N Museum- Air Force

[Bill Greenwood]

We visited the musem at Dayton for the NWOC, had several hours there and dinner Sat night, good job sponsors. Here' s some of what I saw. The single biggest impression I had was not even a plane, rather it was a striped shirt actually worn by a Jew in one of the death camps. He survived, there were before and after photos. Despite having seen it in books or TV, for me the impact was huge to stand there next to an aritifact that had surviived so much evil. It was about dinner time, as I looked at pictures of starving prisoners, I actually got hungry, no joking. It is divided into about 4 Big bldgs. !st. and my favorite was the Early years, the antiques, pioneers, which have so much uniqeness and character, and the genuine WWI combat planes, not replicas, and super rare. Most cool is the observation ballon floating overhead. You could spend all day here, lots of detail texts also. I hope to go back. Next the WWII planes. Bockscar, the B-29, barely had any text, probably intentionaly to deflect critisism. One of the 2 Spitfires was a MK V in dessert rig, with the big ugly tropical air filter under the nose. A nice display on the Berlin Airlift, then on to the huge rooms for the post war stuff. The B-36 dwarfs everything. Most of these planes don't grab me, partly they are big and, remote to any idea of my flying one, and I, perhaps we, don't celebrate these wars as much as WWII. For a number of the guys, they had a lot of meaning as some had crewed these types. Next there was a exhibit of a Vietnam prison camp. It was stupefying, that man can be so cruel to others, even keepin in mind that we did atack and invade their country. A video of POWs being released shows 2 of the NVA who had tortured Americans, looking very uncomfortable as if the jig is up. Wish we could have had a Nuremberg trial for them. Is it too late? Soon I had to leave this display, and last was some of the space program rockets and capsules. It's bigger than the Air and Space on the mall, not necessarily better, an enthusiats would enjoy both. The next day I drove to the Wright's home, shop and the field where they really mastered flight after they came back from Kitty Hawk. It was great to stand where genius changed the world.

[Steve Nelson]

Dayton is about a four-hour drive for me, and I try to make it to the museum once or twice a year..both my girlfreind and I love the place.

I was there with a freind and fellow modeler a few years ago..he's one of these Luftwaffe worshippers, and the only thing he wanted to see was the museum's then-new Bf-109G-10. As we walked through the Holocaust exhibit, I wanted to stop, but he said he didn't care about that, just wanted to see the 109. I reminded him that the Holocaust was what that plane was defending, and he might want to remember that. I don't think it sunk in, unfortunately..


SN

[Dan K]

It was about dinner time, as I looked at pictures of starving prisoners, I actually got hungry, no joking ... One of the 2 Spitfires was a MK V in dessert rig,

Sounds like you were even hungrier than you realized!

[bdk]

One of the 2 Spitfires was a MK V in dessert rig...

Mmmmmmm.... Dessert! You're still thinking about food then?

[P51DFltLn]

A video of POWs being released shows 2 of the NVA who had tortured Americans, looking very uncomfortable as if the jig is up. Wish we could have had a Nuremberg trial for them. Is it too late?

You only get to hold a trial if you win the war...

[fotobass]

Bill, as moving as that section is, for a real kick in the gut, go to Washington DC's Holocaust museum.

Actual bunks from Auschwitz. Empty canisters of Zyklon-B. Walk through one of the infamous railroad cars.

There truly aren't words.

[Bill Greenwood]

We are negotiating business and political relations with Vietnam, Bush just went there. Maybe I am naive, but could we offer some kind of aid or trade, and in turn ask for prosecutions of some of these war criminals? At the very least we ought to identify them by name and where they are now. Maybe there is some sense of shame amoung their own people. The US govt may not want to open up this line of inquiry as our own hands wern't too clean. We supported the corrupt govt in the south that had it's own prison camps, perhaps as bad as these.

[6trn4brn]

Just curious if any of you fine folks know the meaning behind the NMUSAF being so danged dark? I'm wondering if that is to set the mood of the place or something? Super collection, but they could learn some lighting lessons from Udvar-Hazy. Is there a new building going up to house the X-planes and possibly one of the shuttles? I make the trip down there at least once a year. Get a motel room and make it a weekend...still have not had enough time to see and read all of the displays...LOVE that place!!

[mustangdriver]

The lighting can be a challenge. I love the P-61, but it is hard to get a pic of it sometimes. The theme behind the lighting is to make more of a surreal. Our mission statement says, "These are not just restored airplanes, but memorials to all of those that worked on them, fought on them, flew them, built them, and lost their lives defending our freedom in them." The new building is supposed to be breaking ground in the fall. It will house the Presidential collection in part of it, the X-planes in another part, and space in another. When this hangar is finished, all of the collection will be indoors. THat is pretty amazing considering that we have over 350 aircraft on display.

[Karpis]

ALL the aircraft will be inside? Including the birds on the ramp? When I was volunteering there, I was under the impression that those airplanes would remain where they are, with the possible exception of the C-18. But then, that info came from a fellow volunteer, and some of those guys had a hard time finding their way around that place.
Like the guy I overheld telling a guest about the day the YF-22 FLEW in to be retired.

[mustangdriver]

Yeah nice about the F-22 FLIGHT! As for the aircraft out doors, they are all due to come in. We are going to get a full scale fiberglass mock up of a few WWII aircraft to park out by the tower and Nissen huts though,just for setting.