Warbird Information Exchange

Made a short trip today, to visit the Idaho Military Museum, at Gowen Field.

At the airfield per se, there are several USFS Fire-fighting aircraft, and one of them is this Turbo-Prop conversion of a DC_3 / C-47. Unfortunately, the angle is poor because I could not secure access to the ramp to take a close-up photo. I did not get an "N" number on this beautiful airplane.




Inside the museum proper, a very good collection of memorabilia, uniforms, weapons, etc., covering different conflicts.

Two cockpit simulators, one for the F-16 and the other one for the F-4.




This F-4C (69-350) is located in the parking lot, outside the museum building.



This is one of several military vehicles on display.


Saludos,


Tulio

All photos © Tulio Soto 2006

Lots of interesting things to see around Gowen Field. There are still objects (aside from several hangars) in place from the base's WWII days. On the same ramp that C-47 sits in the picture are steel plates in the ground that I was told were for grounding the B-17's...maybe someone knows more?

Back in the early 80s I worked at Gowan Field. At the Fire center there was a C-47 on it's belly in a grassy training area for smoke jumpers and a surplus Bell 47/OH-13 for the same purpose. I wonder what happened to them?

Also, is the ID ANG F-102 still on poles near the hiway?

In a wrecking yard in the east side of town there were the remains of a Douglas A-26 that used to be displayed on a pedestal in a city park...before being torched by vandals. Also a ex-ANG F-86L...with a lot of skin damage but no signs of a crash.

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Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

The F-102 was taken off the pole about 15 years ago. The crane actually dropped it during removal. It was repaired and now sits at the air park inside the base with an RF-4C, F-4G and F-89.
I was looking through some old pictures last night and came across the C-47 used for training, but I'm not sure where it disappeared to. Also have some pictures of the Bronco's the BLM bought back in the early 90's that sat around NIFC.
I'm happy to see we now have a P-51 based in Boise...great to hear that sound on a regular basis!

Does this look like the same bird in the park?





Sorry for the quality...this is framed outside my office. It was moved to Julia Davis Park in 1961. I thought it might be the same one your thinking of.

Tulio, Did you visit the Warhawk Museum in Nampa? Don

Don:

Not yet.

First attempt about a week ago, I found out that they are closed Sundays and Mondays, which happen to be my days off.....

So, I have to make arrangements to visit during the remainder of the week, but Nampa is definitely in my plans; who can avoid that "eau-de-cow" smell anyways? : )


Saludos,


Tulio