US AirForce Museum
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US AirForce Museum
Got this link as part of a mailing list I belong to (Thanks, Brian!) What a great collection of machines!
http://www.cdsg.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=381
http://www.cdsg.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=381
Say, what's that mountain goat doing up here in the mist?
Happiness is V1 at Thompson!
Ass, Licence, Job. In that order.
Happiness is V1 at Thompson!
Ass, Licence, Job. In that order.
- cdnpilot77
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Re: US AirForce Museum
Been there 3 times...the aircraft and the layout of the displays are simply amazing! To give an idea of size, the last time I was there a B-36 was positioned just inside the door of the WWII hangar just past Kettering hall and it only took up about 1/5 of that hangar!
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Re: US AirForce Museum
Thanks, recently put that museum on our summer vacation Itinerary - even more happy I did now!
Re: US AirForce Museum
Took an Air Cadet squadron there one March break. Spent nearly 4 full days of the trip at the museum. I think it was a too much time for the kids, but I could have spent the full week if left to my own devices. There is sooo much to see! It's an absolutely fantastic collection.
Cheers,
Brew
Brew
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Re: US AirForce Museum
My father took me there when I was 16 and had just started flying. We spent 4 days there and it was one of the best memories of my dad. He wasn't a pilot, but he sure enjoyed airplanes.
Don't go unless you have a minimum of 2-3 days to devote to the place!
Don't go unless you have a minimum of 2-3 days to devote to the place!
- Helmet Fire
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Re: US AirForce Museum
I've been there, it's pretty awesome. You can also watch an IMAX movie there if you somehow get through all the planes in one day.
Helmet Fire
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Re: US AirForce Museum
Thanks for posting the link, this museum has alot of great aircraft.
I can see how the Yale can be mistaken for BT13(Called the Vultee). They both had fixed landing gear, and powerplants were about the same HP. Although, the Yale had a Wright Whrilwind and I think the Vultee had a Pratt. As the pictue shows, the sweepback on the wings is too much for a Vultee, so thats a sure fire way of telling the 2 apart.
I have not seen a picture of the B-29 Bockscar in a while. I was at an airshow in the mid 90's and met the pilot of that airplane(He was also on board the Enola Gay as well). He autographed my hat I was wearing at the time. Great guy, with lots of storys.
As a side note, in Canada multi training was done on the Anson, and in the US it was done on the Cessna T-50 Bobcat. We also had these aircraft in the BCATP, they were called "Cranes"
I can see how the Yale can be mistaken for BT13(Called the Vultee). They both had fixed landing gear, and powerplants were about the same HP. Although, the Yale had a Wright Whrilwind and I think the Vultee had a Pratt. As the pictue shows, the sweepback on the wings is too much for a Vultee, so thats a sure fire way of telling the 2 apart.
I have not seen a picture of the B-29 Bockscar in a while. I was at an airshow in the mid 90's and met the pilot of that airplane(He was also on board the Enola Gay as well). He autographed my hat I was wearing at the time. Great guy, with lots of storys.
As a side note, in Canada multi training was done on the Anson, and in the US it was done on the Cessna T-50 Bobcat. We also had these aircraft in the BCATP, they were called "Cranes"
- The Old Fogducker
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Re: US AirForce Museum
I'm glad, yet sad that they have added guard rails to keep spectators at a respectful distance from these special aircraft.
I was there in 1988 and was super-impressed.
It was really something to be able to walk up to an X-15 and run your hands over the fuselage, look up the tailpipe, have a close look at the quality of assembly, note how perfect each and every rivet was, to put your hand on the windshield to block the light, and peer into the cockpit at the instrument panel and contemplate the role this famous aircrft played in obtaining data for high speed flight, and the class of Engineering Test Pilot ... the likes of Scott Crossfield, Neil Armstrong, Iven Kinchloe, and . Yeager that had flown on that program and others that had flown the airplane to the edge of space and faster than any man had travelled before.
It was a very moving experience to see this aircraft "in the flesh" that I'd only seen in movie newsreels, magazine articles, or on TV.
Then, I noticed something disgusting ... some piece of scum had taken a jacknife and scratched his initials and his girlfriend's initials inside a heart underneath the windscreen on the right side. What a stunned jerk ... to have defaced such a piece of aeronautical history for something as senseless as initials inside a heart .... zeesh. The kind of guy that should have been caught, taken outside and had the crap pounded out of him and then banned from the facility for life.
So, too bad that the guard rails had to be installed and prevent people to can appreciate what they are looking at, and yet its excellent the exhibits are now being protected.
A superb place to visit if you get the chance. Don't expect to go through it in a few hours though.
Regards,
The Old Fogducker
I was there in 1988 and was super-impressed.
It was really something to be able to walk up to an X-15 and run your hands over the fuselage, look up the tailpipe, have a close look at the quality of assembly, note how perfect each and every rivet was, to put your hand on the windshield to block the light, and peer into the cockpit at the instrument panel and contemplate the role this famous aircrft played in obtaining data for high speed flight, and the class of Engineering Test Pilot ... the likes of Scott Crossfield, Neil Armstrong, Iven Kinchloe, and . Yeager that had flown on that program and others that had flown the airplane to the edge of space and faster than any man had travelled before.
