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Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH

jmbrwn

jmbrwn

Well Known Member
My son, Thomas, and I finally got to take our trip to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Pics can be viewed here....http://s441.photobucket.com/albums/qq132/jmsbrwn/Air Force Museum/?albumview=slideshow

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We had an "O'Dark Thirty" push for the 2 hr flight.

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One of the benefits of getting an early start is viewing a beautiful sunrise!!!

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We made good time with a little help of a tailwind...

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Before we knew it, we were on final for Green County Airport which is very close to the museum.

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There are 6 hangars full of aircraft from the Air Force's past and present inventory

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Thomas gives a quick salute before we enter to absorb a bit of aviation history.

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For those who haven't been, it's definitely worth the effort. We had a most enjoyable trip made possible by our magic carpet ride!!!
 
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Love the Air Force Museum

It is a great place to visit. I been there at least a dozen times including the inductions of the Boeing Bird of Prey, X-36, and X-45A. I was disapointed you took no pictures of any of those airplanes. X-45 program has some of my best work in it.
 
USAF Museum,etc

One of my favorite destinations and my first visit was about 1964. All these years later I get shocked when I go there because there are various planes I flew that are now museum pieces. Makes me wonder if perhaps I need to also be in a glass case in a museum?

A similar and almost-as good museum is at Warner Robins AFB in Georgia. You can fly into Macon and get a short ride over.

The service that has all those blue planes has a wonderful museum at Pensacola,Fl.

The Staggerwing museum in your state is a fun, but much smaller place. Call ahead to make sure they are open.

Out west in Tucson there is a collection of old birds called the Pima Air Museum

Along the Ga coast at Savannah is the Mighty 8th AF museum. The tour guides are vets of WWII.
 
Don't forget to visit the presidential and R&D galleries next time you come out! They are in a hangar on base, so you have to sign up to go over on a bus. The registration desk is just past the gift shop on the left. Some days the list fills up quick, so it's best to make that your first stop once you get inside.
 
I hit the museum everytime I head back to Dayton. I lived there (high school) when it was dedicated. It's been fun watching it grow. I still love the XB-70 - that's one sexy long legged lady!

I highly recommend the visit if you ever have the chance.

Bob
 
I am planning a very special visit--taking E. Perin Scott, probably the last man around who flew the Memphis Belle. They are still restoring it in the restoration shop. At 88 Perin works every day, but I think he will take time off to see the bird he logged a few hours in after it returned to the states. The Museum is very helpful when something like that can happen. I plan on posting on that trip.

Question: How did you get from Greene County to the Museum? Do they have rental cars or loaners? That would make our trip there easier and more special.

Bob Kelly
 
bhassel said:
I hit the museum everytime I head back to Dayton. I lived there (high school) when it was dedicated. It's been fun watching it grow. I still love the XB-70 - that's one sexy long legged lady!

I highly recommend the visit if you ever have the chance.

Bob
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What??? How the heck did I miss the Valkarie? I thought the B-58 Hustler was cool. I built models of it as a kid? We stopped by on the way back from Oshkosh and Niagara Falls last summer. We only had 1/2 day to spend there and it was no where near enough time.
 
Caveman said:
What??? How the heck did I miss the Valkarie? I thought the B-58 Hustler was cool. I built models of it as a kid? We stopped by on the way back from Oshkosh and Niagara Falls last summer. We only had 1/2 day to spend there and it was no where near enough time.
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It's in the R&D hangar ;)
 
Lionclaw said:
It's in the R&D hangar ;)
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R&D hanger is a must see. XB-70 fills the hanger with everything else arranged under it. The XB-70 would be even more impressive to see if outside with nothing around it like it used to be displayed in the 80s.
 
When the AVC Cup is flown out of Dayton

When the AirVenture Cup race is flown out of Dayton all entrants often get a evening tour and sometimes dinner at the museum. If all goes well that should be available again in 2011. This year it is out of Mitchell, South Dakota (got to love that tail wind).

