Whats your dream museum?

[Nathan]

Ok, so you just won 50 million after taxes were taken out. You pretty much can have your way with aircraft and you want to build your own air museum. What would you do and what would you have? Be specific.

Me:

I would have two large hanger plus an office attached to the display hanger. One hanger for Display the other for restoration work. A third smaller building to store all my future projects and parts. Gotta have storage, right?

My dream collection:

-P-40E in the markings of Texas Longhorn of Lt. Landers.
-P-38E or F in the markings of an Attu warrior. Perferably markings of one that scored a Japanese kill in Alaska.
-B-18A model. NMF pre war markings.
-N.A. BC-1. I think this is a cool looking N.A. and I would have to have it in the blue and yellow scheme. Wreck chasing would bring about one of these. Several crashed in Pa. Not too hard!
-P-40B in the markings of George Welch.
-NA O-47 in an olive drab scheme 1942 period.
-P-39D in the markings of the first "Nip Nemisis" of Don Fibber McGee 8PG.
-A F-51D in Korean war markings. Gotta have a sharks mouth F-51!
-F4F-3A in overal Light Gray scheme 1941 Caroline war games markings with red cross. Or scheme from VMF-211 at Wake.
-Reproduce 3 F2A-3 Buffalos. Two in Midway markings. The third undecided.
-P-35 in Selfridge Field markings.
-SBD-1 in Ewa MCAS markings.
-PBY-5 in Pearl Harbor markings.
-PBY-5A in Midway markings.
-Wirraway in target towing RAAF scheme. Top half camo the bottom half yellow and black stripe.
-A-35 in RAAF scheme.
-AT-6D in Luke Field markings.
-Vintage Jet aerobatic team with a F-8, F-104, F-100, and F-86D Sabre Dog.
-Early Warning C-121 with top and lower dome.
-KB-50 in day glow orange scheme.
-C-133 Cargomaster orange, white, and NMF scheme.
-Brewster Built Corsair. Sorry Lex!
-F-94 Starfire with wing tip rocket pods!
-UH-1H Huey
-H-21 Banana
-B-24M
-B-17E Swamp Ghost. haha

I better stop. I think I exceeded my 50 mil!!!

Cheers,
Nathan

[Clifford Bossie]

I'll say you exceeded your 50 mil! And WTF/ No Jug? Still a great list though the C-133 and B-50 are problematic.

I will go to your museum after you win the money.

[Holedigger]

Only 50 mil!?!? Have to have a blue light special or two to get that list at that price! Of course a B-36 would be fun too, but if you want to keep the list real!

[Mudge]

Nathan...Got a lot of time on our hands do we?

Mudge the busy

[Cking]

No Vulcan or B-24?? Start again!!!

Rgds Cking

[Warbird Kid]

My dream museum would be:
The- "Corsair Legacy Flight Team" or "Connecticut Honor Flight Guard" or "Corsair Honor Flight Guard"
-Haven't decided on the name yet.

Objective: 1
Secure a facility at the Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford, CT. (Preferably Hangar 2, behind the Windsock)

Objective: 2
4 original Vought F4U-1 Corsairs would be salvaged and or collected (from across the globe if necessary) and brought back to CT. These aircraft would be expertly restored by a hired team. Out of the 4 original aircraft, the one with the earliest production number would be restored for static display and placed with the CASC. The other 3 would be restored to flying condition, keeping 2 in identical "plane jane" markings. The fourth would be sold to generate some extra revenue.

On the side, a -5 Corsair would be purchased, restored to fly if not already in airworthy condition and based at a reserve museum at Brainard Airport in Hartford. This reserve museum would be similar to "Connecticut Corsair's" size and layout at the Chester airport.

Objective: 2A
Acquire a J-3, PT-23, BT-13, PT-17, and SNJ when the right opportunity arises.

Objective: 3
Coordinating with "Connecticut Corsair" a small production batch of new Corsairs would be produced. These would be FAA approved and include a second seat with full dual control functions. The aircraft would resemble a birdcage Corsair and would be minimally altered (much like how the TP-51 that the Collings Foundation has.) 5 of these dual control Corsairs would be built. The first example would be placed in the xF4U scheme and based with the collection in Stratford.

