aviation history sites in las vegas

[tom d. friedman]

going to vegas tuesday feb 7th on business for a 2 day trade show at the rio suites hotel & casino. i arrive early, & basically have all day of that day to kill. i don't have alot of money for gambling, so the heck with that idea... last year i went wreck chasing in the desert, the guide won't be around this year, so that leaves museums etc. does anybody know any places or museums in the vicinity of vegas proper where i could go by taxi cab to any worthy places of aviation history interest. i'm sure nellis air force base doesn't have a museum. any help, suggestions etc is appreciated. do not suggest strip clubs either..... i need help not trouble!! thanks, tom

[tom d. friedman]

uuuhhh oooohhhh!!!! ....63 views & no replies....... should i start rolling dollar bills for the strip clubs???? otherwise i might as well till i is there an emoticon for smirk?? seriously though.......... i would think vegas has more going for it aviation history wise than nellis & desert crashes!!

[Eric Friedebach]

Ummm…

The C-124 is gone, there was a Beech Starship that flew in and out of there for a while, but that whole fleet is now history. I guess you could hang out at McCarran and pester the guys getting into the white 737s with the red stripe about what they’re really working on.

There’s a car museum at the Imperial Palace (ask for a comp ticket in the lobby). Then go next door to Harrah’s and hit the best buffet on the strip. Go there at 3PM local and pay the lunch price, but your East Coast stomach will say dinner.

EDIT: I forgot about the display in the terminal. Comped, too!

[Randy Haskin]

The CAF used to have an A-26 up at North Las Vegas airport as of about 1998...don't know if it's still there anymore, though.

If you have the ability to get on Nellis AFB, just inside the I-Street gate (the southern gate) there is Freedom park. There are a bunch of (okay, really just a half dozen) static display jets on poles there, from an F-117 all the way back to a Sabre. There is also a little museum in the Thunderbirds hanger, if you can get in.

If you're just interested in watching airplanes, on the north end of Nellis there is BLM land right underneath the approach end of runway 21. The 'spotters' are always out there taking photos, and there's plenty of good fighters flying there all the time.

[tom d. friedman]

thanks guys, got some solid leads. my $$$ & time will be better spent than pissing away bucks gambling ( i will do a little though) gonna check out the atomic testing museum, & the museum my buddy helped set up, can't recall the name, but will advise if the place is worth it's salt. wednesday & thursday is solid work at the trade show, & then back home to ohio. i should have some interesting fun on my blow off day though. thanks, tom

[tom d. friedman]

randy, fyi..... thunderbird museum display at nellis is currently closed to the public, as are other exhibits you mentioned thanks though!! a little interesting trivia....... do you know who the biggest land owner is in las vegas ?? your employer, the usaf!!

[bdk]

...there was a Beech Starship that flew in and out of there for a while, but that whole fleet is now history.

A little off topic, but there is a Starship being repainted at Chino right now.

[Lynn Allen]

Tom, We had a weekend trip there is past weekend so good luck, I watch the Big Boys takeoff on 17L/R and you can listen to them on 95.9.
We drove down to Hoover dam and stop at the Boulder A/P, 61B, the best part of the day. There was a lot of traffic in the pattern.
We parked at the North Las Vegas A/P, KVGT. They have great chow upstairs in the terminal. Other than that, glad it was just for a few days.

Cheers,

Lynn

[Eric Friedebach]

...there was a Beech Starship that flew in and out of there for a while, but that whole fleet is now history.

A little off topic, but there is a Starship being repainted at Chino right now.

Sorry, I misspoke!

One owner held out from Raytheon’s offer to buy back all the aircraft. Not too long ago, Raytheon had a Starman auction in Wichita. Starship inventory was on the sheet, so I hope he was able to pick up some spares.

Back OT:

Blackjack and video poker are your only advantage against The House.

[tom d. friedman]

went to the atomic testing museum, just opened this past year, minutes from the vegas strip. 20 thousand square feet of display of all our nuclear experimentation, & technology. great museum, 1st class, & worth the trip their. never realized the depth to our nuclear program since ww 2, well beyond nuke bombs!!! museum is very comprehensive. spent about 3 hours their. the rest of the trip was work, & losing a couple hundred bucks gambling

[bdk]

...there was a Beech Starship that flew in and out of there for a while, but that whole fleet is now history.

A little off topic, but there is a Starship being repainted at Chino right now.

And here it is!



It left out of Chino yesterday with its new paint job.

[Eric Friedebach]

And here it is!

Thanks!

Turns out there are several still flying in private hands. Bless those guys.

Tom, next time you go to LAS, just try to work the Player’s Club for some comps.