Stonehenge Air Museum - Fontine, MT - Photo Gallery

[Vagabond]

Hi All,

I have returned to touring and took advantage of a run in Spokane, WA to make the trek to the fabulous Stonehenge Air Museum in Fontine, MT. It was a bit of a haul, but in the interests of my obsession with vintage aircraft;
I rented a car, drove to MT immediately following my evening performance in Spokane, stopped in Kalispell and slept in the car in a parking lot for a couple hours, finished the drive to the museum, had a wonderful tour of the place, drove back towards Spokane - stopping to document some AFVs en route and a quick stop at the Bird Aviation Museum in Idaho, caught a nap and played the evening show. Who's obsessed?!?!?

Enjoy the photos - great collection and a fascinating gentleman. He invented the means of reliably measuring fluid transfer - I think of him every time I gas up the car.

https://www.vgbimages.com/AirMuseums/St ... Fortine-MT

[Pat Carry]

Thanks for the photos of a very nice collection! I like how the floors are sparkling and how well the place is lit up.

[phil65]

Nice photo's..
Looks like you had the place to yourself..

Phil

[Sopwith]

Looks a great place, thanks for posting the photos. Do you know if the Seafire 47 is still airworthy?

[JohnB]

I saw the Seafire back I. 2003-4 when Nelson Ezell was test flying it.
Beautiful ship.

Love the Goodyear inflatoplane.

Did you stop by the Historic Flight Foundation in Spokane to see their Spitfire and Mustang (and others)?

[Pogo]

Many thanks for the photo-report, what a gem that place is!

[BigGrey]

Great photos as usual and an under-reported museum. Thank you for the tour.

[Lon Moer]

Any info of the Mustang replica?? Twin V6's??

[Randy Wilson]

Any info of the Mustang replica?? Twin V6's??

Some info here. Randy
http://stonehengeairmuseum.org/1992-montaniar

[Vagabond]

Hi All,

As the Stonehenge museum is by-appointment-only, I had the tremendous good fortune of having a private tour with just the cheerful docent and myself. Awesome!

Yes, I was impressed as well with the shiny floors and very well kept aircraft!

The 1992 MONTANAIR MUSTANG planned mass production never got off the ground due to Ford balking at his request for 1000 engines. Ford had tremendous concerns regarding liability issues and refused the sale. Too bad - the design was solid and he built in single engine capabilities. Cool plane.

JohnB - I ran out of time before I could make it to the Spokane HFF museum. I did make it to the Paine field location back in 2013.

Also all the models displayed in the foyer of the museum were built by a local sheriff and donated upon his passing.

Thanks all for the kind words and interest.

Cheers!

[DH82EH]

Looks a great place, thanks for posting the photos. Do you know if the Seafire 47 is still airworthy?

Given the appearance of the place, I think it would be fair to say that any of these machines would just need to be put back in annual inspection to be considered airworthy.
Dry, indoor storage would keep them in top shape.
My understanding was that the aircraft were only flown by the owner, who now, no longer does.
Just imagine climbing out of a Mk 1 Spit and in to that brute of a Mk 47

Thanks so much for posting you pic's Paul

[Sopwith]

Thanks for the reply DH82EH, interesting to know that they are no longer flown by the owner, and yes that’s true they are in ideal storage conditions.
Regarding the difference between a Mk1 Spitfire and that Seafire 47, I think it would be fair to say” a different animal”.

[Michel Lemieux]

Just imagine climbing out of a Mk 1 Spit and in to that brute of a Mk 47

I remember someone saying that the contra prop makes it fly as straight as a jet with almost zero torque effect from the prop.

Who knows....might be easier to take off and land than the Mk1!!??? Minus the carrier of course!

[DH82EH]

I think the person who said that was Nelson Ezell.

You might be on to something Michel.

[Paul Stroud]

Sounds pretty good, too!