Aviation Museums

[AcroChik]

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

In the Hudson River Valley.

http://www.oldrhinebeck.org/

 

[typhoonpilot]

Thanks, Acrochik

I was trying to remember the name of that place. I keep missing out on going. Back in 1990 I arranged a trip there for my local CAP squadron in Boston but ended up having to fly a trip at the last minute and couldn't go. I'll get there someday though.

TP

 

[Dash8]

theres a yearly show in elmira, ny thats supposed to be pretty good, never was able to make it down to it 'wings of eagles' or something i think, they also have a decent little warbird museum down there that i've seen parts of when i've gone thru there for work

 

[cforst513]

the udvar-hazy museum is pretty bad a$$, i checked it out this past fall. there's nothing quite like walking in and staring directly down the nose of an SR-71 Blackbird, only to see a space shuttle in the background. lots of warbirds as well as early jets (falcon 10, prototype boeing 707, a freakin' CONCORDE!) well worth the price of admission, if i do say so myself. the air and space museum hasn't changed much over the years, so it gets old after going a few times. the cool thing about udvar-hazy is that there is an observation tower where you can watch planes take off and land at dulles. i don't recall any of those pay binoculars, though, so take a video camera or your own binoculars, you are still kind of far away. they say that there are still many planes that have to be restored and brought to the new site at dulles, on top of what is already out there. if you're in the D.C. area, stop on by. good times to be had by all.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

I agree with TrafficInSight...

Pima Air Museum in Tucson is defintely worth your time. The volunteers that work there are typically ex-pilots from WWII and other conficts, and offer a wealth of knowledge and great stories to anyone who asks the right questions!

I also enjoyed the Wright-Patterson museum in Dayton - great set of aircraft and artifacts from all era's and the best part... it's all free!

One day though I'll pay pilgrimage to the Smithsonian!

What you said. Don't know if you still can post 9/11, but if possible while at Pima, see if there is still a way to get the guided tour through the bone yard at Davis-Monthan. Used to be some really rare stuff out there. ie. Turbine P51 that was a discount applicant for the A-10 job years ago.

Smithsonian is pretty good. I like Wright Pat. and Pima more for the airplanes, but Smithsonian is great for the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo stuff. Pima and W/P let you get more up close and personal with the planes than the Smithsonian.

 

[qmaster3]

My first x-country Solo was to FFA. The smithsonian is great. My next quest is the intrepid in NYC.

 

[urflyingme?!]

Don't miss out on America's first guided misile subamarine next door, admission is included i believe...

They have a sweet inertial guidance system on it too

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

If you are into Navy stuff, Patriots point in CHS is pretty good. Yorktown CVN, Submarine, CG Cutter and Destroyer. Pretty decent collection of aircraft on the Yorktown.

 

[groundpointsix]

New England Air Museum at BDL is pretty cool. They've done a lot of restoration work in the past couple years so a lot of the planes that were sitting as junk out in their yard are now restored and sitting inside. Just added a B-29 to the inventory and are in the process of creating an exhibit to go with it.

 

[snowman]

Pima was great. The docent giving the details of the sr-71 was really cool. Great people at Pima. Met a b24 pilot and a p47 pilot. Great guys with amazing anecdotes.... I think you need at least a full day to see all of planes, including the trip to the boneyard. Which I will have to do next trip...
The Boeing field museum is darn nice also...