Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

[Noha307]

While I mentioned a Hastings Deering Air Stair at the Queensland Air Museum and the Historic Aircraft Restoration Society's yellow tug in a previous post, I recently came across four other pieces of GSE the latter have:

A 1952 Leyland “Hippo” Tanker, previously used at Mascot Airport in Sydney, former fleet number "ERMC 303":

(Source: HARS)

Three Hastings Deering Air Stairs; one of which was restored by Peter, Allan, and Nicky Costigan:

(Source: HARS)

[ZRX61]

Just showed up on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392125644597?ul_noapp=true

[Noha307]

Just showed up on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392125644597?ul_noapp=true

Data plate for the above "Castle Air" 1962 AEC Mecury fuel truck:

(Source: eBay)

GSE at the War Eagles Air Museum

Some kind of aircraft tug:

(Source: War Eagles Air Museum)


(Source: War Eagles Air Museum)

Also, another O-11!

(Source: War Eagles Air Museum)


(Source: War Eagles Air Museum)

For those keeping score at home, that brings us up to a total of 7 for the thread:

• Goodfellow Air Force Base [1]
• Pima Air & Space Museum [2]
• Aerospace Museum of California [3]
• Castle Air Museum [3]
• B̶a̶r̶k̶s̶d̶a̶l̶e̶ ̶A̶i̶r̶ ̶F̶o̶r̶c̶e̶ ̶B̶a̶s̶e̶ [3]
• Heritage in Flight Museum [4]
• War Eagles Air Museum

There is also a fuel truck on the field that was mocked up in "Aeropuerto de Nazca" livery for the production of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull:

(Source: Flickr)

EDIT (22-12-04): Thanks to a close up picture, it is now clear that the make of the gold and white tug at the War Eagles Air Museum is Hobart. (As mentioned in a future post, another Hobart tug is in use by Vintage Wings.) An additional picture (Source) reveals that WEAM also apparently has another, all white, tug that appears to be a Clark.

Last edited by Noha307 on Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Noha307]

As a coincidental follow-up to my recent post about the PTS-1 at the Technik Museum Speyer, I just today came across a picture of a very similar looking, but slightly different, tug at the Flugausstellung Peter Junior:

(Source: Aerial Visuals)

From a different angle, note the wider cabin when compared to the tug at the TMS:

(Source: Flickr)

[Noha307]

In a slight change of pace, I recently came across two instances of museum aircraft being moved and the vehicles used to do so.

First is an article about the Norwich Aviation Museum having to move some of their aircraft back in 2016 due to a land swap to build a new road. Apparently, they used a standard farm tractor:

(Source: Eastern Daily Press)

(Source: Eastern Daily Press)

The other is the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, which had a V-22 (BuNo 164940) delivered for display on June 8th. I imagine the tug they used for this may have come from the nearby air station:

(Source: Facebook)

(Source: Facebook)

[Noha307]

Going around the world this time to France, Germany, and Australia before returning to the good ole USA:

Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace
A unique one, a balloon winch vehicle:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

A slightly rusty SAVIEM SG3 airstair providing access to one of the aircraft on the ramp:

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

More airstairs in the Reserve Collection:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Launching trolley for the SE.5000 Baroudeur under restoration by Ailes Anciennes Le Bourget:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Ailes Anciennes Toulouse
Tracma TEG 1500 tugs:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Magirus-Deutz Orion 250 tug, previously used by Aerospatiale:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

(Source: AviationMuseum.eu)

Aeronauticum
Schopf F 106 tug:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Faun FlKfz 8000 firetruck:

(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Temora Aviation Museum
Domino Tow Trac tug:

(Source: Facebook)

(Source: Facebook)

Fort Worth Aviation Museum
Clark tug:

(Source: Facebook)

FWAMTugs.png (219.44 KiB) Viewed 3616 times

(Source: Facebook)

What appears to be a different yellow tug behind the F-105:

(Source: Flickr)

Apparent forklift behind the F-111:

(Source: Flickr)

Another O-11 firetruck. The museum apparently acquired this one around September 2016:

(Source: Flickr)

EDIT: Whoops! Looks like I already included the Magirus-Deutz Orion 250 tug in a previous post. Oh well, it's one of the best looking tugs I've come across so far, so I can't say I don't want to see more of it!

