by Bill Standerfer - KF0DJ - Baron N222AB - CFI-A, II, MEI
VXI Systems Division, PO Box 301, Loveland, CO 80539 -- 303-679-2378
with a few more recent additions by Bill Mason
United States Army Aviation Museum
Fort Rucker, Alabama 36360
Tel: 205-255-4507 or 4516
Hours: 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday, 1PM-5PM Saturday-Sunday.
Situated between Ozark, Enterprise and Dothan, the U.S. Army Aviation Museum is
located in Buildings 6007, 6008, 6009, and 6013 at the U.S. Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama. Easily accessible off U.S. Highways 84 and 231, the Museum tells an authoritative and illustrated story of aviation roles and missions as they relate to the Army's effort to obtain capable aerial support of ground operations. The U.S. Army Aviation Museum has a total of 90 aircraft in its collection and the world's largest collection of helicopters. The Museum is open to the public with no admission charge. (Jeffrey C Honig)
Huntsville, Alabama - Redstone arsenal -- primarily rocketry, displays of Atlas, Saturn 1b and 5, various missiles, satellites, Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules. Bus tours of arsenal facilities. A cab ride away from the airport. (Richard Welty)
Champlin Fighter Museum
4636 Fighter Aces Drive, Mesa, Arizona 85205
Tel: 602-830-4540
Hours: 10AM-5PM daily (except holidays)
At Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona is Champlin Fighter Museum. They have two main galleries, one of which contains aircraft (mostly replicas) of the first World War, the other planes from WWII. There are also some engines, machine guns and other miscellaneous items about the place, plus a separate area which displays uniforms, decorations and personal effects from various aviators. Falcon is the home field for Sentimental Journey, a restored B-17.
Pima Air Museum
6400 South Wilmot Road, Tucson, Arizona 85706. From I-10, take Valencia Road
exit, then east 2 miles to museum entrance.
Tel: 602-574-0462 or 0646
Hours: 9AM-5PM daily except Christmas. No admission after 4PM.
Over 150 aircraft on display, including B-29, B-47,
C-54D, YC-15, YC-125, C-133, etc.
Pima Air Museum's Titan Missile Museum
Green Valley, AZ. I-19 south from Tucson to Exit 69. Go west 1/10 mile past La Canada, then turn right. Hours: 9AM-5PM, Wednesday through Sunday (May 1 - Oct 31), Every day (Nov 1 - April 30). Closed Christmas. Last tour 4PM
Guided tours through a Titan Missile silo complex. Admission $4.
Arkansas Air Museum
Fayetteville, AR
Hours: 9:30 to 5
Admission: free
It's right on US 71 on the west edge of Fayetteville. The building itself is a magnificent 1942-vintage wooden hanger. The aircraft in it are '30s and '40s vintage, including a Stinson Junior, a TravelAir 6000, TravelAir Mystery Ship (racer), some older Cub-like trainers, a Great Lakes Sport Trainer (on loan from the Air Power museum in Blakesburg, IA) and several more. Most of the planes are in flying condition and drip fluids on the hangar floor, etc.
Aerospace Education Center in Little Rock
The Air Museum "Planes of Fame"
7000 Merill Avenue, Chino Airport, CA 91710
Tel: 714-597-3722
Hours: midday-5PM Monday-Friday, 10AM-5PM Saturday-Sunday.
Ask ground to direct you to the museum. A-20, P-47, P-51, SBD Dauntless, Me-262, Me-163, the only flying "Zero" left, P-80, F-86 (numerous models), F-84 (numerous models), B-17, and many others. Restoration work progressing on a prototype flying wing. If you buy a membership (about $20), you can get rides in the P-51s and T-6s. A 20 minute P-51 ride is a couple hundred bucks. (Al Cuevas, Jordan Brown)
Edwards AFB, CA
Edwards is starting a museum (Doolittle?) and has the no. 1 F-111, an F-104N, a USAF executive jet, and an Army observation plane (all beautifully restored) on display in the desert. NASA Dryden has a little museum and a public tour. Fighters, X aircraft, Shuttle. Both Hwy 14 to Rosamond Blvd and east. You'll see the USAF aircraft on the left, just before you get to the serious part of base. NASA is just about the last thing on the right before you leave the base. Turn at the Shuttle viewing bleachers. (Mary Shafer shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov)
Fairfield, CA - Travis Air Museum - Travis AFB.
Military aircraft. Limited number of aircraft, but includes a C-124. Indoor display of artifacts, clothing, etc. Fly into the Nut Tree and rent a car or take a taxi. You must go through the main gate to get to it, but they're used to civilians at Travis. B-29, B-52D, C-124, A-26, F-4, F-106, Saberliner, C-54, T-29, Twin Beech, Cessna 195, and a few others.
