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I'll add my vote for the USAF Museum. They've done a great job preserving so many old planes and all types of interesting historical artifacts.
Besides, any Museum with that large of a collection that manages to continue adding and preserving without having to charge an admission fee must be doing something right.
Senior Member
This one is in my neighbourhoodnice museum free entrance
A little further away..
I've been to Hendon Museum which is great. Also Munich Museum (Me262/163), and not a museum but worth a visit: Reno airraces!<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
"Once (I think it was 31st aug. 1940), I was in a fight with four Hurricanes over Dover.
I was back over the channel when I saw another Hurricane coming from Calais, trailing white smoke, obviously in a bad way.
I flew up alongside him and escorted him all the way to England and waved goodbye.
A few weeks later the same thing happened to me.
That would never have happened in Russia - never". (Erich Rudorffer - 109 pilot)
Member
My air museum fave is the closed one, Warbirds, Florida - I just asked if I could look at the AC in the hangers though and got a free tour.
Here's a couple from the Imperial War Museum, London
FW-190A, likely A8 or A9 because of the paddle shaped prop. (without guns). P51D behind.
He-162 Salamander
V1 Doodlebug
Now from the Warbirds museum collection:
MiG 21 wreck
P51D "Slender, Tender and Tall"
P51D "Hell-er Bust"
P51D "Crazy Horse"
P51D Gun Loading. Regrettably I didn't get a full pic of this AC, it was called "....<something>....Beauty" - the fourth 51 in the collection
Spitfire - I think it's a IXe, note the dual rads, bubble hood and 'e' wing type of 2x 20mm hispano and 2x broning 50's. Could be a griffin model though but it looks too short, the only tale is the rudder shape? Can somebody get this marque?
P38L "Putt, Putt Maru"
Opposite of same
P-40 "Flying Tiger"
Naval T6 trainer
Airforce/Army T6 trainer. This one they'll fly you in on hire
No idea what this Czech AC is....
Enjoy
Senior Member
Well, the Belle is in a state of near total disassembly at this point. She was in a deplorable shape when she arrived at the Museum. Her "caretakers" in the city of Memphis let her slide into a near total wreck. She had been repeatedly vandalized and left to sit out in the elements for many years. As I recall from the press release the Museum is predicting a 3 to 5 year restoration timeframe.Originally posted by Phil_C:
oo take pics of the Belle for me... i was real worried that they were going to cut her up or somethin when they had to move the plane..
i just watched that movie last night, and the night before... its a great story
Still I will get pics of what there is to see.<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
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"To explain the lure of speed you would have to explain human nature" - T.E. Lawrence
Senior Member
The Science Museum in London has got some interesting stuff. The Rolls-Royce Flying Bedstead VTOL testbed, the Shorts VTOL testbed, Mk1 Spitfire and Hurricane, the Vickers Vimy that Alcock and Brown flew across the Atlantic in in 1919, the Whittle E39/whatsit jet, a HS125, DC-3 front fuselage which you can walk though, a Wright flyer (replica perhaps), the Apollo 10 capsule, and the Black Arrow R4 - the only British spacecraft.
And entry is free. Britain is the only country to develop and then abandon the independent capacity to put things into orbit!<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
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PhilipsCDRw
PF_Tini's Simple Guide to Switching 4.04m, 4.05m, and 4.07m.
Flying on Hyperlobby as EAF_T_Dozer
Member
Senior Member
Duxford for me, but it's a relatively long way from home.
If like me you're stuck in the grimy north of England, the Air and Space Hall at the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester has some interesting exhibits.
From memory;
A very nice FR.XIVe to represent No 613(City of Manchester Squadron)
Lots of Avros, Vickers, and Ferrantis stuff, inc
A Shackelton, a 504, the first axial flow Jet engine to run in the UK, a Mk 8 Ferranti Gyro gunsight.
I think they have an Okha, could be getting confused with Cosford, which definately has one.
It's not that big but there isn't much aviation related up here in Manchester though, so it's worth a look if you are stuck in our city.<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
Senior Member
That there is a Naval Aircraft Factory N3N, a US primary trainer that operated on wheels and floats. Interesting factoid, they were built in part using leftover rigid airship materials.Originally posted by JerryFodder No idea what this Czech AC is....
Through my work, I've gotten to see most of the major (and lots of smaller) air museums in the US and my vote for best is the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. It's displays transcend the usual 'bunch of airplanes in a hangar' look, it has a very useful historical library and most importantly (to me anyway) is kid friendly and hands-on. One employee there said it best, "We'd rather recover elevators and touch up paint now and then and let the kids touch the airplanes instead of putting everything behind ropes" (I'm paraphrasing there a bit, but doesn't that kind of capture the Navy attitude?). Annnnd, if you're there at the right time of year, you get to watch the Blue Angels practice. It's free. I've been there multiple time and it's always fresh. I love Pensacola!<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
Member
My vote goes to the Luftfahrt-Museum Laatzen:
http://www.jagdgeschwader4.de/Kasino...over/Index.htm
Senior Member
It's Duxford for me. Was their not long after it was opened and was awestruck by the Fantastic. U.S. and British and Russian (There was a YAK 9 being restored) Displays both Static and Flying when they wish.
Had my first and only ever plane ride their, (DH Dragon Rapide!).
Saw Black 6 (ME 109 G2) The week before she crashed and was grounded
Have also been to RAF Cosforth (Dinah, ME 262 ME410 KI 100). Was suffering a hangover that day and couldn't quite take it all in
York is good. With the only complete Halifax.
Try to take in a Museum when I am on holidays in England normally.
I live in Scotland. A couple of miles from the Scottish Air museum at East Fortune!
Will be travelling South this Summer to the "Goodwood Festival of Speed".
Is Hendon Near? It's the one I haven't been to although have been to the IWM.<div class="ev_tpc_signature">
Is it just me? or can, anyone sook the truth.
