Museum of Aviation - Georgia

[maradamx3]

Any tips, hints, or otherwise unknown but vital information to have for a visit to the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, GA? I plan on attending by the end of the year. The website looks good, there seems to be a good variety of aircraft, and its FREE. What else is there to know? Any reviews would also be great. Thanks!
Tommy

[Ken]

Fantastic collection, well presented, you will love it. Can't think of anything specific to mention other than practice your flash photography, as some of the indoor exhibits are a tad dark. On an upper floor of the main building they have a complete C-130A fuselage that is used as a classroom and is frequently locked. If that interests you, maybe you could call ahead to see when it would be open or if someone would open it for you; I thought it was cool. The museum has its own public entrance, so no need to "go on base".

Otherwise, the adjacent town of Warner Robins, GA is a nice, growing area with plenty of restaurants and shopping to occupy you, depending on the length of your stay. In case you don't have access to these at home, you can google Diver's Supply and the Bass Pro store addresses, both are north of town but worth the trip if you don't have those near your town.

Ken

[p51]

I haven't been to that museum since I left the south in the late 90s, but it was a very good museum then and well worth a visit.
There's a B-29A at the veteran's park in Cordele, not that far away from there. A Titan I sits next to I-75 very close to that park, as well.

[bmoran]

I was in the area last year and enjoyed Warner Robins as well as these other area attractions:

Dobbins AFB:
viewtopic.php?p=423941

Peach State Aerodrome:
viewtopic.php?p=424052

[RareBear]

If you have some time, Don Brooks' restoration shop is at the Douglas, GA, airport, about an hours drive SE of Cordele. He's doing the XP-82 restoration, and also a B-17.

The Titan I missile is at Exit 101 on I-75, in the NW corner of I-75 and US 280, about 50 miles or so south of Warner Robins.

Veterans Memoral Park (where the B-29 is) is about 6-7 miles west of Cordele on US 280.

Walt

[hang the expense]

If you have some time, Don Brooks' restoration shop is at the Douglas, GA, airport, about an hours drive SE of Cordele. He's doing the XP-82 restoration, and also a B-17.

The Titan I missile is at Exit 101 on I-75, in the NW corner of I-75 and US 280, about 50 miles or so south of Warner Robins.

Veterans Memoral Park (where the B-29 is) is about 6-7 miles west of Cordele on US 280.

Walt

Tom Reilly is rebuilding the P-82.Thats a seperate deal altogether from Brooks.Same area at the airport.

[maradamx3]

Thanks for the feedback. Looks like I'll be doing a bit more driving, time permitting.
Tommy

[JOMiller]

I'd suggest consider making the trip to Savannah to see the 8th A F Museum.

[bombadier29]

I highly recommend a side trip to the Confederate Prison and National Prisoner of War Musuem in Andersonville, GA.
http://www.nps.gov/ande/index.htm

Over at Americus there used to be fifty or sixty old Russian crop dusters scattered around.

I always thought Jimmy Carter was an idiot but his home town of Plains is a pretty neat place to visit (nothing to do with Aviation, but a nice little town). http://www.nps.gov/jica/index.htm Last time I was there, I saw him and a guard walk into a grocery store.

The Martin Luther King memorial, home and gravesight is a really interesting place to see. http://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm

All these places, the Veterans Park at Cordell and the Warnar/Robbins Museum can be seen in one day if you drive fast and don't dally too much!

[Pat Carry]

I have never been to the Museum of Aviation but from what I have seen on their website it looks like a kool place for sure. They have to be applauded for getting so much of the collection inside. A number of years ago when Robert Scott was associated with the museum, I called down there and asked if there was anyway Robert Scott could sign my copy of "God is my Copilot" They could not have been nicer about it. I sent the book down there and got his signiture. Today its one of my prized possessions.

[Ken]

All these places, the Veterans Park at Cordele and the Warner/Robins Museum can be seen in one day if you drive fast and don't dally too much!

While 29 is absolutely correct, depending on how much of a warbird fan you are and how long you think it might be before you pass this was again, I would allow a full day for Robins, so that you can take your time and enjoy all the exhibits, both indoor and out plus have time to take a decent lunch break without feeling rushed. I still think NMUSAF, Smithsonian, and Pensacola are tops, but I rank Robins up there with Pima as a huge, well done, must-see museum with a fantastic spectrum of USAF birds to see including a number of the heavies.

Ken

[p51]

A number of years ago when Robert Scott was associated with the museum, I called down there and asked if there was anyway Robert Scott could sign my copy of "God is my Copilot" They could not have been nicer about it. I sent the book down there and got his signiture. Today its one of my prized possessions.

I once knew a guy who worked at the museum when Robert Scott had an office there. I swung through the museum on my way home from a re-enactment up north and he said GEN Scott was in the museum at the time. He took me up to the man's office and he dropped what he was doing to sign a copy of his book. He even had a tiger skin rug in that office! Real nice guy, too. If memory serves, I think that was in 1994. Of course I still have the book.

[Boeing666]

I haven't been to that museum since I left the south in the late 90s, but it was a very good museum then and well worth a visit.
There's a B-29A at the veteran's park in Cordele, not that far away from there. A Titan I sits next to I-75 very close to that park, as well.

The veterans park also has a T-33, FJ4 Fury, UH-1 and I believe an F-84 - 5 aircraft total


As for the Warner Robbins Museum it is very nice - has a great and growing collection. I was there in early 2007 and it looks like there are a few more planes now. The nice thing is (at least in my opinion for photography) half of the planes are outside (they have built a new hangar since) so you can get better pictures in natural light. As for the planes in the hangars, when I was there the hangars were well lit and planes weren't jammed together with displays blocking half of the aircraft (unlike a big museum in Ohio)

[Pogmusic]

P51, it might have been me. I was one of the historians and later the Education Director for the museum. The museum needs a full day to fully appreciate it. Ken Emory, the Museum Director, has always been very pro restoration and inclusive of Ground Support Equipment and vehicles.

Talk with the volunteers at the front desk and tell them what you'd like to see as many times they will take you on a personal tour or get you behind the scenes. They are really working on restoring the interiors of the aircraft as well - to include the B-29B.

[Chief]

When I visited the museum in Georgia I discovered the actual Jetstar, 12488, we had at Andrews AFB that LBJ used when he flew down to "The Ranch"(and other places). (You should read the book "Around The World With LBJ" by Jim Cross, to get more of the details). Here is a photo of it taken in1968 with the Presidential Seal.

The Jetstar at the Air Force Museum's Presidential Collection at Wright Patterson, 12492, was in our fleet of 11 Jetstars, at Andrews, however, it did not have the Presidential Seal, as it is painted now at Wright Patterson and it was not used by the President.

The bottom line is that the museum at Warner Robbins has the Jetstar with the most historical significance.