Warbird Information Exchange

My band played a bar mitzvah in Virginia Beach on Saturday. I knew I was too close to Jerry Yagen's facility to not make a side trip, so we swung by the Military Aircraft Museum this morning before returning home to Maryland. It was a trip well worth my time, and well worth the $10 admission price. The facility is amazing, and the volunteers are dedicated, knowledgeable and clearly very proud of their collection. The Virginia Tidewater area is really becoming THE East Coast mecca for aviation enthusiasts.

Moreover, because these planes are kept airworthy, the museum even smells great. It has that combination of scents that any aviation enthusiast would readily recognize. It's also great that these planes aren't cordoned off. You can get as close as you'd like...just don't touch.

We didn't have enough time to get to the Luftwaffe hangar. I do have pics from the WW I hangar if anyone would like me to post them as well.

On the way down...American "heavy metal". From left to right, the Lincoln, Truman, ex-Enterprise and George H.W. Bush.

DSC_0062 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Of course, I made a beeline for the Avenger first:

DSC_0118 by onyxsax, on Flickr

This one is for N3NJeff

DSC_0124 by onyxsax, on Flickr

SNJ-2

DSC_0125 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Hey, you guys wanted pictures of the MAM's twin-engine DeHavilland

DSC_0126 by onyxsax, on Flickr

PBY - this is the first time I've ever seen one in person:

DSC_0130 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Beautiful FG-1 Corsair:

DSC_0136 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Hawker Fury:

DSC_0143 by onyxsax, on Flickr

P-26:

DSC_0145 by onyxsax, on Flickr

...and the plane that started it all, the first Fighter Factory restoration: P-40

DSC_0148 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Spitfire:

DSC_0150 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Tiger Moth:

DSC_0151 by onyxsax, on Flickr

I-16

DSC_0152 by onyxsax, on Flickr

P-63

DSC_0153 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Polikprokov? Can't remember the model number on this:

DSC_0154 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Schweitzer Sailplane:

DSC_0156 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Another one of the Russian birds:

DSC_0157 by onyxsax, on Flickr

2nd floor view of the Navy Hangar:

DSC_0168 by onyxsax, on Flickr

2nd floor view of the Air Forace Hangar:

DSC_0172 by onyxsax, on Flickr

...and finally, the fuselage of another twin-engine DeHavilland that was recently acquired by the museum . The shop was closed, but we could look through the windows.

DSC_0199 by onyxsax, on Flickr

Nice to see the N3N completed. I saw it under restoration a few years ago at Centennial Air in Battle Creek, MI. Thanks for sharing the pictures!

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Matt

That's not a Schweitzer, it's a Laister-Kauffman TG-4A (LK-10A).
Prettier I think, but then I'm biased.

The biplane you can't recall is a Polikarpov I-15

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Lest Hero-worship raise it's head and cloud our vision, remember that World War II was fought and won by the same sort of twenty-something punks we wouldn't let our daughters date.

I-15bis and I-153 respectively for the Russkie birds

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Thanks for the pictures! This museum is on my short list of places to go.
Tommy

It is obvious that since I visited last summer, just before the completion of the Luftwaffe hangar, there has been some rearranging that leaves a lot more space around the planes. Good to see.

August

I think some of the increased space was also due to a number of planes being in the maintenance hangar: the Hurricane (which a REALLY wanted to see), Wildcat and B-25, as well as the Mosquito. The B-17 was down in Florida after participating in Sun n Fun for additional maintenance/restoration. I can tell you the World War I hangar was jam packed, as we had to pick our way through the planes to get decent photos.

What I think is cool about the PBY is that they are restoring it to the original nose. I'm not sure how much work involved with "undoing" the clipper bow, but I'm sure it wasn't easy. They are also looking for .50 cal mounts for their blisters.

And Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov for the guy standing between them.

The Cat never had a clipper bow while under Jerry's custodial care. Upon first receiving the airplane, we flew with the original early style turret before moving to the 'eyeball' turret three or 4 seasons ago. The 17 was at the TICO show while you were visiting.

Cheers....

P-26.....................real or replica?

I think it's the Mayocraft replica that was profiled in an old issue of either Air Classics or Warbirds International.

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Matt

What a great looking collection! Thanks for the photos. I want to say the lighting looks great there. I wish all aviation museums were lit like this one.

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!