I had a rare business trip moment today where a meeting ended early, and I actually had a couple of hours to kill before my flight. Despite what a lot of people believe about business trips, there is hardly every any free time to check out the areas you are in.
I was in Dayton, OH today, and the National U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB was about 15 minutes from where I was meeting with a supplier, so I ran over there a couple of hours before my flight. And... it was free!
There were 4 large hanger buildings to see, but with only a couple of hours, I focused on the WWII and SE Asia exhibits as that's where most of my interest lies.
It was a quick walk about, and I would have like to taken more time, but was still better than sitting in the airport waiting for my plane.
I took a bunch of pics, so enjoy:
Tim H said
Apr 20, 2012
Very cool Stan. I really enjoy history.
My wife's family is big into aviation. So the planes are cool to see. Her grandfather and Charles Lindberg were good friends. He was Lindbergs wing walker during his barn storming days.
SShink said
Apr 20, 2012
Tim H wrote:
Very cool Stan. I really enjoy history.
My wife's family is big into aviation. So the planes are cool to see. Her grandfather and Charles Lindberg were good friends. He was Lindbergs wing walker during his barn storming days.
That's some cool family history Tim. The Wright Brothers museum was just a couple of miles away, so maybe I'll hit that next time I'm in that area.
They were also honoring the Doolittle Tokyo Air Raid squad this week at the AFB. They had 4 of the remaining 5 survivors there and did a fly by with a B25. If anyone's seen the move Pearl Harbor, they'll remember our attempt at bombing Tokyo after Pearl Harbor by launching stripped down B25's from a carrier ship, even though it was with just a few bombs, it was the act that counted. That's why I took the pics of the Japanese bomb balloons that they countered back with by putting them in the jet stream, then when they dropped to a certain altitude, they let the bombs go. If you read the placard in the pic, some people died in Oregon while having a picnic when the bombs dropped on them from the balloon. Another rarely heard story about WWII that I'd never heard before.
Tim H said
Apr 20, 2012
That ballon history is really interesting. To make it all the way to Michigan is incredible.
I worked in the oil refineries in northern California for many years. The oil storage tanks were painted different shades of brown to blend into the hillsides. It was to camoflage them from air attacks during WWII. They still paint them that way today if they buils a new tank.
Derek69SS said
Apr 20, 2012
Cool place... I was there with the Model T club when I was a teenager, but was more interested in the girls on the tour than the museum... I would love to go back now that I have a deeper appreciation for history, and a wife to keep me in line.
-- Edited by Derek69SS on Friday 20th of April 2012 12:04:02 PM
SteveS said
Apr 20, 2012
Very cool Stan, I'm a big fan of history too. It's another place I'd love to see.
Chris R said
Apr 20, 2012
Thats the first time I have ever seen or heard of one of those FP-45 "Liberator" pistols before. There is some very cool stuff there.
SShink said
Apr 20, 2012
Chris R wrote:
Thats the first time I have ever seen or heard of one of those FP-45 "Liberator" pistols before. There is some very cool stuff there.
I thought so too. It was basically a 16 gauge steel stamping riveted together. I don't think I'd want to pull the trigger on that!
dashboard said
Apr 20, 2012
You could spend three days in that complex and still not see everything. There is always something new to see as they swap exhibits with other museums. I’ve been there several times and see something new every time.
The Messerschmitt Me 262 is truly incredible, if you look closely at the jet engines inlet cone you will see a small ring. This was connected by a cable to a small gas engine inside the cone; once started it would then be used to start the jet engine.
Lost in the 60s said
Apr 21, 2012
Great pics. I especially like their use of manikins to depict realistic scenes. I've been thru a couple air museums and 2 aircraft carriers full of vintage planes and have never seen that much detail. I really like the WWII era stuff.
Traveling for work sounds just like over the road trucking. I've driven by dozens of places I'd like to visit and never had time to stop...
Derek, the wife may keep you in line but your eyes will STILL be checking out the other "tourists"...
I had a rare business trip moment today where a meeting ended early, and I actually had a couple of hours to kill before my flight. Despite what a lot of people believe about business trips, there is hardly every any free time to check out the areas you are in.
I was in Dayton, OH today, and the National U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB was about 15 minutes from where I was meeting with a supplier, so I ran over there a couple of hours before my flight. And... it was free!
There were 4 large hanger buildings to see, but with only a couple of hours, I focused on the WWII and SE Asia exhibits as that's where most of my interest lies.
It was a quick walk about, and I would have like to taken more time, but was still better than sitting in the airport waiting for my plane.
I took a bunch of pics, so enjoy:
My wife's family is big into aviation. So the planes are cool to see. Her grandfather and Charles Lindberg were good friends. He was Lindbergs wing walker during his barn storming days.
That's some cool family history Tim. The Wright Brothers museum was just a couple of miles away, so maybe I'll hit that next time I'm in that area.
They were also honoring the Doolittle Tokyo Air Raid squad this week at the AFB. They had 4 of the remaining 5 survivors there and did a fly by with a B25. If anyone's seen the move Pearl Harbor, they'll remember our attempt at bombing Tokyo after Pearl Harbor by launching stripped down B25's from a carrier ship, even though it was with just a few bombs, it was the act that counted. That's why I took the pics of the Japanese bomb balloons that they countered back with by putting them in the jet stream, then when they dropped to a certain altitude, they let the bombs go. If you read the placard in the pic, some people died in Oregon while having a picnic when the bombs dropped on them from the balloon. Another rarely heard story about WWII that I'd never heard before.
I worked in the oil refineries in northern California for many years. The oil storage tanks were painted different shades of brown to blend into the hillsides. It was to camoflage them from air attacks during WWII. They still paint them that way today if they buils a new tank.
Cool place... I was there with the Model T club when I was a teenager, but was more interested in the girls on the tour than the museum... I would love to go back now that I have a deeper appreciation for history, and a wife to keep me in line.
-- Edited by Derek69SS on Friday 20th of April 2012 12:04:02 PM
Thats the first time I have ever seen or heard of one of those FP-45 "Liberator" pistols before. There is some very cool stuff there.
I thought so too. It was basically a 16 gauge steel stamping riveted together. I don't think I'd want to pull the trigger on that!
The Messerschmitt Me 262 is truly incredible, if you look closely at the jet engines inlet cone you will see a small ring. This was connected by a cable to a small gas engine inside the cone; once started it would then be used to start the jet engine.
Great pics. I especially like their use of manikins to depict realistic scenes. I've been thru a couple air museums and 2 aircraft carriers full of vintage planes and have never seen that much detail. I really like the WWII era stuff.
Traveling for work sounds just like over the road trucking. I've driven by dozens of places I'd like to visit and never had time to stop...
Derek, the wife may keep you in line but your eyes will STILL be checking out the other "tourists"...