Duxford, definately…
Then again, I did go to the Le Bourget airshow in 97 and see the SU-37 do unnatural things to air… That was so amazing! Forget the cobra manouvre, this thing came along, stopped in mid air whilst doing a back flip, then merrily carried on… Without losing altitude! Most (if not all) western fighters would have long been a pile of smoking wreckage by then… Needless to say everything that flew afterwards seemed like they had the agility of a bale of hay.
Thanks for the tip about the book yardbird. Sounds like a must have for any self respecting plane geek.
I started this topic months ago. I’m surprised that people keep adding to it even after it’s been pushed way back in the line. It would appear that I’m not the only one dragging their family out to remote corners of the earth just to see an old plane.
thanks
Darren
I too live near “the nation’s attic” (the Smithsonian), but my favorite aviation museum isn’t good old National Air & Space – it’s Air & Space’s “attic”, the Garber Facility in Silver Hill – the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility; 3904 Old Silver Hill Road; Suitland, MD 20746-3190, to be precise. They claim the Garber Facility “preserves and stores aircraft, spacecraft, and other artifacts, and restores these artifacts to represent a specific period in their history”, but really this is where the Smithsonian hanger hounds get their hands dirty. Here’s the URL: http://www.nasm.si.edu/nasm/garber/Garber.html
Two others in the area I enjoyed visiting:
(1) College Park Aviation Museum. URL [duh!]: http://www.collegeparkaviationmuseum.com/ and
(2) Naval Historical Center. URL: http://www.history.navy.mil/
The preceding was brought to you by Quantum Express - When you absolutely, positively, don’t know where it’s going or when it needs to be there.
I have visited several of the Museums listed and they are all very good.
Hill AFB has not only some good WWII and Modern planes but also some good cargo craft including a C-124. They have just acquired a B-47 and are restoring a B-24D.
I just visited the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, FL this week and boy was I impressed. I am not a big Naval Aviation fan but seeing a Guardian, Mauler, Tiger, Demon, Fury, Cutlass, etc, etc. Awesome.
Pima has a fantastic amount of aircraft on display and The Naval Museum in San Diego has some very nice aircraft including a SeaDart.
The Air and Space is more for truly historic aircraft and you gotta love the original USS Enterprise model from Star Trek.
I am still trying to get to the Air Force Museum at Wright Pat, maybe next vacation.
I second Lawrence’s pick on the National Warplane Museum…they used to have their own B-17 “Fuddy Duddy” that they flew at their airshows. Unfortunately, while the museum is still open, they no longer do airshows 
They were the best-- the last one they had, they had some B-17’s and B-25’s…as well as P-51s and a P-47. Fifi was also there-- but it was overcast, so they never took Fifi or the fighters up into the air The museum also has an excellent Avenger- which they also fly.
On my own separate choice, I would suggest the Old Rhinebeck Airdrome…they have plenty of WWI planes and many of them they fly and demonstrate on the weekends in the summertime. Lots of fun to watch these birds in flight…
The Travis Air Museum at Travis AFB in Fairfield, Ca. C-54, C-118, C-119,
C-124, C-131, A-26C, B-26K, F-84, F-86, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, B-52D,
Hound Dog missle, and much more
We have a little museum her in Akron, Oh. It belongs to the Military Aircraft Preservation Society. The owner of the squdron theme restaurants asked people here to restore 2 SBD’s. They have been working on them for years. In the mean time, they have also acquired a Mig 17, a B26 fuselage and a couple of other airframes. Someone donated and extensive model collection that has been put on display. They have also gotten into the airshow business. The 3rd one will bo this summer. They have a pretty a pretty good turnout of a/c. Also in Dayton, there is a little airport a few miles from the AF museum where they have a replica Wright 1910 flyer. They give flights, due to insurance, the length of the runway. My pilot flew SBD’S he said. It was a great experience.
I would love to see an SBD…flying or static, I don’t care! Asmuch as I have enjoyed all the planes I have seen in my life. that is my all-time favorite and one I wish to see someday…wonder how far you are from Albany, NY 
One of the neatest and best run museums I’ve been to (comparable to the Imperial War Museum) is the Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas.