Hiller Museum
Palo Alto, CA
Stan Hiller has a small, private (by invitation only) museum that chronicles his work. It is a fascinating museum, with hardware, pictures, helicopters, flying platforms and a tip ram-jet powered helicopter. (info from Ilan kroo)
The Spruce Goose (NO MORE!, WHM)
Long Beach, CA
(look for this to be put on display in Oregon someday)
Michael Collins adds: Anyone planning to see the Spruce Goose should be aware that admission is $15 per person, plus $3 to park a car. Admission includes access to both the dome which houses the flying boat and the Queen Mary, so it's not completely outrageous. It might not be a good idea to go late in the day or take several young children. There's some kind of discount available in conjunction with Disneyland, but I don't know the details. This plane is worth seeing, but it's not a cheap thrill.
March Field Museum
March Air Force Base, California 92518
Tel: 714-655-3725
Hours: 10AM-2PM Monday-Friday, midday 4PM Saturday-Sunday.
Castle Air Museum, Castle Air Force Base
P.O. Box 488
Atwater, CA 95301, Tel: 209-723-2011
Hours: 10AM to 4PM every day
Admission: free
Military aircraft from Beech T-34 to a B-52. Limited indoor display of military clothing, etc. Restaurant in the facility. Fly into Atwater or Merced and rent a car or take a taxi. You don't have to go on base to get to the museum. B-17, B-18, B-23, B-24, B-25, A-26, B-29, B-45, B-47, B-50, B-52D, B-2 Vulcan (British), C-45, C-46, C-47, C-54, KC-97L, C-123, F-86, F-101, F-104, F-105, AT-11, T-33, T-34, O-2, U-3 (Cessna 310), SA-16, and a few others I can't remember right now.
The Flying Lady Restaurant
Morgan Hill, CA
A few airplanes and cars in the hanger, including a Ford Trimotor and P-51.
Fly into the South County airport and they'll come pick you up.
Western Aerospace Museum
Oakland Airport, 8260 Boeing Street (Building 621)
Oakland, CA, Hours: weekends 10AM to 4PM
Numerous aircraft. Types unknown. Fly into the north side of the Oakland airport. They are across from Hanger 6. The museum recently acquired a Lockheed Model 10-A Electra.
The "Halcyon"
Oakland Airport
Oakland, CA, Hours: Sunday 10AM to ?
Only one airplane, a Shorts Sunderland flying boat. They'll take you all through the airplane on the tour. You may have to park at one of the nearby FBO's and enter the display from the street side of the fence. The airplane is outside. This is the flying boat used in a few scenes of "Raiders of the Lost Ark".
San Diego Aerospace Museum
2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: 619-234-8291, Hours: 10AM-4:30PM daily.
Good selection of WWI and WWII displays. (Al Cuevas) Mason can also vouch for this one.
San Diego, CA - Gillespie Field.
Reportedly has a museum with many flying examples. (Al Cuevas)
Peterson Air & Space Museum
21st Space Wing/MU
150 East Ent Avenue
Peterson Air Force Base
Colorado Springs, CO 80914-1303
Tel: 719-556-8314 Hours: Tues through Fri - 8:30AM to 4:30PM, Saturday - 9:30AM to 4:30PM
Admission: free
Several indoor and outdoor displays. Aircraft include CF101B, EC-121T, EB57E, BOMARC, ATR-2N, F-94C,
F-89J, Ajax, Hercules (missile), T-33A, P-40N, P-47, F-104A, F-102A, F-101B, F-86L, CF1-100.
Pueblo Aviation Historical Society
Pueblo Airport, Pueblo, CO
Admission: free
Outdoor display of numerous military types. Also a few of the test vehicles from the nearby DOT
high speed rail test facility. Restaurant in the terminal. GA parking is available next to the museum.
For fly-ins, park at Flower Aviation (fuel is expensive, though). B-29, A-26, C-119, P2V-2, T-28,
Vigilante, HC-131, B-47, F-100, Skyray, Cougar, F-8 Corsair, T-33, F-84, A-4, Sikorsky S-55,
Bell 47, and several others. Also includes a B-24 memorial with many B-24 memorabilia.
Wings Over the Rockies
Lowry Campus (formerly Lowry AFB)
Hangar Number 1
7711 East Academy Boulevard
Denver, CO 80220-6929 USA
Tel:Phone: 303-360-5360, Fax: 303-360-5328
Museum Hours of Operation: Mon-Sat 10AM to 5PM, Sun 12 Noon to 5PM
Admission: Adults $5, seniors over 60 and children 6-12, $3, 5 and under, free
Display: A-7D, B-18A, B-1A, B-52B, C-45, Alexander Aircraft Eagle Rock,
EB-57E, F-101B, F-102A, FB-111A, F-4E, F-86F, H-21C, T-33A, U-3A
New England Air Museum
Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT 06096
Tel: 203-623-3305
Hours: 10AM-6PM daily. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Admission: adults $5, over 60 $4, ages 6-11 $2.
from AAA TourBook: "off I-91 exit 40 on the Bradley International Airport grounds, displays vintage and modern aircraft as well as aviation memorabilia. Allow 1 hour minimum.
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direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, mason@aoe.vt.edu