Warbird Information Exchange

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Got to visit the museum in June. Had't been there since the early 90's. For some reason the missile display room made me feel a bit uneasy.

Out of curiosity, may I ask why?

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Jerry
S/Sgt. - USAF Radio Operator '52-'56
C-119 "Flying Boxcar" - Korea & Japan

Volunteer: National Museum of the US Air Force (2007-2016)
LTM 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association

I find the missile gallery to be awesome, but thats just me. It will be even better a number of years down the road when the final 2 rockets go on display.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Looks like the room will close December 8th.

I'll be making my first trip in 18 years to the museum tomorrow. I can't wait to see everything!

I hope you have at least one day planned there.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I know where he's coming from....ICBMs are designed for only one thing. Bad stuff.
I got the same feeling when I entered the Weapon Storage Area when I was in SAC in the old days.
Last time I was there I noted they didn't have an Atlas...a rather huge gap.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

An Atlas is tough to display. They supported themselves via pressurization. Unpressurized, an Atlas would collapse...if I'm not mistaken...

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

They've got an Atlas over in one of the storage hangar. I understand the missiles were removed from outdoor display years ago after one of them collapsed, because they were not designed to stand up indefinitely with empty fuel tanks.

SN

I'll probably be there from open until close tomorrow

Which is what happened to their last Atlas....circa 1994.
Their "new" one IIRC, is ex-Franklin institute and is just a shell with re-enforcing structure inside.

You'd think they'd have it on display by now.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

The SAC (sorry, SASM) has had an Atlas missile on display since they moved to the new location. I believe it was also modified with an internal structure during its restoration. The design of the Atlas was a great innovation, but it was also a great burden on maintenance for that same reason and why they didn't last long as an ICBM. Made for one helluva satellite and person launcher though!