An ultimate goal would be for the new build production team to be able to produce any variant of the Corsair including the late F2G model. The first example of the F2G produced would be finished as the Cleveland War Racer "Race 94" and flown by the group at Reno. The 2nd F2G would be unfinished and just a basic frame with no extras added on it. It would be packaged and shipped to Fighter Rebuilders in Chino with a note on it saying "Build Super Corsair II".

Objective: 4
The objective by this point in the game would have been to create a working team of Corsairs to fly for the state that they originated from 60 plus years ago. To appear in baseball games, flyovers, parades, ceremonies, airshows, demonstrations, movies and anything else imaginable. The total fleet would be:

Corsairs:
XF4U (Stratford) "dual control"
F4U-1 (Stratford) "Plane Jane"
F4U-1 (Stratford) "Plane Jane"
F4U-4 (Cheshire) "Connecticut Corsair" honorary member
F4U-5 (Brainard) "Korean War Warrior"

(Note: these 4 to 5 Corsairs would rotate between the 3 different locations to keep the displays fresh and allow the these different versions to be seen by many more people.)

Trainers and Other:
J-3
PT-23
PT-17
BT-13
SNJ
AT-11 or Beech 18
S-39 or S-38
S-43

(Note: One trainer might be based at the 2 auxiliaries locations at the Brainard and Chester airports.)

Pipe dream yes. Does it make it any less real for me? No.

[Nathan]

Ok I refined my list:

-P-40E in the markings of Texas Longhorn of Lt. Landers.
-P-38E or F in the markings of an Attu warrior. Perferably markings of one that scored a Japanese kill in Alaska.
-B-18A model. NMF pre war markings.
-N.A. BC-1. I think this is a cool looking N.A. and I would have to have it in the blue and yellow scheme. Wreck chasing would bring about one of these. Several crashed in Pa. Not too hard!
-P-40B in the markings of George Welch.
-NA O-47 in an olive drab scheme 1942 period.
-P-39D in the markings of the first "Nip Nemisis" of Don Fibber McGee 8PG.
-A F-51D in Korean war markings. Gotta have a sharks mouth F-51!
-F4F-3A in overal Light Gray scheme 1941 Caroline war games markings with red cross. Or scheme from VMF-211 at Wake.
-Reproduce an F2A-3 Buffalos in Midway markings.
-P-35 in Selfridge Field markings.
-PBY-5A in Midway markings.
-Wirraway in target towing RAAF scheme. Top half camo the bottom half yellow and black stripe.
-AT-6D in Luke Field markings.
-Vintage Jet aerobatic team with a F-8, F-104, F-100, and F-86D Sabre Dog.
-Early Warning C-121 with top and lower dome.
-H-21 Banana

[mustangdriver]

Nothing wrong with dreaming. "Dream as if you will live forever, and live as if you will die today."-James Dean

My museum dream museum would be located on a private airfield with property for hangars to be leased or owned by owners of vintage aircraft. A 7,000 foot paved runway would service the airport, named Victory Field. A cool wooden sign out front with that carved in it with the words, "Home of the Free because of the Brave" carved small under the name. The main museum hangar would house a
B-17G
B-25B(the one in storage restored as Ruptured Duck)
A-26 in Always "Fire Eaters" markings
DC-3 in Mohawk airlines markings
P-51B/C in Shangri la markings
P-51D in custom 357th markings
P-47 "Hairless Joe"
T-6 with TU for Tuskagee markings
A-1 Skyraider with USS Intrepid? markings that had the big bee. Complete with toilet on one of the hardpoints
P-40 in 'Old exterminator markings"
UH-1 Huey in my fathers markings
C-123 in Air America Markings
P-38 in "Marge" markings
B-26 marauder painted as Yankee Guerilla
beech 18 NMF
Beech Staggerwing
PT-17
N3N
FG-1D painted as Marine's Dream
F4U painted in the markings of Jack Cook's Cousin

Oh and a J-3 painted cub yellow and would sit right next to the door. ha ha.
I would want the aiprot to encourage families to come and be part of the airport. I would also want a Beechcraft BE-36 just to give families Eagle flights. I would have picnic benched and water features through out the area near the main hangar. Next to the main hangar would be my dream home, a restored farm house with a big porch. The inside all the modern comforts, but fro the outside just a nice country house. Then comes that garage. ha ha

[P51Mstg]

Lets see..... $50 Mill.........

