I am in the process of posting collections of pictures I've taken at most of these museums. Since Apple Mobileme went away I am pondering how to post my collection as links.
National Air and Space Museum Flagship Museum on the National Mall, Washington, DC. Probably still the best, but always very crowded. The bookstore is very good, and provides an opportunity to examine books before purchase, a drawback to dealing with mail order houses.
National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Chantilly, Virginia. This museum is located at Dulles Airport, and is going to be truly excellent. I went on Dec. 6, 2003 and enjoyed it Immensely. I've been a couple of times since, and it is progressing well. As far as modern aircraft go, it has the X-35B displayed. Many other classic airplanes are there, including the Boeing -80 and a Concorde. Nemisis is also there.
The National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, Ohio. This is my favorite. Houses the XB-70, B-58, an A-12 (SR-71 family), and many other aircraft. New additions include the F-117 and YF-22. It seems to be continually being rearranged. You cannot really tour this museum in one day.
National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida. Very good, tours by volunteers, who are mainly retired naval aviators. Covers a full range of planes from the first to the YF-17.
Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona. This is across the street from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and contains examples from their storage facility, along with many others. Includes the YC-14 and YC-15, an F-107 and many others. The desert light makes photography easy. Wear a wide brim straw hat. I got severe burns on the tops of my ears.
Virginia Aviation Museum, Richmond International Airport. NOW CLOSED. A collection of aircraft from the 1930s. This is the Shannon collection, which used to be in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Includes a Vultee V1-A. They have an SR-71 and an F-14D. We await the disposition of their collection.
Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, Virginia. This collection is based on the old NASA Visitor's Center collection, with additional aircraft. Includes a Rutan Veri-EZ, the YF-16, the NASA F-18 HARV and several other airplanes. Also has some interesting wind tunnel demonstrations.
Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, Lexington Park, Maryland. This is a compact museum with a very nice collection. They have an inflatoplane (blown up), and numerous models inside. There is an outside display area containing most of the jet planes used by the Navy. They even have the X-35C there. A model of the X-32 is inside, as well as a mockup of the X-47A. They also have a JDAM and JSOW, that are bigger than you might imagine.
Intrepid, New York City harbor. This aircraft carrier has been converted to a museum, with many classic aircraft. It is right beside the Circle Line Pier.
Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA. Very good, not crowded, relatively close to Los Angeles.
Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way, Seattle, WA. Associated with Boeing, a nice collection. They used to have the actual wooden model made in a Dayton hotel room when the B-52 was redesigned. The last time I was there it wasn't, and the guides on duty didn't know of its whereabouts.
Imperial War Museum, Duxford. This is more or less the British equivalent of the US Air Force Museum. One of the development Concordes is there, as well as a TSR-2. There is also a Vulcan and Mosquito. Several of the British airliners are there, and you can walk through hangars where they keep their large collection of fighters which are in flying condition, and where a lot of restoration work is ongoing. They have many Hawker Hunters. Finally, there is an American Museum, which is recently opened and contains many US military aircraft, including a B-52.
RAF Museum, Hendon. This museum has all the classic British aircraft actually used in the RAF, as well as a number of German aircraft of WWII vintage. You can get there from the main parts of London on the subway (tube or underground). It’s on the outskirts of London, but don’t get off at Hendon, you go one more stop as I recall (Colindale?). After that it’s a short walk.
San Diego Aerospace Museum, in Balboa Park, another good visit. They have the seaplane version of the F-106 out front, along with some version of an SR-71.
Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, Utah. Another good museum. It’s North of Salt Lake City, just off the interstate.
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, At the old Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. Another good museum. It has the Ball-Bartoe Jet Wing, and a B-52 out front.
Pueblo Aircraft Museum, At the old Pueblo, CO airport, just off US Rt 50. It has both inside and outside displys. It has some connection to B-24s, but there isn't one there, although there is some B-24 memorabilia.
Hampton Air Power Park, Mercury Blvd., Hampton, VA. A number of airplanes are displayed at a small park right beside one of the main highway in Hampton, not far from NASA and the Langley Air Force Base.
Fantasy of Flight Off I-4 between Orlando and Tampa. This is a private museum operated by Kermit Weeks. Since not enough visitors want to see this very cool collection, they have had to scale back on the hours. Check the website for details.
North Carolina Aviation Museum Charlotte, NC. This museum is behind the Charlotte Airport. It has several notable aircraft, including a pristine DC-3 and the fuselage of the Airbus that Sully Sullenberger landed in the Hudson River.
Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Sevierville, TN. Go South from I-40 on the way to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Smokey Mountain National Park. Slightly obscure to get to, but a nice collection, all inside.
South Dakota Air and Space Museum Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. There is only one Interstate through South Dakota. The Museum is just off of I-90, fairly close to Rapid City. So you can go down to see Mount Rushmore on the same trip. There are many, many more tourists at Mount Rushmore than at the Airplane Museum. The collection is both outside and inside. Ellsworth AFB is where the B-1s are, so there's one at the entrance. The museum is just before the entrance to the base.
Beech Staggerwing Museum, Tullahoma, TN. This is at the Tullahoma Airport. It is only open at certain hours, but interesting. If you are visiting AEDC, MicroCraft or UTSI and have a few minutes, take a look.
Glenn Curtiss Museum, Hammondsport, NY. This is in the finger lakes region where Curtiss started out. I visited this museum many years ago. It was primarily pre-World War I vintage. Today it appears to have a few more aircraft.
Champlin Fighter Museum, Mesa, Arizona. NOW CLOSED, Moving to the Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA
Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Blackbird Park (SR-71, A-12, etc.) Palmdale, CA. Located on 25th St. E. and Avenue P, on the south side of Palmdale Airport/USAF Plant 42. The FAA's ARTCC is right across 25th and is a big landmark, a big green building with lots of antennas. May only be open on weekends.
return to the table of contents ?
direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, whmason@vt.edu