[;)] Any one been to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon Arizona?
They have a restored B29. The plane sat in front of air base there for years. The Military was going to scrap the old plane. Someone checked the serial numbers and found out the Plane was “Senitmental Journey” and was used at the end of WWII. They found past members of the crew including several of the original crew. We attended an open house about three years ago when the restroration was complete. The crew members we’re there also. We ask alot of questions toured the plane took pictures and recieved several autographs. Crew members had a chance to speak to the attendees. It got rather emotional that day. We we’re very lucky to have these heros spend time with us and share there experiences. We are thankful to them. They also have a restored B17. If any of you have a chance it’s a recommended visit. Be papared to stay the whole day maybe two.
I’ll second that! The Pima museum is staffed by docens who are all WWII vets and very familiar with the a/c. The museum outdoor displays are also great. Definitely don’t miss the tour of the “Boneyard” at D-M AFB next door. I have never seen so many Phantoms in my life!
As a great side trip, take in the Titan Missile Site museum a few miles away. It will make your blood run cold. Truly awesome to realize what a bullet civilization dodged when we won the Cold War.
Tony Ryan
OH NO. Please don’t tell me the Phabulous Phantastic Phantom is in the bone yard. When I started working on them, they were brand new.
I have visited the museum several times. I haven’t been back since the new up grade. I’ll have to make a visit and see if some of my old aircraft is parked there.
Yeah, Don, I’m afraid so. It was the most impressive thing I saw there. The tour bus stopped at the end of a long, long row so you could see right up the row, seemingly out to the horizon. Phantoms to the right of you, phantoms to the left of you. Seemed like thousands of them! But remember that they made well over 5000 of them and that more than half of the planes in the Boneyard are in long or short term storage, not for destruction. So who knows, maybe someday they will fly again!
Tony Ryan