Warbird Information Exchange

After spending an afternoon prtending that I was doing something usefull at War Eagles I got to wondering: How many WIXers have an air museum near where they live? How many have never visited said museum? How many have visited their local museum repeatedly? How many have ever visited War Eagles?

Next week I intend to make return visits to Pueblo Weisbrod, Wings Over the Rockies and the Peterson AFB museum. Next month I hope to make a So Cal museum tour.

Oh, and for any WIXers that visit War Eagles, Old Chuck asked me to say that he promises to give the "Ten dollar tour". Also he says he will "Dang near let 'em fly any airplane they want to!". (Maybe get up close and personal, but not fly.)

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Had God intended for man to fly behind inline engines, Pratt & Whitney would have made them.

CB

http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/Desrt_Wings.html

I live 30 minutes or so from Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, haven't visited since the hurricane (Ike) in 2008. Time to plan a return visit.

I've visited War Eagles several times either going to or coming back from Midland. Every time has been a great visit. And I "dang near got to fly" the Corsair. Last time we got the million dollar tour as far as I was concerned. I'd still like to get ahold of one of the TU-2s that Mr McGuire had stored. I still have the Jane Fonda bullseyes too. I try to make a museum tour once a year. Been up to the Pac NW many times and a few times to Fla. This year it looks like Fla again with Pensacola, Fantasy of Flight, The Cape, then back through Alabama to Huntsville and Mobile. As far as the local stuff, I participate at the Az Wing of the CAF and try to hit Pima at least once a year. Just got back from POF at Valle airport in Northern Az. Can't forget all the trips out to Chino too. Thank God for Digital cameras!!!!!!What FUN

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The more I learn about aircraft, the more I realize I still have to learn.

I probably don't count since I volunteer every week ... here's on of my digital time exposures

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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 live about an hour from Grissom, and 2 hours from the NMUSAF I am members of them both, and as active as I can be with both and still go to work, and have my wofe not mad at me. ha ha

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Hmmm,
I have 3 within 2 hours, nothing close. would have to go 4+ to get to any flying stuff.

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"Hindsight is usually 20% off!"

NASM Dulles is only about 5 miles away from where I live. Used to go there all the time, until they decided to cancel the annual parking pass program**.

NASM Mall is about a 10 minute walk from where I work. Pretty easy to go over there at lunch to quickly wander through an exhibit or two.



(**Possibly off-thread. That not only cost them the $50 per year I was paying for the pass but also my membership in the Air & Space Society and when I decide to put my old Jeep out to pasture it'll cost them the fees for my "Dulles Center" VA specialty plate. Also $200-300 per year gross revenue generated by stopping in the museum store or catching IMAX movies when I would go.)

I work a 15 minute taxi ride from Intrepid, have been only once since refit. Must go again some time, but it is expensive and not much changes.

In about an hour I can get to the American Airpower Museum at Farmingdale or Cradle of Aviation at Bethpage. Almost went to AAM for the Labor Day events but the weather and more attractive, non-aviation events elsewhere killed the plan. I go to AAM every year or two, Cradle just one time some years ago.

Willow Grove is within striking distance and I have not been, but with the 262 leaving, my interest drops to near zero.

Some static museums are quite dynamic; others are static in more ways than one. I am not the type who goes to see the same planes over and over again. Some museums add or change exhibits so infrequently that one visit per lifetime is plenty. Others are worth a visit every ten years. The most active are worth visiting every 3-5 years.

August

I volunteer at Vintage Flying Museum at Fort Worth Meacham, so I'm there a lot. At least once a year, I visit Cavanaugh Flight Museum at Addison, CAF D/FW Wing at Lancaster, and Frontiers of Flight at Dallas Love. I used to hit Breckenridge every year, but they stopped having the annual air show!

A few years ago, I accompanied my wife on a business trip to the Los Angeles area. While she attended meetings all day, I took the rental car and headed for Chino! I spent the entire day there. It was one of the highlights of my warbirding life!

In my youth, I visited NASM and NMUSAF, but that's been over 40 years ago. (yeah, I know)

I've toured the outdoor displays at Lackland AFB in San Antonio (while my angry wife waiting in the car). I also toured the XC-99 when it was displayed outside the fence at Kelly AFB (wifey again waited in the car).

I don't get to as many museums and displays as I'd like, but I try to work 'em in.

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Dean Hemphill, K5DH
Port Charlotte, Florida