It was in our paper yesterday, the Air Force is announcing the permanent display of an F-22A, one of the first nine used in testing. I guess I need to get down there again, real soon.
Very good news! I was planning a trip back there this spring. Nice to know there’ll be a Raptor there. [tup]
I was there a month ago, and it was on display (the only Raptor on permanant display anywere, yes?). I’m not one for modern jets myself, but I have to say it was pretty beastly. It’s in the modern flight hanger (duh!) right across from the B-52.
Good stuff.
Thats awsome I can’t believe the airforce donated that!![:O]
What do you mean donated it? It’s owned by us taxpayers and the AF Museum is also funded by us taxpayers…they belong to us US citizens. The museum is a public one not a privately held facility. That’s why it is FREE to visit. Just as it is to visit the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola.
The other option for the Raptor would have been to loan it to the Smithsonian or other similar facility. Until an airframe is deemed surplus and is disposed/discarded it is still the property of the parent service, in this case the USAF. Many of those aircraft/vehicles/equipment that are on display at museums, VFW’s, American Legion Posts and Parks are still on the books. Should the service designate, they can be reclaimed. Restoration projects have reclaimed items from displays in the past to be used for the project in whole or in part.
Gerald is quite correct. The Memphis Belle is a perfect example. The USAFM (still can’t get used to NMAF) made the decision that Wright Patterson would be a better home so they took it. Every USAF/USAAF/USAAC aircraft in the US (I’m unclear about other countries) not in the USAF inventory is theirs with the USAF reserving the right to recall an aircraft (the museum’s A-37 was recalled into service for a brief time). The VC-137C SAM26000, Air Force One, became an issue when the Smithsonian made an argument that the aircraft had a cultural significance that trumped it being an Air Force machine. The Smithsonian lost. The museum will also horse trade duplicate aircraft and parts to fill gaps in their collection
I try & get down to Wright Patt every year, but didn’t make it in 07. This puts it real high on my 08 visitation priority list.
Regards, Rick
Can I go too?
Grandma L
Knowing little about modern fighters, is this a operational F-22 thus Different the YF-22/F-22 prototype I saw a few years ago? I go about every other year or so.
Ah, the Smithsonian. Love it or hate it, it is what it is. For every He 219 (only one, currently undergoing restoration) there’s a Spruce Goose (which the Smithsonian wanted to chop up and send around the country in pieces).
AFAIK (which isn’t very far), the F-22A is one of the first operational aircraft, not a prototype (as I would expect an X- prefix). The website says it was a test aircraft, which was donated to the museum once testing was finished. The whole page is here:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=8389
I may have somthing to add, heres some pictures around the cockpit of there F-22 at USAFM
And heres a little somthing for the coldwar hanger, beprepard to show some ID before you enter. “Just kidding”
Ah, the B-36. Always good to see it again. I blame that aircraft, and THAT aircraft alone, for my giant-plane obsession. It was even better back in the day when the had it in the smaller hanger (WWII one now, I believe). There were half walls up (like cubicles) everywhere to isolate areas and guide tourists. Then, right in the middle, you have the B-36. You literally couldn’t see the whole thing at once. You’d be walking and BOOM- giant wing overhead. A little while later- BOOM- there’s the cockpit. Then you look off into the far distace and see, shrouded in the gloom of the rafters, the tip of the tail…
Ah, memories…