Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Hi Everyone,

On the way from the DC area to Springfield, IL, we're gonna stop at the National Museum Of The US Air Force in Dayton Ohio.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/index.asp

Anyone visited? Care to give any hints or tips?

Is it worth it to try to get onto the airbase to see the Presidential and R&D Galleries?

I searched their site for the word FORD and found over 10,000 matches. It looks like they have a Model T ambulance, an M151-A1 Jeep, and quite a few Trimotors, some electronics, and even a V1 type Buzz Bomb called a Loon.

Thanks.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

plan at least a full day, maybe more if available. The place is huge.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Thanks for the reply MuskegonFlatheadFan,

If things work correctly, we'll get within an hour drive or so on Saturday night. Find a place to stay, then hit the museum at 9AM Sunday. Kill several hours, possibly more than 1/2 the day, then try to get to the other side of Indy and bed down. Monday we make the final leg into Springfield for a mid-afternoon arrival.

I do sorta want to see the XB-70.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

You don't need to do anything special to get into the museum, it's not exactly part of the base.

If you have been to the Smithsonian's air museum (Udvar-Hazy), a lot is the same, but with more thoroughness and detail. Many more engines on display. I don't recall a lot of Ford stuff, a Tri-Motor maybe. It's FREE, too!

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Hi Ross F-1, Because I'm in the DC area one of the few benefits is the (semi) easy access to two of my favorite places, the NASM on the Mall, and the Udvar-Hazy out at Dulles. I can always have a good time there and have been in excess of ten times each.

The one at the Mall has a lot of good stuff on the Wright Brothers, and that's another motivation to visit because their Huffman Prairie flying field, where they perfected their machine after proving the concept in Kitty Hawk, is where Wright-Patterson is today. There's a lot of Wright Bros. history here with College Park Airport and Fort Myer. The Wrights fascinate me.

The Udvar-Hazy, as I remember it, has a fabulous engine collection, some of them are super tricky.

As I'm understanding, all exhibits except the Presidential and R&D are off the base. Those two require a bus ride to see them. The R&D is where the XB-70 lives. I've been on the Kennedy era Air Force One when it was displayed at the Andrews Airshow a few years ago.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Make sure you have good shoes,that place is big.
Also go over to the other part that houses the spy planes and old airforce one planes,
Lawrie

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

It's broken into (or at least was the last time I was there) into three or mor eras. Early flight, WWi WWII. Space flight and then post space race. Each has a fairly sizable hanger. If you have a favorite era, focus on that.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

To spend only a half a day, you will maybe get through the souvenir shops in that little time.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Hey Jeff - I work at Wright Pat. The museum is heaven if you're into military aviation. If you can only spend a couple of hours, then pick a theme (e.g. Wright brothers, WWI, WWII bombers, early supersonic fighters, ICBMs, etc) and stick to that. You'll be overwhelmed if you just show up and wing it. The main museum entrance is on Springfield Pike - no base access required. The presidential collection will require either a bus ride or base privileges. If you have a DoD or retiree ID then you can enter via gate 19B. The presidential collection is in an old hangar on C St.
Have fun! It's a most amazing place. I'm a professor at AFIT. We hold our graduation ceremonies near the B-52 in the main museum.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

I visited the museum when CTCI had a covention in Dayton (hotel right next to the base). It is GREAT. You need two or three days to see it all in my estimation. A lot of very nice dioramas, great collection of planes. Unfortunately, I only had a short day and probably missed a lot.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

You will love it!! I finally got to go a couple of years ago while bringing a very tired son home from Indianapolis.

We did it in half a day - which was a track meet for sure, but I had to negotiate.

Definitely do the extra hangar for the XB-70 Valkyrie. Get your free bus pass at the counter early as they go fast.

I have been lucky enough to see a lot of great planes, so we focused on what we hadn't seen before. Maybe that is a strategy you can use, too.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Here's a couple of photos:
This one is of my '43 Willys taken at the top of the "acceleration runway" - a short downhill experimental runway built during WWII. The museum's restoration hangar complex is on the lower left, and the main museum in the back right. The restoration hangars contain the "Memphis Belle" - a famous B-17 bomber.
http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data.../IMG_01774.JPG

I took this second picture in 2012, behind the museum (left background on the pic above), during a reunion of the April 1942 Doolittle raid. About 21 B-25 bombers flew in for the reunion and did some formation flying above the museum. The sound of all those radial engines was inspiring.

http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data...oolittle11.jpg

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Tamnalan,
I also love the museum. I need to get back. I helped build the XB-70 while working at North American. I'm a hurricane hunter so the WB-50 was a joy to see.(I also have a 39 pickup.)

I have a piece of the Ship Osfreischland that the museum wants

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Wow! The XB-70 is a most amazing plane. Glad to see it was finally moved indoors a few years ago.

I had to look up that ship. Funny! My coworkers are a bit frustrated with our local senior leadership right now and were discussing our need for a "Billy Mitchell moment"!

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

A full day just won't get it, you can walk through it in a day but can't really see it. In 2008 my brother and I spent 3 days there and yes it is worth going to see the R&D planes etc. If you have a militiary or retired military ID card you can drive over there otherwise you have to wait for the shuttle bus at the Museum. I found two airplanes I actually worked on and my brother found a 3rd one he had worked on as well. Some outdoor things to see as well such as a British Control tower and ready room. planes go all the way back to the Wright Bros. It open at 9 AM and closes at 5 PM 7 days per week . Admission and parking is free.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

If I remember right if you are there on Fri you can go to where the Memphis Belle is being restored.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

The AF 1 at Wright Patterson is the one that brought Kennedys body back from TX. The second AF 1 (Columnbine III) is there) The first AF 1 Columnbine II is deterating out in the desert. ( in AZ I think). Money being raised to try and save it before it's too late.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

One of the guides told us that all of the planes are restored to flyable condtion.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

I think that some are more flyable than others... but the restoration folks do a first class job. They do some really amazing work. Foundry.. machining... they do it all. The restoration hangars are a fantastic tour if a guy has the time and opportunity to do it.

I would love to do volunteer work there after I retire.. even to just clean parts or sweep the floors. Fascinating place.

Re: Nat'l Museum of USAF, Ford Stuff
 

Hi Jeff,

It was great seeing you in Gettysburg! How many do you have in your party? We have room for 3 if you want to bed down here. I am located in Wilmington...around 25 miles from the AF Museum. I would love to be going to Springfield, but my schedule won't allow me this time.

Regards,
Pat