New building in Dayton @ the NMUSAF

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Jun 27, 2016 4:39 pm

Has anyone been there yet to see the newest building?

BK · **Joined:** Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:23 pm **Posts:** 595

I attended opening day. It's great, especially for viewing the XB-70 which was shoehorned in the old R&D hangar. There is a 2nd floor observation deck. The Global Reach and Presidential planes are kinda tight in places, making it difficult if not impossible to get a whole plane in frame. It is to be expected though, considering the size of the aircraft.

They are still working on the displays. The C-119 had no flaps or rudders and was not open yet. Three of the Global Reach planes are walk-ins. The other two are the C-82 and C-141.

Not all of the planes in the old hangars made the cut for the new building. From going through old photos these planes on display at the old hangars are not in the new building - F-100D (Thunderbird markings), Piper Enforcer PA-48, DH-89 Dominie Rapide, Fairchild Model 24, and J-3C Piper Cub. The airpark is down to 6 planes - C-17, EC-135E, C-130E, AC-130A, YC-125B, and C-60A Lodestar.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:14 pm

The C-130E is in the new building.

JohnB · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:54 am

Anyone know why the C-124 wasn't put in the new hangar? Too difficult to get out of the old building (hangar 2).
If any older airframe defines "Global Reach" it's that.

florida.warbirds · **Joined:** Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:25 am **Posts:** 158

I guess there is a plan for another hangar for the places still outside?

A C-5 will need to be displayed one day as well as AF1 747.

StangStung · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2016 11:41 am

JohnB wrote:

Anyone know why the C-124 wasn't put in the new hangar? Too difficult to get out of the old building (hangar 2).
If any older airframe defines "Global Reach" it's that.

It also fits the timeline/story of the Korean War aircraft it's surrounded by as well.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:42 pm

How is the lighting in the new building? Better than the Cold War building I hope.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:34 pm

BK wrote:

I attended opening day. It's great, especially for viewing the XB-70 which was shoehorned in the old R&D hangar. There is a 2nd floor observation deck. The Global Reach and Presidential planes are kinda tight in places, making it difficult if not impossible to get a whole plane in frame. It is to be expected though, considering the size of the aircraft.

They are still working on the displays. The C-119 had no flaps or rudders and was not open yet. Three of the Global Reach planes are walk-ins. The other two are the C-82 and C-141.

Not all of the planes in the old hangars made the cut for the new building. From going through old photos these planes on display at the old hangars are not in the new building - F-100D (Thunderbird markings), Piper Enforcer PA-48, DH-89 Dominie Rapide, Fairchild Model 24, and J-3C Piper Cub. The airpark is down to 6 planes - C-17, EC-135E, C-130E, AC-130A, YC-125B, and C-60A Lodestar.

The C-60 needs to go inside soon. I imagine sitting outside all these years has not been kind to this airframe.

BK · **Joined:** Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:23 pm **Posts:** 595

Pat Carry wrote:

How is the lighting in the new building? Better than the Cold War building I hope.

Yes, the lighting is better than I expected. Instead of having a strings of single lights on the ceiling like in the Cold War building there are square clusters of lights with a 4-5 single lights in between each cluster. I do wonder if they might dim the lighting after the newness of the building wears off. In contrast, the Cold War building was even darker than it normally is as several lights were turned off.

Pat Carry wrote:

The C-60 needs to go inside soon. I imagine sitting outside all these years has not been kind to this airframe.

I get the feeling some of the planes in the airpark (C-60, YC-125) and storage (Spanish Ju-52, F-100 Thunderbird) are like red headed stepchildren that the museum doesn't really want. They don't have the space and/or the planes don't fit the narrative of the museum is telling.

hurricane_yank · **Joined:** Wed Apr 02, 2014 9:33 pm **Posts:** 434

BK wrote:

I get the feeling some of the planes in the airpark (C-60, YC-125) and storage (Spanish Ju-52, F-100 Thunderbird) are like red headed stepchildren that the museum doesn't really want. They don't have the space and/or the planes don't fit the narrative of the museum is telling.

Which is a shame....

Whatever happened to the He-111 (CASA) that they had in storage?

Clifford Bossie · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2016 12:32 am

BK wrote:

Pat Carry wrote:

How is the lighting in the new building? Better than the Cold War building I hope.

Yes, the lighting is better than I expected. Instead of having a strings of single lights on the ceiling like in the Cold War building there are square clusters of lights with a 4-5 single lights in between each cluster. I do wonder if they might dim the lighting after the newness of the building wears off. In contrast, the Cold War building was even darker than it normally is as several lights were turned off.

