by Bill Standerfer - KF0DJ - Baron N222AB - CFI-A, II, MEI
VXI Systems Division, PO Box 301, Loveland, CO 80539 -- 303-679-2378
Atomic Museum
Kirtland Air Force Base
Albuquerque, NM
It used to be a Top Secret display, but has been declassified. It contains many of the nuclear weapons used from 1945 to 1965. Also a B-52 and a collection of ICBM, IRBM, and short range tactical missiles.
Santa Teresa, NM
(near El Paso)
A dozen or so flyable aircraft, including some WWII examples. This is the museum that used to be at the Santa Fe airport.
Cradle of Aviation Museum
Mitchel Field, Garden City, New York 11530
Tel: 516-222-1191, Hours: midday-5PM Friday-Sunday, April-October.
National Warplane Museum
P.O. Box 159
Geneseo, NY 14454
Tel: 716-243-0690, Hours: Weekdays 9 to 5, Weekends 10 to 5
Admission: Adults $3, under 12 $1
B-17, P-40, PBY-6A, C-45, L-2, L-3, PT-19, PT-26, PT-17, BT-13, A-26B, P-47, AT-6, P-39. Call ahead since many aircraft may be attending airshows off the field. Annual "1941 Wings of Eagles" warbird Air Show in August. They own 6 or 7 airworthy B-17s.
National Soaring Museum
Harris Hill
R.D. 3
Elmira, New York 14903
Tel: 607-734-3128 Museum,
607-734-0641 Harris Hill Soaring Corporation
The National Soaring Museum features historic gliders, films, and displays or soaring history and is located next to the flying field. The Harris Hill Soaring Corporation offers sailplane rides daily from 10 am to 5 pm during the summer, weekends only the rest of the year. From East or West, leave Route 17 at Exit 51, and go south on Chambers Road (away from the shopping mall) at the interchange and follow the road signs for the museum, its well marked. Phone for activities or prior permission to land (runway is 1115'x150' turf or asphalt).
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
Intrepid Square, West 46th Street and 12th Avenue, New York 10036
Tel: 212-245-2533 Hours: 10AM-5PM Wednesday-Sunday.
Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
POB 89, Rhinebeck, New York 12572
Tel: 914-758-8610, Hours: 10AM-5PM daily mid-May to October; air shows Sundays 2:30 PM, Saturdays July-October 2:30PM.
The Glenn H. Curtis Museum
Hammondsport, Steuben County, NY
Mostly Curtis planes on display and it's all indoors. The museum hosted a special 75th Anniversary of Naval Aviation airshow over Keuka Lake a few years ago.
Wright Brothers Memorial
First Flight Airfield (FFA)
Kitty Hawk, NC
A memorial. Within walking distance from FFA.
Frontier Village
West Fargo, ND
North Dakota Air Guard history.
United States Air Force Museum
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433
Telephone: 513-255-3284
Hours: 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday, 10AM-6PM Saturday-Sunday; annex hours: 9:30AM-
3PM Monday-Friday, 10:30AM-5PM Saturday-Sunday.
No introduction needed. Almost entirely military. A must for aviation enthusiasts. Fly into one of the Dayton airports and rent a car. Prepare to spend a couple of days if you can. Snack bar upstairs. B-17, B-18, A-20, B23, B-24, B-25, A-26, B-29 ("Bockscar"), B-36, B-47, B-50, B-52D, B-58, B-66, XB-70, C-46, C-47, C-133, HU-16, Grumman Duck, T-28, Lockheed Jetstar, Eisenhower's Constellation, Truman's DC-6, XC-142, X-1A, X-3, X-15, X-24, P-47, P-51, P-49, and too many others to mention here.
Walter Soplata Collection
POB 65, Newbury, OH 44065
Tel: 216-564-5326, Admission by prior arrangement.
Ohio History of Flight Museum
Columbus, OH (about 1 hour from Dayton)
Small but nice museum with some interesting and unusual general aviation aircraft: Culver Cadet, Dart, and "V", Waco 9 and 10, Piper J-2, Aeronca C-2, Curtis headless Pusher. Also a Caravelle outside, and the Goodyear Inflatoplane.
MAPS Air Museum at the Akron-Canton Airport
The web site provides all the details. Looks good, although I haven't been there.
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direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, mason@aoe.vt.edu