[TorqueyTechie]

From past one week the Mrs was pestering me to take her for Dayton having heard from her friends here that there is a air force museum which is good. I myself had never been to that museum even though its just 45 mins drive from my place. So decided to go last Saturday . Called up some of my other friends and made up a plan to start by 11:30. As usual the plans don't hold since we were a group of 11 + a kid and finally started by 1 and went in two cars.

Reached the place by 1 50 , remembered that didn't get the camera . Finally started the tour and had to make do by taking pics from my mobile. Apologies for the not so good pictures.

The museum is split into four section. and you would need min 2.5 hours to walk through all.

1. World war/Air force galleries
2. Modern Air force gallery
3. Cold War gallery
4. Missile and Space gallery.

[TorqueyTechie]

So we went into the first gallery which is the world war and pre world war gallery. There are exhibits starting from the 1909 first military flight to the one which ended the world war 2, the BockScar.

1. Exhibits.
2. 1909 Military flyer - First military flyer aircraft costing $30000
3. 1911 Model D - Second military flyer curtiss model D which could be disassembled and transported on military wagons.
4. Curtiss P1 Hawk
5. TG 4A
6. Fi- 156C
7. (a) V1710- Aircraft Engine (b) V1710- Aircraft Engine - 2
8. Cushman Airborne Scooter
9. Avro 504K
10 . B18-A

[TorqueyTechie]

11. (a) to (e) - Bockscar - This is the aircraft which carried the first nuclear bomb (nicknamed the little boy) and which ended the world war II.
12. Caproni CA 36
13. Fokker Dr . I
14. Halberstadt CLIV
15. R4b Hoverfly
16. Kellet K2 / K3 - This concept was the one which made the helicopter to be made.
17 . Kettering Aerial Torpedo a.k.a "Bug"
18 . King Cobra
19 . Lockheed
20 . Lusac II
21. MB2
22. Mosquito
23. Mustang
24. North American B T14
25. P12E
26 . Seversky
27. Spad VII
28 . Spad XIII
29 . SpitFire
30. Thunderbolt
31. Warhawk

[TorqueyTechie]

We had seen a guide explaining about the world war airplanes and had joined the group being guided by him. By the time we finished the world war section it was 4 and we had just one hour to finish the other sections. So the next set of snaps I am not quite sure about the flight names and other details.

By this time all the ladies and some of my friends too were getting bored and they started to simply walk without checking much. I for one was enjoying and admiring the flying beauties. The museum indeed has some good collections and is big. It certainly needs 3-4 hours for going through in leisure.

The next set of snaps include the cold war galleries as well as modern airplanes. I had to take few since my mobile battery was almost dying.

[TorqueyTechie]

These next set of pics are from the missile/space gallery and some miscellaneous pictures. This is where my mobile switched off and I could not take any more pics.

[TorqueyTechie]

I would leave all with the final set of pics taken courtesy my dear friend's phone. This bike was made by the US air force along the lines of the F22 raptor and is called the F22 gray. Not sure how it has come in the pics but definitely looks cool in real.

Last but not the least this being my first travelogue I might have made some mistakes. (I did not know how to provide comments to each photograph so had to write all the names of the planes at the top and upload the pics). Appreciate if you all take little time from your work to check and provide some comments.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to Travelogues. Thanks for sharing!

[ApriliaNut]

Excellent...!!! Your pics are making me want to plan a trip to this museum. May be later this year.
Waiting for more pics from Modern AF Gallery and the outdoor static displays.

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by ApriliaNut

Excellent...!!! Your pics are making me want to plan a trip to this museum. May be later this year.
Waiting for more pics from Modern AF Gallery and the outdoor static displays.

Thanks buddy. My phone battery died and could not take any more pics unfortunately and also because of paucity of time. Trying to find out if any of my friends have more pics to share.

[infotech58]

Thanks for posting so many pictures. These bring back a lot of memories to me . I have visited this museum almost 10 times while I spent 4 yrs. in IN.
Do you have any photographs from the last hanger? The new planes such as F16?

I contribute one photo taken in this museum too.

[sriramr9]

Thanks torque, that was an incredible collection to be preserved in team bhp. Did you get chance to take pictures of retired civil aircrafts like lockheed l-1011, dc-10, dc-3, 747-100 to name a few.

Also let us know if you have taken pics of retired reusable space shuttle's such as atlantis and endeavour?

Thanks a lot in advance?

[TorqueyTechie]

Originally Posted by infotech58

Do you have any photographs from the last hanger? The new planes such as F16?

Thanks infotech for sharing your pic as well. unfortunately I could not take more pics. Trying to source more pics from my friends.

Originally Posted by sriramr9

Thanks torque, that was an incredible collection to be preserved in team bhp. Did you get chance to take pictures of retired civil aircrafts like lockheed l-1011, dc-10, dc-3, 747-100 to name a few.

Also let us know if you have taken pics of retired reusable space shuttle's such as atlantis and endeavour?

Thanks Sriram. I could not take more pics. Will try to see if my friends have it and try to share it as well.

[vnabhi]

Thanks for the lovely pictures. This museum is on my 'must visit' list when I go to the US next.

It does look similar to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum at Washington DC and the other one near Dulles International airport, but the collection of WW 2 aircraft seems to be more in Dayton.

By the way, does this museum have an IMAX theater like the other two in DC?

Edit: I'd posted pictures of the museums in DC area in my travelog 'DC to DC' a few years back on this forum.

[TorqueyTechie]

Thanks vnabhi. Indeed this museum does have more collection of WWII airplnes than DC.(I have been to DC as well). Yes this museum does have the Imax theater in it.

[Jeroen]

If you re interested in (military) airplanes the USA is a wonderfull place. There are so many museums all over the USA it is just mind blowing. I havent been to this particular one, but it looks like they have a very nice collection.

The one I particularly enjoyed was the Strategic Air & Space museum just south of Omaha. Three our trip from our home in Kansas City. Did it several times. Good place to see just about all of the US bombers in one place!

Jeroen