Alaska Aviation Museum

[garbs]

So the site is loading Excruciatingly slow for me, but I'll try to post aq few pics. Spent a few days in Denali a couple of weeks ago. In my long-standing agreement with Mrs. Garbs, when she gets a national park, I get an air museum. Can't find any record of pics from this museum in a brief search of the site, but they may be there (especially if the museum has changed names).

Outside they have a 1944 C-45 on floats and most of a 1943 PBY:





The first building has a suspended 1929 Travel Air 6000:



It also has a sizable chunk of a Hamilton Metalplane.

[garbs]

OK - so far, so good:

The next building has a 1934 Waco YKC and a 1928 Stearman C2B:





Building 3 has a very nice 1941 Stinson L-1 and a 1944 Taylorcraft L-2:

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Sorry - site locked up and it took me 4 tries to get back in;

More outside stuff. Most of a Norduyn Norseman:



Nose section of a Sikorsky S-43:



A Piasecki HC-21:



And a 1943 Goose:



Think I have these in the right order, but the site times out each time I try to preview

[garbs]

Sorry - site locked up and it took me 4 tries to get back in;

More outside stuff. Most of a Norduyn Norseman:



Nose section of a Sikorsky S-43:



A Piasecki HC-21:



And a 1943 Goose:



Think I have these in the right order, but the site times out each time I try to preview

[garbs]

Double post - figures! Apparently when you click a button, it does what you want but then you get a "504 Gateway Time-out" message so you have to guess. One last set, then I'm done until I can straighten this out.

One of the coolest planes is this 1931 Fairchild American Pilgrim - never had heard of one:



This museum sits alongside the largest floatplane base on the continent:



Coolest of all is this P-40. It was shot down over Unalaska Island, making it the only US plane to be shot down on American soil. This gentleman seems to be rebuilding it single handedly:



Although he said the wing will be rebuilt in California:

[JohnB]

The Pilgrim is really special as is the Stinson L-1. And good to see a H-21.
If f you're a fan of old floatplanes, there is a Beech 18 on floats in north Idaho, they sell rides in the summer. I need to do that!

The.Museum has bought the airworthy Hamilton Metalplane which was part of the Historic Flight Foundation, I was able to fly in it once. The pilot described its flying qualities it as an "oversize Beaver"

When I passed through Anchorage on my way to Denali by train, the museum was closed. I'd like to make a special trip up there. A friend flies freight 747s and often goes there to start his duty period. I thought we'd go a day early to see the sights.

In addition to the museum, there is the huge float plane base and dozens of DC-3, 4s and 6s.
Alsi, if you are near Denali, you'll likely go through Talkeetna. Famously it was the base for the legendary bush pilot Don Sheldon. I sought out his daughter's operation. She was out flying but I was allowed to look at Sheldon's last Super Cub, the one of the cover if his autobiography. It was a highlight of the trip.

Finally, hanging in the Anchorage terminal is the unique Beaver with a Garrett 331 turbine. I understand if flew commercially, so it must have been certified, but I think it was a one-off conversion.

[mike furline]

https://wy2.org/flightline/p40.php
https://pacificwrecks.com/aircraft/p-40/40-598.html

[L-188]

Very cool. I watch the Lake Hood webcam from time to time. The Goose was quite the rebuild IIRC. there's also a Goose in military paint that is pretty active up there.

[JohnB]

.... there's also a Goose in military paint that is pretty active up there.

Do you mean a two tone blue & white with 1943 star & bars?
Of so, there is one in Washington in the same colors that's very active and gets a lot of press, so people mistake them for one another.

[tulsaboy]

Is this the museum that has the wreckage of a Spartan 7W? If so, did you happen to see it? If I remember correctly, it was recovered from the wilderness and transported to the museum but has just sat as a wrecked example.
Neat pictures!
kevin

[DaveG]

Very cool. I watch the Lake Hood webcam from time to time. The Goose was quite the rebuild IIRC. there's also a Goose in military paint that is pretty active up there.

link to that webcam: https://www.youtube.com/live/k11A3Klg7VQ?si=Gva1pOH2IYq36BwO

[garbs]

Is this the museum that has the wreckage of a Spartan 7W? If so, did you happen to see it? If I remember correctly, it was recovered from the wilderness and transported to the museum but has just sat as a wrecked example.
Neat pictures!
kevin

Well, Wikipedia says they have one, but I don't remember seeing it. Sorry!