[ZRX61]

[Noha307]

Just a quick one this time. Apparently, the Dakota Territory Air Museum has a Clarkat painted olive drab:

(Source: Airport-Data.com)

[Noha307]

I can't believe I hadn't come across this highly relevant and excellent old WIX thread before: Not a warbird but it towed a few in it's day

[ikanauto]

i have a 1942 Clark aircraft towing tractor un restored is anyone interested in buying it or parts you can call me 360 249 2291

[Noha307]

i have a 1942 Clark aircraft towing tractor un restored is anyone interested in buying it or parts you can call me 360 249 2291

Mind posting a picture? We would love to see it!

The Museum of Flight (not the one in Washington state) has a 1955 Pettibone Mercury A-55 GT Airtug they acquired from the FAA in Orlando, Florida. The FAA, in turn, acquired it from McDill Air Force Base in 1986. Before that, it may have come from an Air Force base in Alabama.

In light blue paint scheme before restoration:

(Source: Museum of Flight)

In yellow paint scheme after restoration in 2013:

(Source: Museum of Flight)

They also have a 1954 Kaiser Willys M38A1 Jeep that was used as an aircraft tug at Osan Air Base during the Korean War. It is marked as "USMC 235148" in a different picture:

Museum of Flight Jeep.png (302 KiB) Viewed 3378 times

(Source: Museum of Flight)

[4RG.I.'S]

At Oshkosh from Lewis Air Legends.

Attachments

[Noha307]

At Oshkosh from Lewis Air Legends.

Wow! I assume that is a custom build?

GSE at the USS Midway Museum
MD-3 tug, painted yellow, marked as "GPC1" and "008164":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

Air Start Unit on A/M 32U-16 Trailer, painted yellow:

(Source: Flickr)

Unknown fire cart, marked as "GPJS 000061" painted white:

(Source: Flickr)

GSE at the Planes of Fame Museum
1973 Oshkosh M1000 Crash Truck, painted green, marked as "OSCORP":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

1960 International 200 Fire Engine, painted yellow, numbered "4":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

GSE at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
M931 Tractor and M970 Fuel Trailer, marked as "USMC 523814" and "USMC 502747" respectively:

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

NC-1A Mobile Start Unit, painted yellow, marked as "U.S. Marine Corps 438062":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

NC-10 Portable Generator, painted white, marked as "GAC4" and "004207":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)

For reference a tug at PoF was mentioned in a previous post, and the FLAM was mentioned twice before (1, 2).

[Sasquatch]

[quote:GSE at the USS Midway Museum
MD-3 tug, painted yellow, marked as "GPC1" and "008164":

(Source: Flickr)

(Source: Flickr)
[/quote]


I think that's a Navy TA-75 tow tractor, rather than an MD-3. I was licensed on those (and MD-3s) when I was in the Navy.


https://aviationgse.com/product/ta-75/

https://www.aerospecialties.com/aviatio ... 5a-manual/

-Tom

[Noha307]

I think that's a Navy TA-75 tow tractor, rather than an MD-3. I was licensed on those (and MD-3s) when I was in the Navy.

Thanks! I looked at a few pictures of MD-3s and I think you're correct. In many of these cases I only have the description of the person who posted the picture to go on because I don't know them well enough to ID it myself.

The Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum has a yellow Clark tug that appears to be marked as "WLG194":

(Source: Wings of Freedom Aviation Museum)

While looking for pictures of the above tug for this post, I found out that they picked up a heavy-duty tug in February 2019. Coincidentally, it appears to be a TA-75! This one is painted white and marked as "008566". Note that it has the same light blue, single digit number as the first tug:

(Source: Facebook)

Finally, they apparently also have a Willys MB "Follow Me" aircraft guide jeep on display – although it is not clear if it originally served in this role or has simply been repainted as one. It is marked as "4640885":

(Source: Facebook)

Now we head south-o-the-border to check out two Argentinian aviation museums.

First, the Museo de la Aviación Naval Argentina (Argentine Naval Aviation Museum) has two aircraft tugs.

One is a S32A-31 that was used aboard the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo. In another coincidence, based on appearance, I believe this is the same model of tug as an MD-3:

(Source: Blogspot)

Two is a Douglas DT Taskmaster, number 4, also used aboard the ARA Veinticinco de Mayo:

(Source: Blogspot)

Second, is the Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica de Argentina (National Aeronautics Museum of Argentina).

While it may not be GSE strictly speaking, the museum has a IAME Pampa that was designed and built by the Industrias Aeronáuticas y Mecánicas del Estado (State Aeronautical and Mechanical Industries). It also certainly could have been used to move aircraft:

(Source: Blogspot)

(Source: Blogspot)

It is also worth mentioning that the museum has a Tucker Sno-Cat and at least two other tracked vehicles that were used in Antarctica by the Argentine Air Force.