Warbird Information Exchange

I may be going to Nashville, TN July 11-16th (99% sure I will be going). I plan to make a few side trips to see Glacier Girl, TN Aviation Museum.

I was wondering about Atlanta GA, There is the Dixie wing but what is the deal with the NAS Atlanta? Are any of the a/c accessible for us Civilian types to view and get pictures of?

Any ideas as to where else I should consider for a short day trip?

Tim

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Tim, check out the site for the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation, aka " Sky Soldiers". They are in the Atlanta area, are really nice guys, and have a pretty nice collection of Army helicopters and some fixed wing. One of the few civilian groups with a flying Cobra.

Definitely visit the Tennessee Air Museum in Sevierville. Well worth the trip!

Zack

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Not a Warbird place, but the Staggerwing Museum in Tulluhoma is the worth stop.
http://www.staggerwing.com/exhibits/
OT- The Jack Daniels distillery tour in Lynchburg is cool too...

Do you know about Mercer Air Field, off I-75 north of Atlanta? Apparently it was home to the World Aircraft Museum or something equally mis-named. It currently consists of several aircraft just sitting out in the sun, rotting away. I found this :

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?placesearch=Calhoun%20-%20Mercer(GA65)&distinct_entry=true

and there are other sites that offer more info about it with a simple google search. The planes are sitting in an open field, visible from the Interstate. I can't remember the exit number but someone here no doubt will.

I believe that some of the a/c there have been removed to new owners in recent years, including the Crusader.


Dave G

Planes at NAS Atlanta are hard to get to see since they are inside the gate. Really not much to see. I think there's an A-4 Skyhawk, an F-14A, F-18A, E2-C Hawkeye, AH-1J Cobra. There's also an A-6E at the west end of the base, as well as the A-7E on the pedestal along Atlanta Road.

The thing to see is the B-29 "Sweet Eloise" at the east entrance to Dobbins ARB, off US 41 (Cobb Parkway) and US 280 (South Cobb Drive). It's outside the gate and easy to access.

There's an F-84F at the Cobb Youth Museum about 2-3 miles west of Marietta on Georgia 120. The Museum's off the road a ways. You have to look carefully for the sign.

Last time I saw the planes at Mercer Field they were in pretty sad shape. They've been sitting outside for more than 20 years with little or no care. Most of them infested with wasps.

If you want to see the stuff at NAS, e-mail me and I'll see if I can get someone to sponsor you on base.

Walt

The B-29 was what I'm looking for, I'd love to get to see the Naval Aircraft but sounds like that won't happen (Time is tight and don't want to be a bother). Thanks for the offer and help!

Tim

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No bother at all. Just let me know.

Walt

There's also a B-29 at the Museum of Aviation near Robins AFB in Georgia as well as the B-29 in the Georgia Vetern's State Park. If you end up in Georgia.........

http://gastateparks.org/info/georgiavet/

I've been to W.R a few years ago, if I had time I'd go back. But that will be another trip. I have to see my Brother in La Grange and figure I can swing by some stuff in Atlanta.

I've never heard of the B-29 in the Park, I'll have to take note of that. THanks

Tim

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I'm not sure what's left down there these days. The tree growth blocks your view from the interstate. Google earth shows 5 planes and the helo but that is probably a few years old. I finally got the low down on it. It was called the World Aircraft Museum (open 1982-88) at mercer air field. Here is a listing of what was there in 1981 about the time I first noticed it:

Douglas C-47 "O-16369"
Lockheed T-33A 52-9574
Martin Mace missile 56-2883 (on pole)
NAA F-86D/L 51-5896 (ex Georgia ANG)
Republic F-84G "51604"
Republic F-84F 52-6476 (Vietnam camo)
Sikorsky H-34 (Army)
Vought F-8 145326 (NAVY/MARINE, tail code "7B", located at Fulton-County airport in the mid 70s)

Also there in a small hangar were a Beech V35 and a Piper Cub sit.


I'm pretty sure the C-47, F-86, and one of the F-84s are gone.

2004 photos
http://www.ronbarrett.com/T-29D.htm

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.s ... entry=true

To get there take exit 312 off I-75 near Calhoun, GA. Since you would be going south turn left back over the interstate. Then turn right onto Bellwood Rd. After a mile or so, any planes should be on your right.

BK

One thing to keep in mind is most of the places in this thread are a 6-8 hour round trip drives from Nashville. I don't know if that qualifies as short day trips?

BK

The B-29 in the Veterans Memorial State Park has been there a number of years. I first saw it in about 1982-3. It's in fair shape considering it's outdoors.

The park is about 7-8 miles west of Cordele, GA, on the eastern shore of Lake Blackshear. Cordele is about 50 miles or so south of Macon, just off I-75. The exit is marked by an Atlas missile in the parking lot of a Krystal burger joint right next to the interstate. Can't miss it.

The plane is in a fenced compound with several others, including a T-33, FJ-4B Fury, and a Huey helo. Only a modest ($3 or so) cost to get in the park, if I recall correctly.

Cordele is about a 6-6.5 hour drive from Nashville, so it might not qualify under the "short day trip" category.

Walt

There was a 101AB resturant there on the airport. It had a really ratty DC-3 painted up in Normandy markings. Think it was former FAA or a research airplane. It had a bunch of radio racks in the back. One thing nice, there was a very nice M5 Stuart tank out front. It was in really good shape........but this was all back in 98. This all being at Nashville

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I wonder who you could talk to about the mercer field birds....

If they are still there...

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