Best Aviation museum

Cooter

Cooter

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Cooter
What happened to Hangar Talk, did I miss it or did it go away?

I had some time to kill in DC today and ran over to the Smithsonian. Unfortunately, the flight side of the Air and Space Museum was closed. The other part was crowded and I was mostly unimpressed. I want to go see the Wright Pat museum in Dayton the next time I’m up that way because I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. My best experience was in a private museum in Va Beach, where they owner kept nearly everything in flying condition and would fly the displays twice a week.

What are the best aviation museums (in the US) you’ve seen and which ones are a must see?
 
The USAF museum in Dayton is incredible. It’s as if they took one of every thing the Air Force flew and put it in the museum. Huge.

Naval Air Museum in Pensacola is right up there as well, although smaller.

Boeing’s museum of flight is something everyone should see.

Those are my top 3. (But nothing beats Old Rhinebeck of course!)
 
With 32 years off and on at Wright-Patterson AFB, I’ve seen the now National Museum of the USAF grow from what turned into a commissary building to the huge series of buildings of today. Even had my retirement ceremony in the Cold War/Vietnam building. Don’t miss the Memorial Garden outside the building complex.

I recommend I19, my home field, as a place to land.

Send me a note if anybody plans to drop by and I’d be happy to act as a tour guide if I’m in town. I worked as a USAF engineer on several of the fighter types in the collection.

Cheers
 
Kent Wien said:
The USAF museum in Dayton is incredible. It’s as if they took one of every thing the Air Force flew and put it in the museum. Huge.

Naval Air Museum in Pensacola is right up there as well, although smaller.

Boeing’s museum of flight is something everyone should see.

Those are my top 3. (But nothing beats Old Rhinebeck of course!)
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I forgot about Pensacola, that’s one of my favorites. They’ve supposedly expanded it since I was last there. I spent many hours wandering around there as a C.O. on liberty.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Pima Air Museum, Tucson AZ

I can see it from my office window every day.
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I’ve never heard of that, the pictures look awesome. They even have an F-14.:)
AZ is a little out of the way for me but I’m that’s going on my list.
 
Beech Museum
Smithsonian/Dulles
Naval Aviation Museum
Air Force Armament Museum
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Fantasy of Flight (Haven't been yet, but soon)
 
Cooter said:
I forgot about Pensacola, that’s one of my favorites. They’ve supposedly expanded it since I was last there. I spent many hours wandering around there as a C.O. on liberty.
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Got commissioned there and got my wings there. It's truly amazing what they've done with it over the last 30 + years.

Cape May has a nice little museum, good restaurant and you pick up beers for later consumption at the airport brewery - https://usnasw.org

MidAtlantic is another nice fly in - http://www.maam.org They're getting closer to having a flying P-61 Black Widow
 
Second USAF Museum. There's a smallish SAC museum (compared to the Smithsonian and USAF) off of I-80 in Nebraska, but surprisingly good (https://sacmuseum.org/). Another vote for Smithsonian/Dulles. If I had more time, I'd have visited the Smithsonian at the mall again. I recognize that you said USA, but if you do find yourself in London, UK, the RAF Museum could merit a couple of days.
Smithsonian/Dulles:
JAK_4190.jpg

SAC Nebraska:
JAK_5979.jpg
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Second USAF Museum. There's a smallish SAC museum (compared to the Smithsonian and USAF) off of I-80 in Nebraska, but surprisingly good (https://sacmuseum.org/). Another vote for Smithsonian/Dulles. If I had more time, I'd have visited the Smithsonian at the mall again. I recognize that you said USA, but if you do find yourself in London, UK, the RAF Museum could merit a couple of days.
Smithsonian/Dulles:
View attachment 76680

SAC Nebraska:
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Great pictures! I never noticed the ripple along the leading edge of the SR-71 before.
 
The National Museum of Naval Aviation at Sherman Field, NAS Pensacola is pretty much tops. Another in my neighborhood is at Eglin AFB. The USAF Armament Museum Has a MOAB parked by the front door. Inside, You can see the LAST F-51D to serve in active service. Its on display as a P-51,and it served into the 70s.
 
The RAF Museum is very good. I never realized how huge the English Electric Lightning was until I saw one there. I would have hated to be an engine mechanic with the double decker engine setup.

Cheers
 
My favs according to the ones I’ve been to:

1. WAFB Museum. What I like is that they display not just an aircraft, but one that is a one of a kind or has combat experience. 3D theater not bad as well. Can’t see it all in one day either.

2. NPA Museum. Just the four A-4 Blues hanging from the ceiling is worth the trip alone. A lot of great one of a kinds and combat history aircraft as well. The Cubi Point cafe atmosphere is great.

3. Smithsonian & Udar Hazy. Prefer Udar over the downtown DC one. Traffic / parking is horrendous in DC.

4. Warner Robins AFB Museum. Little known museum but really has a great selection of mostly AF aircraft. Been going there for 30 years. Need to get the Imax up and running again.

5. Army Aviation Museum Ft Rucker. Actually gotten better in the last few years by bringing out some of their rare aircraft and restoring them.

