Warbird Information Exchange

Hi, new member here been a lurker for quite a while. I was wondering if anybody can tell me when and where they had the EAA museum in Hales Corners. I used to live down there 20 years ago and remember a bunch of planes on County OO. Unfortunately I didn't get the warbird passion until I saw B-29 Frozen in Time on Nova in 1996 so I missed out on visiting a museum that I literally drove by hundreds of times.

I was there in the 70's, but will have to dig out an old Sport Aviation to find an address.

Steve G

The museum was on West Forest Home Avenue, a couple of blocks west of I-94.

Steve G

As I recall, it ws a block away from Hales Corners International Motor Speedway...the only semi-paved race track in the world!

It was a flat dirt 1/4 mile with rocks bigger than many cars that raced there. Many a bruise there.

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Thanks that is the place I remember. Seems to me it must have moved around 1989. And I sure do remember good old Hales Corners Speedway. Got pelted by rocks many times. You never wanted to sit near the corners. Even sitting on the straightaway you would get pelted.

Wow, that was a walk down memory lane. I remember my step-dad taking me to that museum. I think it closed sometime before 1984. I went in the USAF in 1984 and seem to remember that the museum had moved to OshKosh before I left.

I remember being pelted with rocks and dust at Hales Corners Speedway too. Does anyone remember the Hales Whales races, or the Crazy Jim's Demolition Derby on Labor Day weekend?

I spent my teen years living in Waukesha and Muskego and remember those places well.

Could have been closed by then but it seems to me back in 88 when I moved down there planes were still sitting there. Maybe they just did haven them all move yet. I really wish I would have stopped there.

and I remember the Hales Wales and Crazy Jims. Good times I was a regular at the old race track.

Hales Whales??? You young punks, what about the mods with Miles "the Mouse" Melius, Fuzzy Fossbender & the like?

I too, grew up in Milwaukee but I only ran USAC and Badger midgets at Hales Corners. Banged 'er off every wall there, from time to time.

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Wow, a hero shot right off the Wheaties box!!

You see kids, this is why I take all of my vitamins, and drink plenty of milk. Ha Ha Great shot man.

_________________
Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

The older I get, the better I was! 1976 & 1978 320 HP in a 900 lb car! Braver than Dick Tracy!

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Howey Kwud..he he he he he he. How'd we get to be the same wank. you waskawy wabbit?

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."

Scott,
I spent a couple summers in WI before living in Port Washington.
My Aunt and uncle lived in Cudahy (he was a foreman at Ladish)
and Uncle Andy took me to the midget car races (and Packer games) frequently.

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Yeah, it was a great era. I started at the Fair Park (Milwaukee Mile) when there was a 1/4 mile dirt track in the infield and every Wednesday night was midget night. I lived in the back of my 1966 Ford pick up, slept in the parking lots of Holiday Inns (before electronic keys and Homeland Security) hit every auto parts store and massage parlor in every town we visited for $50 in sponsorship money to paint their name on the hood with white shoe polish, hope to make enough money to make it to the next show. Ran out of gas in the desert, changed jets in the carb to run on alcohol from the race car to get to the next race...ahhhhh the good old days.

_________________
"There are old pilots and bold pilots but few old, bold pilots."