and hopefully will one day if I ever get close to them! Links to all these are on my website. Here goes:

1. USAF Mueum, Dayton, Ohio
2. Monino Museum VVS, Moscow, Russia
3. RAF Museum, RAF Hendon (London)
4. Musee De L'air, Paris-Lebourget
5. National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida

I'm waiting for the NASM to open their new facility at Dulles Airport. Once I've seen that, one of those top five will probably fall off the list...

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