Warbird Information Exchange

Chris, Arent you still a newly wed? Your wife must be a great and understanding woman!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

In the Portland area is the Jet museum at Hillsboro, Pearson Field Air Museum across the river in Vancouver,
downtown Portland has a Sub the USS Blueback at OMSI and the PT Boat at Swan Island plus the LCI at Janzten
about 3 miles from the Pearson Museum. About 50 miles east in Hood River is Terry Brandt's huge sntique
airplane museum.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Wow, I do this stuff all the time... I've been to most of those places and you have at least 4 weeks of looking there..... You could say WE ARE GOING TO EVERY MUSEUM IN THE COUNTRY........

Keep in mind OR and WA are REALLY FAR from S.California, its a pretty long drive, like 2 days.... Also Castle is up there too closer to SF than LA....

The Pac Northwest is a trip in itsself.... Seattle is a good and you can go to Hendrix's grave too (for those who appreciate music too)

LA is a trip alone as is Texas (which is a BIGGER STATE than you may think)

Better to break this one up into several smaller jumps than trying to cover all of this unless you are flying.......

Also War Eagles isn't open on Mondays (IIRC?)...... Lots of other tips....

Pond Museum in Palm Springs.... While in LA... San Diego... Go to Air & Space and USS Midway



Eating....

Bob's Big Boy in Burbank CA.... The original (about original everything as far as fast food goes).....
Eat and stay at La Posada in Winslow AZ, Santa Fe hotel from the olden days, nicely restored. EVERYONE who was anyone stayed there (Howard Hughes, movie stars, Roscoe Turner, all the flyers)
Between El Paso and Tuscon there is a trains station made into a restaurant in the middle of NOWHERE (If you realy want to know I'll figure it out, awesome place too)

Mark H

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Fly safe or you get to meet me .......

Thanks guys for the great replies. We have a little over two weeks to do the trip. We know that we will be limited in how much we can do, but we can atleast get a feel of some of the places, and then trips back to the ones that we really liked.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

If you follow the suggested route of "WendoverTom" your may wish to check out the air museum at Hill AFB ( just north of SLC). Lot of neat exhibits there. Check out the linked website exhibit list (great WWII collection too!).

http://www.hill.af.mil/library/museum/index.asp

John

Don't get caught up in trying to see everything or you guys may end up like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJH5tZLGis

OH - John is so right - HOW could I forget Hill AFB!!?? They do have a great collection and I know several folks up there and might be able to help you get a "in depth" tour - no promises but maybe!

Tom P.

Good luck Chris, on the ultimate bucket list!!! There is an airport in Ontario, Ore. that has a lot of interesting jet warbirds, including Migs....If you're going thru Portland, you gotta go pay homage to the Bomber Gas B-17 in the community of Milwaukee!! The resturaunt there ain't bad either.....Too many places...too short of time! Have fun!

Should you find yourself in or near Colorado here are a couple more museum candidates for you:

1. "Wings over the Rockies" Air Museum located at the former Lowry AFB (Denver). http://wingsmuseum.org/

2. "International B-24 Museum" located in Pueblo. Ironically, they do not have a B-24 on display but they do have the only surviving Lockheed B-37 Lexington. http://www.pwam.org/intl_b24.html

With all of the museum suggestions recived you are going to have an active two weeks!

John

Chris,

When you visit the Museum of Flight in Seattle, have a meal at "Randy's" a block to the south of the museum. Joint looks like an ancient Denny's restaurant. Inside is a ton of models, aviation aritifacts, and some great diner food. At a minimum, at least stop in...it's righteous!

Oh yeah, if you like DH Beavers and Otters, check out Kenmore Air on the north tip of Lake Union in Kenmore, WA. I'm told it's the second largest seaplane base in the lower 48 and you can wander the place at will...everyone's very friendly there.

Have fun!

--Tom