National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC. Probably the best, but very crowded. The bookstore is very good, and provides an opportunity to examine books before purchase, a drawback to dealing with mail order houses. I can hardly wait until the
The United States Air Force Museum, Dayton, Ohio. This is my favorite. Houses the XB-70, B-58, an A-12 (SR-71 family), and many other aircraft. A new addition: the F-117! You cannot really tour this museum in one day.
Pima Air Museum, Tucson, Arizona. This is across the street from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and contains examples from their storage facility, along with many others. Includes the YC-14 and YC-15, an F-107 and many others. The desert light makes photography easy. Wear a wide brim straw hat. I got severe burns on the tops of my ears.
Virginia Aviation Museum, Richmond International Airport. A collection of aircraft from the 1930s. This is the Shannon collection, which used to be in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Includes a Vultee V1-A.
Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, Virginia. This collection is based on the old NASA Visitor's Center collection, with additional aircraft. Includes a Rutan Veri-EZ, the YF-16, and several other airplanes. Also has some interesting wind tunnel demonstrations.
Intrepid, New York City harbor. This aircraft carrier has been converted to a museum, with many classic aircraft.
Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, CA. Very good, not crowded, close to Los Angeles.
Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida. Very good, tours by volunteers, who are mainly retired naval aviators. Covers a full range of planes from the first to the YF-17.
Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way, Seattle, WA. Associated with Boeing, a nice collection with the actual wooden model made in a Dayton hotel room when the B-52 was redesigned.
Imperial War Museum, Duxford. This is more or less the British equivalent of the US Air Force Museum. One of the development Concordes is there, as well as a TSR-2. There is also a Vulcan and Mosquito. Several of the British airliners are there, and you can walk through hangars where they keep their large collection of fighters which are in flying condition, and where a lot of restoration work is ongoing. They have many Hawker Hunters. Finally, there is an American Museum, which is recently opened and contains many US military aircraft, including a B-52.
Champlin Fighter Museum, Mesa, Arizona.
Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Blackbird Park (SR-71, A-12, etc.) Palmdale, CA. Located on 25th St. E. and Avenue P, on the south side of Palmdale Airport/USAF Plant 42. The FAA's ARTCC is right across 25th and is a big landmark, a big green building with lots of antennas. May only be open on weekends.
Beech Staggerwing Museum, Tullahoma, TN. This is at the Tullahoma Airport. It is only open at certain hours, but interesting. If you are visiting AEDC, MicroCraft or UTSI and have a few minutes, take a look.
Glenn Curtis Museum, Hammondsport, NY. This is in the finger lakes region where Curtis started out. I visited this museum many years ago. It was primarily pre-World War I vintage.
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direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, mason@aoe.vt.edu