6. Pima Air & Space Museum. A lot out doors.

7. Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino.
8. EAA Museum in Oshkosh
9. March Field Air Museum in Riverside
10. San Diego Air Museum
11. EAA Museum in Lakeland
12. Beechcraft Museum in Tullahoma
13. Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston
14. Tennessee Air Museum in Gatlinburg

Fantasy of Flight was pretty good when they were open because Kermit would take an aircraft out of the hanger and do a little air show. Too bad it closed to the public.
 
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So far my favorite was the Air Force museum in Dayton. I was a bit disappointed in the San Diego Air museum. The Beechcraft museum and EAA museum hands down near the San Diego museum. It still had some cool airplanes but after visiting the Dayton museum San Diego felt tiny.
 
Pilawt said:
Don't overlook Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum at Hood River, Oregon (4S2). Lots of rare GA types from the 1920s-1940s, most of them airworthy, not to mention an airworthy OX-5 Jenny. Some great automotive exhibits as well.
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WAAAM was a pleasant surprise. I lived in the Portland area 17 years before I even heard about it. The planes are in immaculate shape and I think they have the world’s oldest flying Boeing aircraft as well as some aircraft over 100 years old. There’s a fly In every September and they take out some of their toys to play. The flight up the Columbia Gorge has great scenery and the town of Hood River is great place o visit by itself.
 
I need to check out the one at GKT on my next visit.

Anyone been?
 
Smithsonian Air & Space is undergoing basically a complete rebuilding over the next 7 years. The building has structural issues, HVAC system failures, and the galleries are decades old. They also discovered that the skylight style roof and glass walls are horrible for artifact preservation. Each pane will have to removed and replaced with an updated museum suitable pane.

I was thankful to see it before they closed large parts of it off.
 
Piperonca said:
https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center
https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/

Can't miss these. Take a virtual tour.
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I agree, nice museums for young and old...:)

simtech said:
www.southernmuseumofflight.org at BHM, never been but heard its good.
https://www.navalaviationmuseum.org at Pensacola NAS is a good one.
https://southernheritageair.org/ at KTVR. Been to this one and really enjoyed it.
Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma was a good one, enjoyed that one with a few POA'rs recently!
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Spent 3 1/2 year at NAS Pensacola AIMD. Went to the museum a couple of times every year...:)

Kent Wien said:
The USAF museum in Dayton is incredible. It’s as if they took one of every thing the Air Force flew and put it in the museum. Huge.

Naval Air Museum in Pensacola is right up there as well, although smaller.

Boeing’s museum of flight is something everyone should see.

Those are my top 3. (But nothing beats Old Rhinebeck of course!)
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Boeing museum is awesome...:thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
The Erickson Collection at Madras Or is awesome. Nearly all warbirds and nearly all of them fly! The have the sole remaining flying Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar). They also have flying ME-109, KW-190, P-38, F4U, F4F Hellcat, B-17, B25, etc.

http://www.ericksoncollection.com

Impressive and they fly them regularly.
 
Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum in Everett is another one. Paul Allen’s (RIP) collection including his MiG-29 that they fly sometimes.
 
Old Rhinebeck will always be my favorite. You can fly in (with permission) if you're comfortable with a short rough field.

I had the pleasure of spending a weekend at FoF some years ago when Kermit hosted a paramotor convention, everybody camped out on the field and we had the run of the museum all weekend when we weren't flying.
 
Ryanb said:
I need to check out the one at GKT on my next visit.

Anyone been?
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yeah...not really worth going way out of your way, but if not far away or flying into GKT anyhow might be worth a run through
 
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The mall building of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum is being completely renovated (inside and out). There's some serious structural issues there and they've lined up a lot of money to redo the exhibits as well (Textron just announced at Oshkosh that they are giving $10MM to redo the "How Things Fly" exhibit.) A better place to go (right now or in general) is the Udvar-Hazy Center out at Dulles airport.

Can't beat the AF Museum at Dayton either (don't miss the presidential hangar while there).
 
No votes for the Air Zoo? You used to be able to fly in and park, perhaps you still can. Dunno.
 
Some of the smaller museums can be interesting, if you happen to be in their vicinity. Here are a couple that I've been to (as I had family nearby, and thus flew there frequently anyway):
Air Heritage Museum @ Beaver County Airport (BVI) (north of Pittsburgh)
MAPS Air Museum @ Akron-Canton Regional Airport (AKC)
 
I will be mostly repeating the suggestions of others but I really enjoyed the following (in no particular order):
EAA Museum at Oshkosh
Smithsonian Air & Space (both locations)
Wright Patterson AFB
Pima Air & Space
Air Zoo at Kalamazoo
Chino Planes of Fame
San Diego Air & Space
Florida Air Museum at Lakeland, FL (Sun 'n Fun)

And I've been to several other smaller ones around the country as well. I always like to drop in at one and if they are free, feed the donation box. Gotta keep them going.

One that you can forget about is the one in Charlotte. It is mostly a shrine to the "miracle" on the Hudson.
 
Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, TX is my favorite. They have a lot of really cool planes, but unlike a lot of the museums already mentioned, they fly them all! You never know what you're going to see when you show up there.
 
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