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This is the place where the majority of the warbird (aircraft that have survived military service) discussions will take place. Specialized forums may be added in the new future
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Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:34 pm

The Military Aviation Museum, mentioned in a previous post, recently received a General Motors CCKW-353 that they plan to restore back to its original role as a functional fuel truck:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Military Aviation Museum)

Interestingly, a portion of the Goxhill Watch Office page mentions "Airfield Service Equipment". Did somebody from the museum read this thread? Could this be evidence of a movement toward greater recognition of GSE? Only time will tell!

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Sun Jan 08, 2023 7:37 pm

While it might not exactly be GSE, I couldn't help but mention this unique microcar labeled "RESTORATION" seen in a virtual tour of the National Naval Aviation Museum:
NNAM Restoration Vehicle.png
NNAM Restoration Vehicle.png (93.02 KiB) Viewed 7240 times

(Source: National Naval Aviation Museum)

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:18 pm

Two of the USS Hornet Museum's tugs seen in a single shot, one of which was mentioned in a previous post:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flickr)

Planes of Fame has an olive drab Clarktor marked as "W-81384" and "POF 2":
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flickr)

The Canada Aviation and Space Museum has a light blue Trans Canada Airlines Clarktor next to their Lockheed 10:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flickr)

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Sun Jun 04, 2023 7:18 pm

The Hixon Museum of Flight has a Pettibone Mercury A-55 GT aircraft tug that they acquired from the Federal Aviation Administration in Orlando, Florida. The FAA, in turn, obtained it from MacDill Air Force Base in 1986. Prior to that, it may have been used at an Air Force base in Alabama:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Hixon Museum of Flight)

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Fri Sep 22, 2023 4:51 pm

The National Air and Space Museum has acquired an Oshkosh T-3000 aircraft rescue truck, Foam 331, that was stationed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and responded to the Pentagon on during the September 11th attacks:
[Link to Image]
(Source: National Air and Space Museum)

It was apparently almost parted out by a Canadian company called Team Eagle, before they recognized its significance and sent it back to Oshkosh to be restored.[1][2]

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Thu Oct 12, 2023 4:26 pm

The Brooklands Museum has been mentioned in a trio of previous posts (1, 2, 3), but, in what is a first for this thread, there is a piece of sort-of-GSE that has its own website. The AEC Militant Recovery Vehicle at the museum, "Miss Milly Tant", while not originally built as ground support equipment, it has been used to quite literally support various aircraft restoration projects.

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Sun Nov 26, 2023 8:10 pm

As mentioned in another thread, the War Eagles Air Museum, which was mentioned in a previous post, recently auctioned off some of its excess objects. This included a number of pieces of GSE:

War Eagles Air Museum

The Air Heritage Museum also has an orange Clark tug:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Aviation History Museums)

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Thu Nov 30, 2023 2:46 pm

Anyone need a new aircraft tug?
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966- ... ft-towing/

Some cool photos with the listing of the same machine in service.

Image

Image

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Fri Dec 01, 2023 9:04 am

The NASM has always been light on automobile support systems. However, the NASM collection has recently added the Oshkosh T-3000 Rescue Truck “Foam 331” - this is a firefighting truck, one of two that was on the scene to fight the Pentagon fire during 9-11.

The vehicle is now on display at Udvar Hazy, near the Concord nose. Apologies that I do not have a photo of my own to offer.

Re: Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:55 pm

GSE at the Air Mobility Command Museum

GSE at the Iowa Aviation Heritage Museum
[Link to Image]
[Link to Image]
(Source: Facebook)

Also, make sure you check out Supertug, "the most unique aircraft tow tractor in the world"!
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