A fantastic ‘living’ museum where many planes are still flying and they’re usually working on the planes as your walking through. In addition to the planes, they have some fantastic exhibits, mockups, models and displays.
Last time I went, they were hosting a reunion for the veterans POWs of StalagLuft 17 (?) in Germany (setting for the Great Escape) and had a wonderful discussion with the Navigator of a B-17 that was shot down over Regensburg.
Some of the planes:
B-17
Corsair
Spitfire
P-47 Thunderbolt “Tarheel Hal”
P-38 Lightning “Putt Putt Maru”
P-51 Mustang
Hellcat
Wildcat
Bearcat
Avenger
Dauntless
Liberator
Texan
Catalina
Hustler
Many others
If you get to the UK i recomend Hendon and Duxford as already mentiond and also Newark air museum and Yorkshire air museum (both have web sites)…Gregers
I have never had the good fortune to be able to cross the atlantic and visit the amazing exhibitions in the USA that I see in pictures, But I would definately add my own recommendation for the RAF and Fleet air arm museums and Duxford. It is worth noting that many of the airframes in the American air museum in Duxford were given freely by US forces, and the Hurricane in the USAF museum was a gift from the British people in memory of the Eagle squadrons.
I don’t know if US display any vintage equipment, but I live close to Portsmouth harbour and it is not unusual to see things such as:-
Spitfire flypast to welcome USS Winston S Churchill,
Lancaster flypast to welcome HMS Lancaster,
Swordfish to salute any naval squadron returning from combat, (and scattering the ashes of veterans for burial at sea!)
In addition we have the oldest commissioned warship of any navy in the world, flagship of flag officer Portsmouth; HMS Victory. Victory still has a ships complement and a Royal Marines band and high ranking officers from foriegn navies are entertained to dinner in Nelsons cabin, at Nelsons table with Nelsons silverware.
About 20 years ago a French visitor was laid out by a Royal Navy tour guide for spitting on the quarterdeck. Unsurprisingly the Frenchman complained and the sailor concerned was given an official commendation for upholding the traditions of the service! but that’s not funny is it.
For those of you who have the opportunity, this year is the centennial for the birth of aviation in Dayton, Ohio. The city is sponsoring a three week festival culminating with the United States Air Show. In past years, the air show would bring in one of three flying teams - USAF Thunderbirds, Navy Blue Angels, or the Canadian Snowbirds. This year, they are bring in all three. I have family in the vicinity and am planning on attending a few of the events (including the air show). Not sure, but I believe that WPAFB is participating in the festival as well.
I also checked the State of North Carolina and in December of this year, they will be celebrating the Wright Brothers first flight at Kittyhawk. As I understand it, a replica of the first Wright Flyer is being built. Additionally, there is a contest among 4 pilots who will be given the opportunity to play “Orville Wright” and fly the plane. Not sure if I can make that or not, but it does sound pretty cool.
I have a couple that I love.
The old San Diego air and space musium where I was first exposed to the hobby as a child.
Unfortunitly it burnt to the ground several years ago.
At the time it had the only copy of the spirit of saint louis in existance outside of the smithsonion.
The new Musium their is pretty cool to but its not the same as the old one.
My new favorite is the evergreen air musium in Mcminnvile oregon.
Thats where the spruce goose is and that is one big mother.
It looks like a building with wings.
They also just got a SR-71 to display this last week end.
I am going to the show in september to check it out.
Heya james…
The Ole Rhinebeck Aerodrome is building a replica Spirit of St. Louis that they plan on flying…I saw the engine last summer…quite a project!!
I can introduce to you Museum of Polish Air Force in Krakow, Poland - you can look at it on www.muz-lotnictwa.krakow.pl/. Another “cool” place I can recommend is Beck Collection of Aviation, Armor and Military in Mareeba, Queensland, Australia - they have a very broad collection of different planes, cars, armor etc. - mostly from WW II ! Regards ! Aleksander