Warbird Information Exchange

For the first time in a number of years I was able to make it to Fredericksburg, TX over Thanksgiving weekend. The museum has grown quite a bit and includes a lot of fascinating exhibits covering all branches of the service. Tight spaces make photography of the aircraft difficult, and you can't really get up close and personal with them. Still, the museum is very well worth the visit.

All of the aviation displays are now indoors -- except for one lonely Japanese propeller.


The TBM is in its own display building.


The Rex is now displayed in the main museum building and looking good.


The Val hulk is now indoors inside the main museum.



The Lake Michigan FM-2 is also displayed basically as recovered.



The B-25 looks great, but is hard to photograph due to the close quarters.



Finally, there's a very interesting display case of Pearl Harbor raid relics, including small bits from some of the attacking aircraft.

Wow! I had no idea there was a surviving Rex! Cool stuff. Thanks for posting.

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Matt

I was there two weeks ago and I had no idea that place was that amazing. I couldn't believe how big the Japanese float plane was.
I thought that was one of the planes pulled from Lake Michigan, but they don't seem to have anything there that tells the story of it being at the bottom of the lake. I think they need something there in big letters explaining that.

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The nose art/aviation artist and general lunatic from Houston, Texas http://www.jasonbarnettartist.com

It's a very nice collection and a tremendous amount of work has gone into it in the last few years. I used to visit it quite frequently when I lived nearby, and for many years it really was what I wished my backyard looked like: a bunch of cool crap gathered together and fenced in. Somehow, someway, they must've got the funding spigot turned on because now it has first rate buildings and restorations with lots of rare artifacts in a very good interpretive context. Plus, it's in what I would argue is one of the most beautiful parts of our great state of Texas. If you're ever in Austin or San Antonio, plan an extra day and head out to Fredricksburg. The drive is beautiful, the town is great, and as you can see, the museum is top notch.

I agree with you that there should be something there giving context. But man, just a few short years ago that Val and Avenger were sitting under what was essentially a big, open sided tractor barn. Most of the rest of the stuff was just outside, or not even on display at all. The problem of not having an interpretive exhibit for the Wildcat is a good problem to have for these folks!

Is the Japanese midget sub on inside display as well?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

What's the history of the B-25?

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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.
Note political free signature.
I figure if you wanted my opinion on items unrelated to this forum, you'd ask for it.

Yes!

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S.

In addition to the Pearl Harbor sub, the museum also has a Higgins boat (PT-309), an admiral's barge, the conning tower of the USS Pintado, a number of naval guns, etc., plus many smaller relics including a steel door cut from the USS Arizona. There are a number of US and Japanese tanks, field guns, anti-aircraft guns, a tracked landing craft, rifles, pistols, etc. If you want to try to look at everything you could easily spend a whole day there.

Sounds like a very kool place to pay a visit to.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Who restored the Rex? It looks great.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

I used to see that B-25 every day as a student at Reese. (Somewhere, in a box, are photos that need to be scanned and posted.) Following the Registry link, the black and white photo says 1959 ... other than the vehicles in the background, it looks just as it looked in the 90's to me.

I realize the airplane underwent quite a transformation from TB-25 to B-25B but I would love to know that they found when she came down from her perch. Was she a TB-25 time capsule or a stripped shell?

Ken

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

i believe the nambu pistol is the older papa nambu model, not the more common type 14 model. that rex looks to be in cherry condition!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

Tom - I don't know about this Nambu, but here is a blow-up of the photo I posted before.



I have a Nambu Model 94 that my father sent back from the Pacific (along with an Arisaka, bayonet, Samurai sword, flag, and other souvenirs), but I don't know much about the earlier models.

Dave