You need $3Mil to $5 Mil for the hangar..... Then you need $2+Mil a year to operate a reasonable number of them and take care of the place...... That would take putting $15mil away to earn the upkeep... So now your $50 mil is like $30 mil and that what you can spend....

Personally, I wouldn't spend it on warbirds. Too many other good things in life.

Mark H

[Warbird Kid]

Personally, I wouldn't spend it on warbirds. Too many other good things in life.

Blasphemy!

[kalamazookid]

Here's what I would do:

1. Find an old WWII era hangar, preferably at a small airport and restore it to mint condition.
2. Build an adjacent facility with offices, gift shop, and restoration facility. This building would also include an "air attic" display of artifacts from wrecks, uniforms, and other such items.
3. The aircraft collection would be displayed in the WWII hangar. If necessary a smaller one would be built next door, taking into account the architecture of the original hangar.

Aircraft collection:
PT-17 Steaman- Painted in silver dope (don't see enough of those around)
BT-13
T-6/SNJ
Grumman Widgeon- Restored in Coast Guard markings
Tiger Moth
Stinson Reliant- In CAP markings
Bamboo Bomber- They're just really cool
P-47- Preferably a razorback, restored in 56th FG markings
P-51D Mustang- restored as accurately as possible- prop cuffs, radios, armor plate, gunsight, drop tanks, gun bays etc. all completely detailed.
B-25- I would love to have "Barbie III," but an airframe from Aero Trader could also be restored to authentic WWII standard.
C-47- Would offer member rides similar to what Yankee Air Force does. Painted in CBI markings for something different.
TBM Avenger- One of the Forest Protection LTD aircraft restored to original configuration.
FG-1D Corsair- Either the one that's at the Air Zoo, or I'd paint one exactly like it.
Hispano- One of Connie Edwards, restored in original Battle of Britain movie markings. Could also dogfight with the P-51 at airshows
Spitfire MK IX- research the history and in original markings.
A6M Zero- either recover and restore one or convince whoever owns the Blayd/Dakota Zero to sell it.

The rest of the money would go towards keeping aircraft flyable, restoration, and hosting events.

[sknight]

Grass field...not a strip.....set up pre-war (WWII) Very Art-Deco

Lots of smaller buildings ala Pioneer airport behind the EAA museum.

Focus would be on pre WWII aircraft both civil and military. Think Greg Herrick's collection plus the Early Years collection at Dayton....as many as possible flyers. Add in a few WWII birds...P-38, P-39, P-47 (Razorback), Storch, B-25, Bearcat, Seafury, G-17 Staggerwing, Grumman Amphibs....and I'd be in heaven.......broke, but in heaven.

[chris hill]

I would have to say everything or most of what smithsonian has and fly it.

[Rob Mears]

How about a "World War II Night Fighters" museum?

F4U-2 Corsair
F6F-5N Hellcat
P-38M Lightning
P-61 Black Widow
Mk 30 Mosquito
Mk IIF Beaufighter
Me-262B-1a/U1 Schwalbe
Bf-110 G-4 Zerstorer

...any other examples I'm missing?

[warbird1]

I would open up an Axis flying museum. It would have nothing but German, Japanese and a few Italian planes in it. Unfortunately, 50 Million wouldn't go very far and probably only provide for a few planes. I know this would be frowned upon, but we have enough American and British types that are restored and flying. How about a museum dedicated to flying and displaying the under-represented and extremely rare types? How many Kate's, Dinah's, Frank's, Me-110's, He-177's, Me-210/410's etc. are flying - oh yea, that's right, NONE!