Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum @ Travis AFB

[jdvoss]

Last Saturday (Apr 16, 2011) I made the 200 mile R/T from Silicon Valley to visit the air museum which is located near Sacramento. It has been closed to us "civilian outsiders" for about ten years until quite recently. I arrived at the Visitor Center at 0845 in advance of the 0900 musuem opening so as to go thru the security check process. Once approved I was escorted to the museum site by a USAF MSgt who was really quite helpful and informative. The best news is that I was THE ONLY VISITOR and had the entire place to myself for at least three hours until a few people showed up. Blue sky and 75 degree weather... what could be better!! The display aircraft take quite a beating in the Sacramento sun with summer time temps often approaching 120 deg. I have loaded 25 photos to the "Photo Gallery" of this site for your review. But in the meantime here are a few of my photos...

If you plan to visit the museum you'll need picture ID, DL, car registration, proof of insurance and complete a form for a background check...it takes about 20 minutes assuming you are the only person they are reviewing. If you arrive later in the day there can a number of people ahead of you.

BTW, if you are taking the effort to visit this museum you are only about an hour (or less) from the Aerospace Museum at former McClelland AFB. It too is located along Interstate 80 just to the NE of Sacramento.

John

[lowpass]

How did the B29 look like it was holding up?

[jdvoss]

The B-29 as well as most of the other aircraft on display are in great need of a facelift. I recognize many of these same exhibits from from my last visit (about 15-20 years ago) and they looked sad then. Travis certainly has all of the necessary facilities for proper manitenance including an approved paint shop. After all these aircraft are still US Gov't property and most probably assets of the NMUSAF.