One week in the USA. Where would you go?

[Ollie]

If you had one week to spend on vacation, where would you go as to maximise the Warbird potential?

[mrhenniger]

Duhhhhh!!!!!

Chino is a good starting point. However if you could have different arrival and departure cities I would recommend as follows...

#1: Arrive in Palm Springs
-Palm Springs in Museum in Palm Springs
-March Field Museum in Riverside

#2: Drive west to Chino
- Planes of Fame Air Museum
- Yanks Air Museum
- Other restoration shops???

#3: Head to the coast... pehaps Long Beach. Is there anything on display there?

#4: Head north to LA/Santa Monica. Are there any viewable warbirds in Santa Monica.

#5: Go north again to Edwards AFB. Is there anything publically viewable there? Or is everything still out of reach to the public for security reasons?

#6: Go further north to Sanfrancisco and the museum there.

That is just a rough plan with a few questions. I plan to be going to Palm Springs and Chino myself in February. I would very much like to hear details about the aviation sites as well.


Regards,

Mike

[Ollie]

Chino sounds good.

It musn't cost too much too, ya know!!


Hmmm, Chino......

[TimAPNY]

California is a great place. Chino/march/ Palm springs as stated by Mike

Castle Air Museum is a great stop, so is the USS Hornet in Alameda. The USS Midway is open in San Dog now. Near that is the S.D. Air museum, which is pretty good.

Then if you want to do some hard-core driving there is Portland and Seattle area.

This is assuming that you are not taking a wife or Girl friend.

[Ollie]

Im just throwing ideas at this point, I might take a week somewhere in March, hence the question.

Do I go skiing in BC with a nurse friend of mine or do I go solo to Chino?

[TimAPNY]

If you go to Chino go Solo, or you may have one very unhappy lady friend.

[Michel Lemieux]

Palm Spring

March AFB

Chino: POF / Yanks / AeroTrader

San Diego Aerospace Museum

Did that in 3 days last month.........

Pas pire du tout

On top of that, it is difficult to find a place in NA similar to Chino where they let look / feel / touch at what is happening during restoration.

If you only have a day; then Dayton is also a great bet.

[TimAPNY]

Texas has some good spots just not as close together
CAF in several locations, USS Lexington, Lone Star, Some USAF Bases. The is the Dallas Area with couple stops. I'm sure I'm missing a ton.

[Warbirdnerd]

Here are a couple of sites I use when planning road trips.
http://warbirdalley.com/museum.htm

http://www.aerofiles.com/museums.html

And I keep a well worn edition of this in the glove compartment....
http://www.historicaviation.com/histori ... duct=books[/url]

[Ollie]

Tim, she's the kind who likes Harley-Davidsons, I might have a chance!

Thanks guys, I'll have to see what's up with my budget and friend before I act!

[Pat Carry]

First I would fly into Dayton,Oh to see the USAF Museum. Then hop on a plane to Pensacola to see the Natl Museum of Naval Aviation. Finally I would go to Wash DC to take in the NASM on the mall then out to Chantilly to see the new building at Dulles. If you are not too tired after these and have any money left Chino for sure.

[Shay]

My vote is for Dayton, OH. granted I'm a little bit biast. but what better place than the birth place and cradle of modern aviation. Let's see. You could spend a couple of days at the Museum. Also catch the Annex. Might try and plan it to catch the tour of the restoration Facility. After all that can go and see the Wright Bros. Memorial, great view overlooking Wright-Patterson AFB (also about 1000 Ft. from those dismantled RF-84K Thunderflashes I posted about earlier. Then you could drive down to Carrolon Park and go in the Wright Bros. actual Bicycle work shop. You could take 30 minute drive to Sydney OH. to visit the Neil Armstrong museum. If you find yourself having time left then you could take drive and try and go visit the Walter Soplata collection. Haven't done that one, but I Intend to on my next trip back home. Drive 30 mins south to Cinncinati you could visit the B-17E My Gal Sal. There are several Warbird owners in the area. Might check the registry and look them up. Hope this helps.

Shay

[Ollie]

Gents, if I do this I'm travelling by air with Air Canada, so no stopping all over the place.

No car renting since although I'm old enough to fly everything built until now, I can't rent a car.

Kinda limits me options, eh?

[Ollie]

Yeah well, the more I think about it, the more it'll end up on a snowy slope out West!

[Walrus 7]

I whole-heartedly support the USAF museum at WPAFB as the starting point. There's one of everything there including some less 'garden variety' beasts such as a Dehavilland Mosquito and an SR71. Being close-ish to the Canadian border, you would be off the plane and into the warbirds PDQ.

I spent a day there and saw about 1/3 of what I wanted to see.

Walrus