San Francisco aviation sites

[T33driver]

WIX brain,

I'm arriving in San Francisco today and will be there til tomorrow. Any suggestions on aviation museums/attractions? I seem to recall one of the Essex-class carriers is a floating museum?? I'm staying downtown, but have cab fare, will travel.

thanks

[mike furline]

Here you go,

http://www.hiller.org/

http://www.ssjeremiahobrien.org/

Regards,

[RareBear]

The former Pan American China Clipper terminal on Treasure Island is kinda neat. No aircraft, but the art deco terminal is still there, with a lot of artifacts and displays.

Walt

[Matt Gunsch]

The USS Hornet is in Alameada, across the bay, and there is a GATO class sub on the San Fran side

[mrhenniger]

A list of location for all the site I know of in San Fran can be found via...
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Locator.php ... 0Francisco

Many museum websites don't provide good directions, sometime none at all. This list provides a link to Google Maps for each site, even if it is not a museum.

Make sure you report in regarding what you found while you were there.

Mike

Last edited by mrhenniger on Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[T33driver]

thanks guys!

[k5083]

I recommend the Oakland Aviation Museum (see Mike's locator, to get to their website delete the "index.htm" from Mike's link), the Sunderland/Solent alone is worth the visit.

August

[mrhenniger]

I recommend the Oakland Aviation Museum (see Mike's locator, to get to their website delete the "index.htm" from Mike's link), the Sunderland/Solent alone is worth the visit.

I'll fix that link tonight.

Mike

P.S. Feel free to point out broken links anytime.

[k5083]

Mike, I suggest adding the Solent to your description field for the museum as well; it's their crown jewel. They used to take you through the inside (flight deck and passenger cabin), don't know if they still do.

August

[T33driver]

August,

Thanks for the tip on the Oakland Museum. I think I'll give it a try tomorrow. Does the museum have the Sunderland set up for tours of the interior?

[Mike]

It's not a Sunderland, it's a Solent (civilian conversion from the military Seaford). Ex-Howard Hughes, and the flying boat used in the Indiana Jones movie.

It's usually open for tours for a small extra fee, and is well worth a visit.

I've PM'd you my cellphone number - give me a call if you want to visit tomorrow and I'll come over and meet up with you.

[T33driver]

Mike,

I PM'd you. Glad they open the Solent for tours! I'll be there tomorrow and hope to see you.

[Roger Cain]

Paul,

The link is shown above, I would definitely add the Hiller Aviation Museum to your list after the WAM visit and/or USS Hornet, if you have the time. It's about a half hours drive from either of the two, if you don't have traffic.

[T33driver]

Many thanks to Mike for meeting me for tours of the Oakland Aviation Museum, the USS Hornet, and the old Pan Am Clipper terminal. Great tips WIX brain! It was great meeting Mike in person, swapping stories and learning of common aquaintences. Since I'm a horrible photographer and Mike does free-lance photography for-hire, I'll let him post photos he took today. A couple of highlights were seeing the Wildcat pulled from Lake Michigan in the hangar deck of the USS Hornet--in it's original state...if only it could talk. Another was meeting another fellow tourist on the Hornet, but I'll let Mike tell the story...it's one of those encounters we often experience at warbird shows that's unforgettable. Thanks again for the hospitality Mike!

[Mike]

Good to meet you too Paul, I enjoyed our visits yesterday.

While we were on the Hornet, the ex-Navy docent giving the tour of the superstructure asked if any of us had been in the Navy. An elderly gentleman replied that he had been in the Army Air Force. When asked what he did, he told us that he's been a B-24 pilot.

It turned out that he'd flown around 80 missions with the 467th BG at Rackheath. His usual mount was 'Snooper', which he said was parked on the next hardstanding to the famous 'Witchcraft', and he had in fact flown 2 of his later missions in 'Witchcraft'.

I wish I'd asked his name. Looking at the list of missions flown by 'Witchcraft', several pilots appear twice, but I'm not sure whether he was pilot or co-pilot, so this was one of those increasingly rare encounters to treasure, as Paul mentioned.

http://www.467bg.com/witchcraft.html

Anyway, a fascinating encounter. 20 years or so ago, we used to meet many parties of returning veterans at Duxford. Sadly, over the years, their numbers have dwindled, and most of the Group Associations seem to have stopped the trips now.