15 replies to this topic

[Sacha]

The "Commemorative Air Force Museum"Used to be called the Confederate Air Force but changed for politically correct reasons......whatever.Based in Midland, Texas (birth place of G.W.Bush, Jr.) they do have attachments in many parts of the US. Their hangar collection was not very impressive but the exhibits and nose art collection was "killer".A sind note, a friend of mine from University of Arizona, in college of architecture, joined the chapter in Phoenix. There they aquired a HE-111 from Spain that sat for who knows how long. Actaully built in Spain in '47. They had it shipped to the US in 2000, restored it, flew it, for a good 2 years. The only HE-111 in the US. then in some unfortunate accident in 2003 over Wyoming it crashed, killing the 2 pilots. Thankfully my friend was not on it at that time as he did not have his pilot license yet.So here are some pice of what I saw.

[Sacha]

The nose of a B-25 Mitchell Bomber.

[Sacha]

ahem......once again

[Sacha]

A twin P-51 Mustang, not sure how rare this plane was.

[Sacha]

Here is an ME109 under the wing of a US C-46 Commando trsnaport

[Sacha]

Here's the US Corsair, if you were to see this against the ME109, it is definitley more robust.

[Sacha]

Here's a treat, a relica of the Fokker Tri-Plane.

[Sacha]

Here's the nose of a B-29

[Sacha]

Here's one of the engines uncovered, count the pistons.

[Sacha]

Here's a feeling for the wing span.

[Sacha]

the bomb bay of the B29

[Sacha]

they did have this, a M4 Sherman tank. Not impressive at all in person, just there.

[Sacha]

and a quaint lil Kubelwagen.

[Sacha]

Which I hope you all know that after the war, not untilr the late 60's/early 70s did VW make "the Thing" which was a slightly more robust version of the kubelwagen. I see some every now and then on the streets of LA. Maybe once every 6 months.

[Sacha]

[Bob Benge]

Very good. I was thinking about visiting this museum on a swing that would take me through Vicksburg and the D-Day Museum in New Orleans as a vacation some time in the future. I should get around to posting my Air Force Museum pics, some day. It is a killer aircraft museum located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio. Website: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ If you want to go, figure 2 days for taking extensive pictures, it is that big. They also have a behind the scenes tour on Fridays that last about 2 1/2 hours that shows the restoration process and current works. I missed this when I was there since we were leaving that morning. :( Also note that the museum now has the "Memphis Belle" and is in the process of doing extensive restoration that will take a few years. I have some pictures taken in 1987 of the "Memphis Belle" from its time at the Mud Island Complex in Memphis when it was in pristine condition, but I had heard that it was deteriorating in the outdoor pavailion it was placed in. Glad it made it to the USAF Museum.