Oakland Aviation Museum (former Western Aerospace Museum)
Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:24 pm
Last month I flew out to northern California to surprise my mom for her birthday. On a Saturday afternoon, my brother and I had an hour or so to kill so we visited the Oakland Aviation Museum – the former Western Aerospace Museum that is right at the Oakland Airport.
The inside displays were good, they had an engine room with various piston and jet engines on display, plus a a Quail decoy, an A-3 cockpit simulator, and many model a/c. The Billy Mitchell Room was neat too with lots of great WWII memorabilia.
The outside displays were fun to see, most in various states of repair:
Nice looking "Whale" and a KA-6D
This sad looking F-86H was there. She is 53-1396 according to several books and the nose wheel door was marked "396". Anyone know what the ace of spades card on the tail is supposed to signify?
This A-7 was interesting. It appears to be a Navy "E" model painted as a USAF "D" model s/n 70-945, tail code "MB". Any ideas?
Looks like there were a few flyers outside as well.
And finally, in one corner of the lot, it looks like some sort of F-106 simulator, hopefully for a future display.
And to go along with all of the RF/F-84F talk on the board lately, this disassembled RF-84F was laying there with all of the parts it looked like (notice the A-3 radome nearby). As you can see, it's going to take a lot of work to get her back in one piece! I didn't see any s/n on her, does anyone know her identity?
All in all a nice museum that is well-worth checking out if you are in the area.
-Derek
The inside displays were good, they had an engine room with various piston and jet engines on display, plus a a Quail decoy, an A-3 cockpit simulator, and many model a/c. The Billy Mitchell Room was neat too with lots of great WWII memorabilia.
The outside displays were fun to see, most in various states of repair:
Nice looking "Whale" and a KA-6D
This sad looking F-86H was there. She is 53-1396 according to several books and the nose wheel door was marked "396". Anyone know what the ace of spades card on the tail is supposed to signify?
This A-7 was interesting. It appears to be a Navy "E" model painted as a USAF "D" model s/n 70-945, tail code "MB". Any ideas?
Looks like there were a few flyers outside as well.
And finally, in one corner of the lot, it looks like some sort of F-106 simulator, hopefully for a future display.
And to go along with all of the RF/F-84F talk on the board lately, this disassembled RF-84F was laying there with all of the parts it looked like (notice the A-3 radome nearby). As you can see, it's going to take a lot of work to get her back in one piece! I didn't see any s/n on her, does anyone know her identity?
All in all a nice museum that is well-worth checking out if you are in the area.
-Derek
Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:37 pm
Thanks for the museum report and photos!
Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:19 am
The all wise Internet says the the RF-84F is Ser No. 53-7524. Rescued out of China Lake.
The F-14A is BuNo 160666. My uncle flew this Tomcat (among others) while CO of the VF-111 SunDowners.
Shay
____________
Semper Fortis
The F-14A is BuNo 160666. My uncle flew this Tomcat (among others) while CO of the VF-111 SunDowners.
Shay
____________
Semper Fortis
Thu Feb 12, 2009 7:58 am
Shay wrote:The all wise Internet says the the RF-84F is Ser No. 53-7524. Rescued out of China Lake.
The F-14A is BuNo 160666. My uncle flew this Tomcat (among others) while CO of the VF-111 SunDowners.
Shay
____________
Semper Fortis
Thanks for the info. Shay.
Very cool about your uncle flying that particular Tomcat. It looks like they are painting her in a VF-111 scheme so even better!