Visiting Air Force Museum and Dayton..Seeking local info

[GARY HILTON]

Hi all, Skyscraper and Onetime (Howard, and myself) will be leaving for Dayton, Ohio the Friday the 30th, and staying for three days. Plans are to spend most of our time at the AF Museum. I am looking for a contact at the museum that might suffer a couple of hillbillies, to show us around and keep an eye on us to keep us out of trouble and exhibits.
Also interested in any other close-by warbirds that we can gawk at...I hear there may be a B-17 or two around other than the ones at the museum????
We would be most grateful for any help. Cooper, you got your P-40 yet? we'd like to see that if you do.
I recall a few years ago when I got my first Stearman ride, someone in the Buckeye was telling me that I need to come out and experience the Cadillac of bipes, the Waco....well, I'm on my way!

Thx!
G

[kalamazookid]

I would recommend stopping by Champaign Aviation Museum to see the Champaign Lady B-17 project. It's about a 40 minute drive from NMUSAF, but well worth it if you want to see a B-17 under rebuild. Great group of people and they will show you around the project. They also have several other aircraft including a flyable B-25, as well as A-26 and C-47 projects. They're open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Here's the website:

http://www.champaignaviationmuseum.org

I'd also recommend spending some time outdoors in the memorial park at NMUSAF. The P-47 ground crew and Vietnam FAC memorials are two of my favorite places to visit at the museum, and there are numerous other tributes and memorials that are worth seeing.

Have fun!

[GARY HILTON]

Mat, Thx! We are going to take our time at the AF Museum. I have been to the outside memorial before, but this time we will be spending more timeto read all the memorials. Yep, Urbana is on the list...more than likely that will be Saturday. Isn't My Gal Sal, out in the neighborhood?
G

[Courier Sportster]

My Gal Sal is long gone, in fact Blue Ash Airport is not even an airport anymore.

[mustangdriver]

There is a great hotel right across the street. Very nice to stay at and be close to the museum. Urbana is a must and don't forget Huffman Prairie and the Wright cycle shop.

[mazdaP5]

The Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum isn't terrible far, maybe an hour or so. No B-17's, but still interesting.
http://www.armstrongmuseum.org/

Last edited by mazdaP5 on Wed Sep 21, 2016 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[cooper9411]

Gary I'd recommend taking the " behind the scenes tour" at the museum if you can. Well worth it. No, didn't get the P-40 YET! But have a couple things in the works and with any luck I'll have one within the next 1-1.5 years! Still working out particulars on the salvage. Also try Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, they have a B-25 and a nice exhibit section.

[Shay]

Close by the NMUSAF but not Warbird is the WACO Museum in Troy, OH. Also don't forget about the Tri State Warbird Museum right down the road in the Cincinnati area.

http://www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org/

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[UC61K]

If you want to get the "behind the scene tour" at the RESOTRATION hangar. You need to make that your first priority when the museum first opens. There is very limited spacing and once its full, that's it for the day.
GREAT TIME!
Good Luck
Take & POST LOTS OF PICTURES For us all!

[JohnB]

I was stationed at WP in the 90s and have done just about everything mentioned...except for the WACO museum which wasn't there yet. During my last visit, I visited the B-17 guys at Champaign. It's a short drive and we'll worth your time.

Don't forget the Wright B Flyer group at the Miamisburg airport just south of town. They build and fly Wright look-alikes (they don't and one can't call them replicas because of modern engines and structures).

A "100% Must see" is the frequently overlooked 1905 Flyer (their first really capable aircraft) at the city's Carillon Park. If you want to see a real Wright a.c. up close, this is the one to see (compared to the 1903 a.c. at the NASM). I really got a lot out of looking at the rigging and pulleys for the wing warping system. Rather like Greenfield Village and other places, the park also has other historic buildings including an impressive car collection.

Finally, downtown is a Packard museum situated in an old Packard dealership. I't's privately owned but very impressive. Usually not too busy, when I was there last, I had the place to myself and the guide was able to answer all of my questions. IIRC, they MIGHT have some Packard aero engines on display.


If you have a DoD ID card, you might visit the ANG base at Springfield, among their statics they have a straight wing F-84.

For food, all the WP guys eat Italian at Giovanni's in downtown Fairborn. There used to be a great aviation memorabilia shop next door, but I'm sure it's long gone now.

For semi-fast food pizza, try a local chain, Cassanos. They used to have one across the hiway from the Museum, after my weekly visit there, I'd stop in and have a slice while I read the latest book I bought at the gift store. Happy days!

Last edited by JohnB on Wed Sep 21, 2016 10:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Shay]

try a local chain, Cassanos.

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!!! I love Cassanos "Tickets" Greek pub is also good in Fairborn. "Clancy's" is another local place with good food just down from the Museum.

If we are talking Gate Guards and Monuments then you certainly can spend a lot of time and gas driving to see them (I have lol)

Don't forget Butler County Warbirds in Middletown, OH. Located in between Dayton and Cinci...hence the name lol

http://www.bcwarbirds.com/


So Gary you do know that you are going to be in town the same weekend as the World War 1 Fly in right? Gonna be a good time.

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/WWIDawnPatrol.aspx

Cheers

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[wacoykc]

I would definitely suggest the Waco Museum in Troy (about 20-25 min north of AF Museum). There is also the Parachute Museum in downtown Dayton as well as Carrilon Park with the Wright Flyer. Then there is the Wright B Flyer based at Dayton Wright Brothers Airport (south side of Dayton), however, not sure it is even there as it had a forced landing this past Sunday at my airport, Moraine Airpark, after a catastrophic engine failure enroute back to Wright Brothers after a flying display. Tri-State Warbird is about an hour south of Dayton along the outer belt for Cincinnati.

[goaly]

If you want to avoid the chain restaurants, about 10 minutes from the museum is a local tavern with good food. I eat there whenever I go to the museum.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_ ... _Ohio.html

[Ken]

IIRC you have to register beforehand for the behind the Scenes Tour. This may be dated but give it a whirl:

"Interested individuals can register by calling (937) 656-9436 or submitting an online form at www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/GroupsandTours.aspx"

[GARY HILTON]

thanks all for the help and information! Chris, would you happen to know the name of the hotel across from the museum? Goaly, what's the name of the restaurant? Hey Coop, keep me in the loop on your project...yes, we are going for the WW I action at the museum, have a couple of friends in the Dawn Patrol attending with their birds. Waco museum is a must see, as well as Middletown, and will see how much more we can schedule. Don't want to get spread too thin, as I really enjoy talking with other wing nuts. Oh, and Urbana is a must!
Got it on Our Gal Sal....just forgot that she was moved to La.
Thanks again everyone, still open for more suggestions!
Paula, where do you have "Hot Stuff" now?
G

ps....getting registered for the 'behind the scene' tour now!