Best Aviation Museum Exhibits

[Noha307]

I am always on the lookout for new exhibit ideas and figured I would share a few of my favorites that I've come across:

• Aircraft carrier exhibit at the National Aviation Hall of Fame
• Cutaway Boeing 747 floor at the Delta Flight Museum
• F-4 placard with a hinged lid at Newark-Heath Airport
• Motorized rotary vs. radial comparison at the French Air and Space Museum
• P-47 supercharger and induction system display at the National Museum of World War II Aviation

What are the most creative, informative, or otherwise exemplary displays you've seen?

[Marauderman26]

PBY Cutaway in Pensacola recently covered in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=73092&p=644117&hilit=PBY+display#p644117

[Archer]

The remains of Lancaster NN775 spread out over a silhouette on the floor at War Museum Overloon, The Netherlands.
The first photo on the page I linked to provides the best impression.

[JohnB]

In the "How does an airplane fly" category, the entrance of Duxford's Imperial War Museum's Air and Space hangar has several hands on interactive exhibits. Even if you know it already, they are fun to play with.

[sandiego89]

Never been there, but always thought the Aircraft Carrier like wing of the UK Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, was always a neat idea, with deck markings, lighting, the ski ramp and wall adorned to look like the island of an aircraft carrier. The Navy room at the main Mall Smithsonian museum did a similar thing on a smaller scale with fake pipes, etc giving it a ship like feel.

The walk through B-29 at the USAF "command Decision" is very neat, with a Plexiglas tunnel allowing you to walk through the fuselage.

Can't recall which museum that had a S-2F that they let kids climb all around in a purposeful "please touch" display. What a great way to let kids touch and feel and smell, and hardly rare, so no big deal that it got wear and tear. Wish more museums would have sacrificial hands on aircraft, and give them one to explore.

[bomberfan]

In addition to what's been named already-

The SAC Museum in Nebraska has a B-25 with the left wing removed and much of the skin removed from that side as well, along with a walk way along side the bomber so you can see virtually the entire interior.

I also loved when POF had their Betty displayed as a jungle crash scene. Then Paul Allen purchased it and its no longer there.

[C VEICH]

I was very impressed with dynamic nature of the (relatively) new PBY exhibit at the Pima Air and Space Museum. It is difficult to see in the pic but the aircrew is included, fully attired in proper dress.

Attachments

[DaveM2]

Our Aviation Heritage Centre here at Omaka has some cool displays. The WWI hangar was done by Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop, the WWII hangar by our local volunteers.

Website:https://www.omaka.org.nz/


winterscene2 by davemcdonald5150, on Flickr

Combat Casualty by davemcdonald5150, on Flickr

20190910_140342 copy by davemcdonald5150, on Flickr

Hurri copy by davemcdonald5150, on Flickr

The flames on the cowl flicker which obviously can't be replicated in a still photo

[maradamx3]

Kermit's Act II had some good exhibits. It's been many years, but I believe you entered the museum into a WWII battle scene culminating in his wrecked B-17. I remember crawling through the Sunderland to exit into one of the hangars. And isn't there a smaller scale flight deck with Corsairs? Too bad all that is memory. Maybe Act III will have some good exhibits.

[Ken]

Always enjoyed the cut-away Sabre at the US Air Force Museum, as well as the Lake Michigan underwater dioramas at the US Naval Aviation Museum.

On a non-aviation note, the Franklin Institute in Philly has a heart large enough to crawl through, a 67' Foucault Pendulum that moves due to the rotation of the Earth, and 1000 other super cool exhibits.

Ken

[Mike]

Kermit's Act II had some good exhibits. It's been many years, but I believe you entered the museum into a WWII battle scene culminating in his wrecked B-17. I remember crawling through the Sunderland to exit into one of the hangars. And isn't there a smaller scale flight deck with Corsairs? Too bad all that is memory. Maybe Act III will have some good exhibits.

Do people really still believe that the (yet to be defined) Act III is actually going to happen?

[Warbird Kid]

Kermit's Act II had some good exhibits. It's been many years, but I believe you entered the museum into a WWII battle scene culminating in his wrecked B-17. I remember crawling through the Sunderland to exit into one of the hangars. And isn't there a smaller scale flight deck with Corsairs? Too bad all that is memory. Maybe Act III will have some good exhibits.

Do people really still believe that the (yet to be defined) Act III is actually going to happen?

I watch alot of Kermit's videos and in them he's peppered in a good amount of proposed layouts / drawings (they might be confirmed by now) for the rest of Act III, showcasing the planes in respective period hangars for their era, a ton of interactive exhibits, etc. So yeah, I believe it is his dream and will see it through.

[Warbirdnerd]

The National Museum of the USMC in Triangle, VA has a very impressive Vietnam exhibit.
You enter it through the back of a CH-46 and walk down the ramp to the middle of a firebase.





Not directly aviation related, but the Korean War Chosin exhibit has the A/C cranked that drops the temp in that room considerably.



https://www.usmcmuseum.com/koreanwar.html

[Noha307]

Hurri copy by davemcdonald5150, on Flickr

The flames on the cowl flicker which obviously can't be replicated in a still photo

You reminded me that the Japan Aeronautic Association did something similar, where they replicated the roundels on their Ki-61 with red spotlights.

The National Museum of the USMC in Triangle, VA has a very impressive Vietnam exhibit.
You enter it through the back of a CH-46 and walk down the ramp to the middle of a firebase.

I actually remember an article I read about the creation of that exhibit. The front half of BuNo 153986 ended up going to HMX-1 as a training aid.

Not directly aviation related, but the Korean War Chosin exhibit has the A/C cranked that drops the temp in that room considerably.

That's a "cool" idea!
Okay, I'll see myself out...

Keep 'em coming! This is really interesting!

[maradamx3]

Patriot's Point Vietnam Experience Exhibit is a cool, immersive set up. The sound effects, hooches, helos, etc all combine to transport you back in time.