Bob Axsom
 
plehrke said:
It is a great place to visit. I been there at least a dozen times including the inductions of the Boeing Bird of Prey, X-36, and X-45A. I was disapointed you took no pictures of any of those airplanes. X-45 program has some of my best work in it.
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I did take pics of those, but unfortunately they didn't turn out. It was quite dark in the hangars and with the aperture staying open longer, some of my pics were blurry...sorry.:(
 
dabney said:
What transportation is available from the airport to the museum??
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We made reservations with "Enterprise". The car was waiting for us at the FBO. Go inside the FBO to do paperwork and pick up keys. Easy as pie.:D Museum is about 15 minute drive and easy to find.
 
A Twofer at least ...

I bit over a year ago, I flew the pastor of our church over there for the day. He's quite an aviation enthusiast and had wanted to see the AF Museum for many years. When we landed at Greene County, there was a guy taxiing out for just the second flight in his shiny, just completed RV-7A. Before we headed for the musuem, I got to talk to his ground crew son about their build experience ... while dad flew big, fast circles around the airport. Made for a great day all the way around.
 
Thanks....

for the report on the USAF museum, Jim.

My pilot training class, 60-F, is having a 50th reunion later this month in Dayton. It includes a dinner at the "Wings" room at the facitily that Friday evening and a guided tour through the area where restoration work is going on.

I very much look forward to visiting all the display area as well. It should be a great week end.
 
Bike trail to museum

Sometime somewhere in the past I heard of a bike trail to the museum. if someone did some investigating I bet they could find out about it. Couple miles but it sounds like a good ride.
 
Back in the early-to-mid 70s I was stationed at WPAFB. We'd occasionally get an afternoon off and I'd head over there because it was free and I was cheap. Whenever we had family visitors, we'd visit the AF Museum.

One afternoon, I wandered over just to nose around. As I entered the foyer, I saw a familiar face just standing there, reading a display. I grabbed a museum brochure and asked him for an autograph. At home, I had a nice NASA photo of him in his spacesuit, but I didn't want to miss the immediacy of getting an autograph from Neil Armstrong.

Somebody definitely needs to plan a day-trip to the museum for RVers. That would be a fun and educational trip as a group, I'd bet ...
 
I've been to the Museum several times, but the last time I was there was in 1999 for a week long meeting for work that was hosted by the museum director, Ret Maj Gen Metcalf. Our meeting was held in a museum conference room. One evening after our meeting, we had a catered dinner under the wing of the B-17. After dinner we (a group of about 25) had a tour led by Gen Metcalf and got to go places (cockpits) that normal visitors weren't allowed. That was one of the most memorable TDY's of my Civil Service career.
 
flytoboat said:
I've been to the Museum several times, but the last time I was there was in 1999 for a week long meeting for work that was hosted by the museum director, Ret Maj Gen Metcalf. Our meeting was held in a museum conference room. One evening after our meeting, we had a catered dinner under the wing of the B-17. After dinner we (a group of about 25) had a tour led by Gen Metcalf and got to go places (cockpits) that normal visitors weren't allowed. That was one of the most memorable TDY's of my Civil Service career.
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I have been to similar catered dinners for the Bird of Prey and X-36 indoctrination (under the B-29 wing for drinks and dinner), and for the X-45A indoctrination (In front of the SR-71 for drinks and appetizers). We actually got a preview screening of a Omni-max movie. Did not get to sit in any cockpits.
 
Our Visits to USAF Museum

It is such a nice museum. My wife and I first visited the museum in the last 70's. We were so lucky for two things that happened that day; The USAF Band was playing Glenn Miller music hosted by the remaining members of the group, and we sat next to a couple that met and married during the war. He was with the 8th and she was a British bride. The were constantly remembering "where they were" during each song much to the enjoyment of those seated around them.

The museum was opened on the east end with the nose of the B17 and B24 peering over the stage and the big beautiful Army Air Corp flag above.

We've gone back several times, but as the members of the group have past on, our visits have become less and less. We are hoping to get back to see the Memphis Belle and the XC99 when the restorations are complete.

Paul
N277PM
RV7A LAF (Go Boilers)
Fuselage, Firewall complete tonight
Still looking for an IO-360
 
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