It was a very moving experience to see this aircraft "in the flesh" that I'd only seen in movie newsreels, magazine articles, or on TV.
Then, I noticed something disgusting ... some piece of scum had taken a jacknife and scratched his initials and his girlfriend's initials inside a heart underneath the windscreen on the right side. What a stunned jerk ... to have defaced such a piece of aeronautical history for something as senseless as initials inside a heart .... zeesh. The kind of guy that should have been caught, taken outside and had the crap pounded out of him and then banned from the facility for life.
So, too bad that the guard rails had to be installed and prevent people to can appreciate what they are looking at, and yet its excellent the exhibits are now being protected.
A superb place to visit if you get the chance. Don't expect to go through it in a few hours though.
Regards,
The Old Fogducker
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Re: US AirForce Museum
I think that the guard rails are a double edged sword. Museums have to be living museums but there is a limit, especially if some of the aircraft fly.The Old Fogducker wrote:I'm glad, yet sad that they have added guard rails to keep spectators at a respectful distance from these special aircraft.
I was there in 1988 and was super-impressed.
It was really something to be able to walk up to an X-15 and run your hands over the fuselage, look up the tailpipe, have a close look at the quality of assembly, note how perfect each and every rivet was, to put your hand on the windshield to block the light, and peer into the cockpit at the instrument panel and contemplate the role this famous aircrft played in obtaining data for high speed flight, and the class of Engineering Test Pilot ... the likes of Scott Crossfield, Neil Armstrong, Iven Kinchloe, and . Yeager that had flown on that program and others that had flown the airplane to the edge of space and faster than any man had travelled before.
It was a very moving experience to see this aircraft "in the flesh" that I'd only seen in movie newsreels, magazine articles, or on TV.
Then, I noticed something disgusting ... some piece of scum had taken a jacknife and scratched his initials and his girlfriend's initials inside a heart underneath the windscreen on the right side. What a stunned jerk ... to have defaced such a piece of aeronautical history for something as senseless as initials inside a heart .... zeesh. The kind of guy that should have been caught, taken outside and had the crap pounded out of him and then banned from the facility for life.
So, too bad that the guard rails had to be installed and prevent people to can appreciate what they are looking at, and yet its excellent the exhibits are now being protected.
A superb place to visit if you get the chance. Don't expect to go through it in a few hours though.
Regards,
The Old Fogducker
I have seen countless times were kids think the fuselage of a Sterman is a drum, or the exposed control cables of a Tiger Moth are something to hang off of. As this is happening, there are some parents that just sit and watch. Not good for airworthy aircraft.
If there is a sign that says "dont touch', please respect the request
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Re: US AirForce Museum
If anyone goes, be sure to check out the ex "Air Force One" collection on the active side of the base. They have everything from FDR's DC-4 with the wheelchair elevator to the 707. You can walk through all these planes however the interiors are protected with plexiglass. Still one of my favorite parts of the museum though.
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Re: US AirForce Museum
CLICK HERE
The virtual tour allows the visitor to take a virtual, 3-D, self-guided tour of the entire museum. The visitor can navigate from gallery to gallery either by using a drop-down map or by following navigational arrows connecting the individual nodes. Icons indicate hotspots where the visitor can get additional information such as videos, audio or links to online resources.
The virtual tour allows the visitor to take a virtual, 3-D, self-guided tour of the entire museum. The visitor can navigate from gallery to gallery either by using a drop-down map or by following navigational arrows connecting the individual nodes. Icons indicate hotspots where the visitor can get additional information such as videos, audio or links to online resources.
Re: US AirForce Museum
'79K20driver wrote:If anyone goes, be sure to check out the ex "Air Force One" collection on the active side of the base. They have everything from FDR's DC-4 with the wheelchair elevator to the 707. You can walk through all these planes however the interiors are protected with plexiglass. Still one of my favorite parts of the museum though.
When I was there 3 years ago they were in the process of moving this over to the new area. Being on an active base presented some challenges in getting foreigners over to see that exhibit. They wouldn't let me go without my passport, which at the time wasn't a requirement to travel in the US.
- cdnpilot77
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Re: US AirForce Museum
Going tomorrow, but only have a couple of hours....this will be my third visit...cant wait!
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Re: US AirForce Museum
Bring your passport!!!! When you get there inquire about the "presidential" hanger tour it is located on the Airforce base side of things your Drivers licence which is good enough for US citizens is NOT enough as a Canadian.
There is limited space and time available, they bus you over and the that hanger has all sorts of X planes, Air Force One's Roosevelts, the one that took Kennedy to Dallas etc, of course Johnson's king Air 90 lol. The Highlight over in that hanger is the Valkyrie. Oh and the AVROcar.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibi ... /index.asp
There is limited space and time available, they bus you over and the that hanger has all sorts of X planes, Air Force One's Roosevelts, the one that took Kennedy to Dallas etc, of course Johnson's king Air 90 lol. The Highlight over in that hanger is the Valkyrie. Oh and the AVROcar.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/exhibi ... /index.asp