Aviation Museums: Your favourite? | Forums

[AWL_Spinner]

Definitely Duxford.

And preferably on a display weekend

Any visiting Americans - ensure it's on your itinerary, the USAAF museum is fantastic.

[JerryFodder]

Originally posted by Nick_Toznost:
The Imperial War Museum, London has some interesting aircraft. A V2, a Lancaster cockpit/fuselage you can walk through*, a HE-162 hanging from the ceiling and some others that I can't remember.

*I dicovered there that a Lancaster front gunner had to sit for the whole flight with his head between the navigator's legs (er.....that's facing outwards). Design flaw, or maybe it was intentional.

It's a Halifax, not a Lanc. Apparently there aren't any whole examples of Halifax bombers left today - is that true???<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

I may as well fly a kite...

[Spinnetti]

I've been to pretty much every one mentioned except Duxford (Kzoo, WPAFB, Smithsonian(s),Pennsacola, London).. They are all very good.
I also like the Deutsches Museum in Munich.. Me262,Stuka, DO335(now at WPAFB - I've seen it both places now!) and others...

[Phil_C]

Originally posted by ElAurens:
The National Museum Of The United States Air Force, at Wright Field, Dayton Ohio.

Two hours from me by car.

Simply the best. From the Wright Model B Flyer to the F22, and beyond.

And it is free.

Be sure.

Its still the USAF museum to me, but one thing is for sure, there isnt a museum on earth that beats this place. plus the vets and other voulenteers that work there are more than willing to go out of their way to share their storys and experiences with you.

My first visit there was in 96, and i rememember listening to this older gentleman's story about his time during WWII as a P-51 pilot..



The National Air and Space Museum is great too, and now that they have opened the U-H Center at Dulles it makes it even better.

I like the intrepid, and am looking foward to seeing its restoration and upgrade in 2008, and there are a few other local museums, The Cradle of Aviation, and the Air Power museum which are good, but small.

Oh and this isnt a museum, more of a memorial to the Grumman Employees, but its 15 minutes from my house

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[Vacillator]

Another vote for Duxford from me. A particularly good weekend to visit is this (Flying Legends):

http://duxford.iwm.org.uk/server/show/conEvent.1303

28 squids advance tickets but worth every penny and more...<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

[Corsair_Fanatic]

I have to pick a favorite? No way. I'll just list some of the ones I've been to:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI> The Pima Air & Space Museum
<LI> The New England Air Museum. NEAM has open cockpit days. I've gotten to sit in their XF4U-4 and P-47 , which was awesome.
<LI> The AZ CAF wing. I got to fly their SNJ . It rocked.
<LI> The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. They've got the only airworthy Lancaster in North America, and alot of other cool stuff. [/list]

I've got a ton of pics over on my LJ gallery site.

[WOLFMondo]

Undead thread!<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

Cheers!!

[TC_Stele]

I've only been to one, but I enjoy it everytime I visit the museum. Has a plethora of WW2 birds, and a few other warbirds from different eras.

Planes of Fame museum. www.planesoffame.com<div class="ev_tpc_signature">

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[TgD Thunderbolt56]

I've been to several and picking The best is tough because of all the intangibles (i.e. available time, weather, demonstrations, etc,..)

I've never been to the Smithsonian and it's on my list of things-to-do. Nonetheless, I live close to Kermit Weeks' personal collection and museum. http://www.fantasyofflight.com It's quaint, extensive and includes such a diverse collection that it's easy to spend a day there and not really see everything. They have a tour you can take of the restoration shop and though they have 40+ aircraft you can see, they supposedly have over 100 more that are in myriad stages of restoration.

TB<div class="ev_tpc_signature">


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I.O.C.L. (International Online Competition League)

[Bo_Nidle]

Duxford gets my vote too. Not only a superb museum but a working warbird airfield and still pretty intact wartime airfield too.So much history.First operational Spitfire squadron, Douglas Bader and the 78th Fighter Group.

I love the place so much that the Mrs states she'll scatter my ashes there (she also added that if I don't finish the decorating it may be sooner than I think )

I collect Nicolas Trudgian prints and this one is on the wall above my monitor



If I could live there I would!

Cosford is excellent (and free!) and has its Cold War exhibit hall opening this February.

I also like "Fantasy of Flight" in Florida but it was rather smaller than I expected.<div class="ev_tpc_signature">



Bo_Nidle

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