Warbird Information Exchange

I enthusiastically second all the recommendations here, but I'm curious..if you're going from Dayton to Canton why are you taking I-75 north to Toledo? That's way out of your way. I'd take I-70 over to Columbus, then the I-271 bypass to I-71, then north to the Akron/Canton area It'll probably save you at least a couple of hours' driving.

SN

If you do indeed arrive early to mid-afternoon in Dayton I would suggest that you go to the musem and take a "walk-thru" of the facility so as to put it all in perspective for you. Then can plan your Tuesday depending on your area of interest ( i.e. WWI, WWII, Korea, etc). As stated above it really takes 3 days to see it thoroughly. But as you have only one day there I can guarantee that you will be back!! In additon to the aircraft there are fabulous wall displays which could consume another full day.

The Comfort Suites across the from the entrance is an ideal place to stay (5220 Hubenville Ave). If for some reason you can't get in there I 've stayed at a Comfort Inn in Fairborn which located on hwy 444 just south of I-70 and is opposite the runway at Patterson Field (616 N. Broad St). It's just about a 10 minute drive due south to the NMUSAF.
You might want to pull up the area on earth.google to put it all in perspective for you.

Have a good trip!

My wife and I always stay at the Red Roof just off 675 on Col. Glenn Hwy, across from the Nutter Center..maybe 10 minutes from the Museum.

SN

Thanks for all the tips.

Steve. I-75 is on the trip down to Dayton. We will be crossing the border at Windsor/Detroit. We will be taking the I-70 across to the Canton/Akron area.

Oscarduece. The plan right now is to be at MAPS right at 10:00 on Thursday May 27th and we will leave for home right after our visit. Looking at a 7-8 hours drive plus time to get back into Canada.

Cheers,

Jeff

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The true north strong and free

Sorry..I didn't see your location in your profile. For some reason I thought you were coming into Ohio from the south!

SN

OK Jeff, you've been home now for a day or two so we need feedback on your NMUSAF experience. Let's see... you saw it all in one day therefore never a reason to go back again...right?

If you choose to not to comment about the sports thing that would be perfectly OK.

JohnV

Spent 1.5 days there arriving on the Monday afternoon at 13:00 hrs. Went back and spent all day Tuesday. Very very nice. Now I read the second F-82 is done....just missed it. The aircraft were great. Due to the number of aircraft alone they were difficult to photograph especially when one throws how dark it was. Not complaining though. Both myself and my boys enjoyed the memorial park nearly as much as the aircraft. My oldest son works at a local cemetery and he was trying to figure out the cost of some of the memorial placards/stones etc. He figures some were well into the tens of thousands of dollars.

MAPS museum....was a little disappointing, Some really neat airframes outside on the ramp and the B-26 in the workshop along with the F-100 were all out of reach. We ended up there on Wednesday afternoon instead of Thursday morning. Gotta say the F-86D is going to be one of the nicest looking dogs out there when she is completed and I loved the A-7.

Would I go back? Oh yea. Have not really had a chance to upload anything yet.

Cheers,

Jeff

_________________
The true north strong and free

The F-82 Night Fighter and the F-84 are now both in their positiions in the Korea Gallery. They both look fantastic, especially the F-84 and it's 4 Queens paint job. The Gallery should be open any day now as what's left is mostly cleanup.

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Jerry
S/Sgt. - USAF Radio Operator '52-'56
C-119 "Flying Boxcar" - Korea & Japan

Volunteer: National Museum of the US Air Force (2007-2016)
LTM 381st Bomb Group Memorial Association

Sounds like you had a good time. Yes, the galleries are too dark!

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!