Pat Carry wrote:

The C-60 needs to go inside soon. I imagine sitting outside all these years has not been kind to this airframe.

I get the feeling some of the planes in the airpark (C-60, YC-125) and storage (Spanish Ju-52, F-100 Thunderbird) are like red headed stepchildren that the museum doesn't really want. They don't have the space and/or the planes don't fit the narrative of the museum is telling.

Ok, I'll bite: why? I have never gotten the idea that the Thunderchicken Hun, nor the YC-125 are red headed stepchildren. The NMUSAF always seemed to be rightfully proud of the Thunderbird heritage. There just has never been the primo storage space for all of the collection and it is a massive collection. I do wish that they would choose to display the B-36J in the 95th BW markings that it was delivered wearing.

Misterg97 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 29, 2016 1:50 pm

Pat Carry wrote:

BK wrote:

.

They are still working on the displays. The C-119 had no flaps or rudders and was not open yet. Three of the Global Reach planes are walk-ins. The other two are the C-82 and C-141.

The C-119 is not scheduled for a walk in as of the last I heard.

BK · **Joined:** Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:23 pm **Posts:** 595

Clifford Bossie wrote:

BK wrote:

I get the feeling some of the planes in the airpark (C-60, YC-125) and storage (Spanish Ju-52, F-100 Thunderbird) are like red headed stepchildren that the museum doesn't really want. They don't have the space and/or the planes don't fit the narrative of the museum is telling.

Ok, I'll bite: why? I have never gotten the idea that the Thunderchicken Hun, nor the YC-125 are red headed stepchildren. The NMUSAF always seemed to be rightfully proud of the Thunderbird heritage. There just has never been the primo storage space for all of the collection and it is a massive collection. I do wish that they would choose to display the B-36J in the 95th BW markings that it was delivered wearing.

The YC-125 had a very small production run (23) that was in service for a short time being quickly relegated as trainers. The museum already has a F-100 on display. I'm sure the museum are proud of their Thunderbird heritage but they already have a F-16 displayed in T-Bird markings. The T-Bird F-100 was on display in the old Presidential hangar, but didn't "make the cut" to move to the new building.

Misterg97 wrote:

BK wrote:

.

They are still working on the displays. The C-119 had no flaps or rudders and was not open yet. Three of the Global Reach planes are walk-ins. The other two are the C-82 and C-141.

The C-119 is not scheduled for a walk in as of the last I heard.
[/quote]

That might have changed. When I took the restoration tour last summer the guide said the C-82,-119, & -141 were going to be walk-ins.

Misterg97 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 30, 2016 6:26 pm

BK wrote:

Clifford Bossie wrote:

BK wrote:

I get the feeling some of the planes in the airpark (C-60, YC-125) and storage (Spanish Ju-52, F-100 Thunderbird) are like red headed stepchildren that the museum doesn't really want. They don't have the space and/or the planes don't fit the narrative of the museum is telling.

Ok, I'll bite: why? I have never gotten the idea that the Thunderchicken Hun, nor the YC-125 are red headed stepchildren. The NMUSAF always seemed to be rightfully proud of the Thunderbird heritage. There just has never been the primo storage space for all of the collection and it is a massive collection. I do wish that they would choose to display the B-36J in the 95th BW markings that it was delivered wearing.

The YC-125 had a very small production run (23) that was in service for a short time being quickly relegated as trainers. The museum already has a F-100 on display. I'm sure the museum are proud of their Thunderbird heritage but they already have a F-16 displayed in T-Bird markings. The T-Bird F-100 was on display in the old Presidential hangar, but didn't "make the cut" to move to the new building.

Misterg97 wrote:

BK wrote:

.

They are still working on the displays. The C-119 had no flaps or rudders and was not open yet. Three of the Global Reach planes are walk-ins. The other two are the C-82 and C-141.

The C-119 is not scheduled for a walk in as of the last I heard.

That might have changed. When I took the restoration tour last summer the guide said the C-82,-119, & -141 were going to be walk-ins.[/quote]

Having hours as a Radio Operator in Boxcars, between Japan & Korea in the 50's I asked the question as to it being a walk in when I took my volunteer training for the new gallery. At that time I was told that it may be open but only as a look in and not a walk in. Now that the building is opened, I'll have to check on my next time in. I was there on opening day, the 8th, but served as the Greeter in the main lobby.

glider90 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:08 pm **Posts:** 84

I went over with the kids on opening day. Really enjoyed the new hanger. The lighting is a big improvement, but not as nice as when the old new hangers were painted white inside. The XB-70 commands the room!

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New building in Dayton @ the NMUSAF

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