If a guy had the time to travel this summer, Who has the best collection of WW2 aircraft on display in the U.S.? Fighters, bombers, possibly aircraft in flight worthy condition?.....Confederate Airforce?, Smithsonian, Wright Patterson?........All models and Axis Aircraft as well (particularly fascinated with German fighters) Love to see a ME 262 up close!......Anybody have opinions on the best displays?......Thanks in advance!

 

Dave,

In my not-so-humble opinion, Wright Patterson will have the most in 'flying' condition and the Smithsonian will have everything else.

The Air & Space Museum (DC) and the 'annex' at Dulles Airport are incredible places to see the old birds!

Collings Foundation has a 'flying' museum, for the lack of a better term.
B-17, B-24, F4-U Corsair, F4 Phantom II (and others) in flying condition.
In fact, for a fee. . .you can catch a ride on the B-17 and/or the B-24!

A co-worker and I keep talking about going to see the Collings Foundation planes (and take a ride) when they come back, near here.

It would take 6 months to get the grin off my face if I got to ride in that Flying Fortress!

 

OK, Keith! We are a fixin to stay at your place!, Kinda like the Clampets move east for a visit! LOL! I will just park the motor home in front of your house, since you're right in the middle of all the good spots!...........I can just imagine what the "fee" must be to fly on that B17G!

 

The museum where all the war birds are flyable would be Planes of Fame in Chino California and they do fly some every weekend. Many are one of the kind left in the world. That is where I would go for flyable planes hands down. The next museum I would hit would be Pensacola where the Navy has the most complete collection of Navy war birds in the world. For Air Force birds it would be Wright Patterson where they also have some from other countries.

 

Here's a link to the Planes of Fame website:

Planes of Fame Air Museum - Official Site

 

If you are swinging south and then east...

Ditto planes of Fame in Chino. Thye have two museums on the same airport. One is all WWII and earlier. Many are in like new restored condition, most are flyable. Some you can walk upto. Some you can fly in for a fee.

Then there is the Jet Museum on the other side of the air port. Many Many jets, mostly on an "as is" condition and you can walk right up to the majority of them. If I recall, they have an ME 262 here and the Japanese version.

There is also the Yankee air Museum at the same airport. Some interesting aircraft but smaller than the Planes of Fame.

Heading south to Palm Springs is the March Field Air Force Reserve Museum in Riverside with many good aircraft most just cleaned up.

At Palm Springs is the Palm Springs museum with many fully restored aircraft mostly propeller. Most you can walk up to.

Heading east thru Tucson Arizona, is the Pima Air Museum. Mostly outdoors un restored aircraft. Mostly WWII, Korean and Vietnam era. You can walk up to most. I forget, but there are also some planes indoors. But the outdoors is where you have the splendor of quantity.

There is also a Planes of Fame near Grand Canyon, but I haven't been there.

For most quantity of WWII I would vote Planes of Fame. Most beautiful restorations are Palms Springs and Planes of Fame. Sheer quantity is Pima.

The restored planes at Chino and Palm Springs do occasionally rotate between different museums so there is always something new.

Of course you being from Oregon, you know about McMinnville(Spruce Goose) and the Red Barn in Seattle. Be sure to drop by the Fort Lewis Army museum on the way to Seattle.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

What's it like at the smithsonian and the "annex" (don't feel like typing the whole name) me and a buddy from school are thinking of taking a road trip there in early march. How much time do you really need to get through it all?

 

One day per building if you're in a hurry. Two days per building if you want to spend some quality time.

Incidentally, that goes for ALL the Smithsonian buildings... Given that there are a half-dozen or so, you could easily spend 2 weeks on that institution alone.

-blaine

 

Have you not heard of political correctness? The new and more acceptable name is the Commemorative Air Force....sad but true.

 

The weather was junk last October but I had the $2100 in hand to fly in the Collings Foundation's TP-51C. I was so bummed that is was a rainy thunderstorm day. I showed up to tour the 3 planes B-17, B-24, TP-51C and gave them a few hundred donation and they gave me a membership and told me I could come the open house this summer and ride in the bomber of my choice at their open house at the Stow Airport in Stowe, Massachusetts.

I love living so close to them.

 

Hey that was post 3000 for me......hurray

 

No, no love for PC here.
Seen the Spruce goose up in McMinville, and everything there. Would like to see some of the less prevalent fighters like the P47 Thunderbolt, P38 Lightning, F4u Corsair, Spitfire, ME 109g6, FW 190d9......I have seen several P51D Mustangs and even a F6f Hellcat and a B25, but the west coast doesnt seem to have the great variety I have seen listed in Eastern US museums and displays...........I am leaning towards Wright Patterson at this time, but keep the sugestions flowing and Thanks, for the replies!

 

I live less than an hour from Wright Patterson and whenever I have some time to kill in Dayton I'm at the Air Force Museum. That place is incredible, not only do they have US WW2 planes but they have something from most every other country involved in WW2 as well. National Museum of the USAF - Air Power Gallery

 

Nothing on the west coast. Hah, take a look at the inventory... Museum Aircraft Inventory - The Air Museum ~ Planes of Fame. They even have an operational Northrup Flying Wing.

 

No, the orig. link didnt work for me but, yours did!...Thanks, that looks like a must see!.........H**L of a lot closer too! But it would probably be a first stop on a long Eastward drive.