Does anyone out there know of a good reference for a list of aircraft roadside monuments or museums (other than the obvious museums like the Dayton Air Museum, or Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum)? For example, I know there is one of Neil Armstrong’s aircraft’s at his small museum off of I-75 in Wapokanetta, OH. But is there a website or published list of these valuable little monuments and museums?
Thank you in advance.
Here’s a link to the Modeling Madness page on Planes on Poles, which in turn has a link to the Locator, where you can search for ones near you. There is also a Google Earth Community forum where you can get the coordinates to search for Planes on Poles using that wonderful program.
THanks Bill…that’s just what the doctor ordered!
I’ve also found this link as a result of following your link. Thanks a million.
I have run across some sites that still list the Florence (SC) air and space museum. I just found out that it went defunct a couple of years ago, and most of the aircraft have been sold to other museums. It was small and mom & pops, but I loved it. I think there are 1 or 2 skeletons still there, but just trying to save ya a trip.
Not to forget another two obvious…Boeing Museum of Flight and the Smithsonian.
Peeee
What was really sad about this museum going under ( I hate seeing that happen), was the fighting for the collection. There were several aircraft there that were cannibalized before their rightful owners got to them, some were irrepairably damaged and some were sold to the scrap man. It was a county government organized deal because the museum had supposedly not filed for tax-exemption and they thought they had. When Big Brother steps in, he steps hard and breaks bones.
I suggest you check out Michael A. Blaugher’s “Guide To Over 900 Aircraft Museums” (ISBN 0-9640128-9-8). This is a comprehensive guide to virtually all of the museums in the US & Canada that have aircraft and includes a listing of aircraft on outdoor display in parks, etc. It also includes listings for naval museums. It is updated frequently and is now in its 24th edition.
This inexpensive and often overlooked treasure-trove of aeronautical information can be purchased from www.aircraftmuseums.com. I picked up my copy at the Pima Air Museum. Highly, highly recommended - especially if you travel.
Martin
Veterns Park in my hometown of Florence, AL has some good displays up. AH-1 Cobra, some nice thud guns, missiles and the like. I love the Cobra, its soo cool. I’ll be getting pictures of it sometime soon
I live in the Tampa Bay Area and just off of I-4 is the sun n fun museum,mostly civilian aircraft (they have a real ford flivver)But outside is one of the 2 Sea Darts on display.That alone was worth the drive.
there is an F-105 on I-80 west bound to advert the Strategic air and space museum in Ashland Nebraska. The old Sac museum. (used to be at Offutt AFB itself.) All aircraft are inside now, and the place is huge! It is also a world class museum. I love that place. If you are ever in the Omaha area, I would suggest a stop.
[#ditto] that! I love going to that museum.
I agree. I used to do research on all the off base sites for the old museum.(Hike-Hercules, and Atlas D sites plus old commo and Rader bases.) Got alot of stuff, including three car loads of Atlas tech manuals for the Arlington Atlas site. They cover everything from guidance, warheads, and engines maint. Plus bluprints, layout, etc… of the bases. Can’t find many operational pics of the Nike site though. Tony also used to let me have the keys to all the old planes and my son and I would crawl around inside or them for hours at a time. It was great!!!
If you ever find yourself passing thru Mountain Home, Arkansas, the high school on Bomber Blvd has a Corsair II in the front lawn. Donated to the ROTC by the USN. Our teams are called the Mtn Home Bombers. High School football went to state final last year. Texarkana beat us by a small margin[B)].
Landing gear is retracted, as it’s on a pedestal, and conopy is closed but, its only 10 feet off of the ground.
Monett, MO city park has a retired Thunderbirds F-4 Phantom sitting in it on a pole.
Here’s a link:
http://www.gdyounglove.net/html/travels/tbirdsondisplay/aircraft/66-0315.htm
check out this thread: http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=14330
They’re not all on poles or in museums.
Here are a couple from my hometown of Tulare, CA. They can be seen right on the East side of Highway 99.
I have been from the bombardier’s station to the tail gunner’s station and everything in between while working at the airport in '69 and '70. I couldn’t bring myself to get in the ball turret though. Too close for comfort.
Martin:
This is a great suggestion. I was unaware of the book, and you hit the nail on thehead: I travel a lot! This is a “must have” book for me.
Thank you.
Everyone else has posted very nice information as well. I think the book mentioned will summaraze all of those interesting little places across the continent and be very useful for when I travel. Thanks to all of you.
If its of intrest to you, here’s link covering several planes in pedestals in Canada:
Aboslutely…my travles in Canada are unfortunately limited (for now) to Ontario, but someday I’d love to see the northern, Western and Eastern areas of your beautiful country.
If you’re ever in the Southwest, check out Pima Air Museum in Tucson…[:-^] Not that I have any particular interest in supporting the museum…(I work there as a restoration engineer…current project - O-52 Owl 74% Complete, A-20G…Don’t ask…[sigh] B-26 Marauder…even worse…
But seriously, the aircraft that we’re not in the middle of gutting are quite nice, and most are rare too!