Chanute Air Museum

HPDCapt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 15, 2015 7:46 pm

I was planning to stop by for what will be my first and last visit to this museum. Is it still worth my time or should I pass it by? Is the gift shop still open? I was planning on mid October.

carseneau · **Posted:** Wed Sep 16, 2015 7:12 pm

Captain,
Museum is now scheduled to close end of October. The P-51H Mustang, AT-6, TB-25N F-101,F104, both F-84's, and the Huey will be gone by the time of your mid-October trip. Will still be things to see especially if you trained at Chanute!
Curt

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Wed Sep 16, 2015 8:43 pm

Curt, can you tell us where those planes (other than the P-51) will be going yet, or is that still classified? Any news on whether the F-86A can be decontaminated? Thanks!
One other question: B-52A 52-002 was burned at Chanute circa 1965-66 to make a training film for fire fighters (per Baugher). Do you have any copies of that film?

carseneau · **Posted:** Thu Sep 17, 2015 9:25 am

Chris,
There is a board near the front desk with postings of where things are going so not classified at this point. Can't remember all but will make notes this weekend and post Sunday.
Our P-51H, AT6, Huey, and our fire truck are all going to Warner Robbins. The TB-25N and the F-101 are going to the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, AL. The F-84F, F-84A and XB-47 are all going somewhere (not all the same place) but will have to post destinations later. Also, the B-52 cockpit section left on Tuesday this week destination unknown for now.
I have no knowledge of the training video you asked about. Curator might but difficult to reach right now with all that is going on.

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Thu Sep 17, 2015 5:28 pm

Its good to see at least some of the planes going to good homes. Any hope of saving the Connie?

Warbirdnerd · **Joined:** Fri Apr 30, 2004 7:34 pm **Posts:** 2923

The B-52 nose ended up in Titusville Florida:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_ ... _tn__=%2As

carseneau · **Posted:** Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:55 pm

Chris,
Correction to my earlier post about Chanute aircraft destinations. Seems the AT-6 is going to Dayton. F-84A and UH1B Huey to Discovery Park Union City TN, F-84F to Palm Springs Air Museum, XB-47 going to Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, F-100C to Yankee Air Museum at Ypsilanti, MI, F-15A to St. Louis Science Center, O-2 going to Warner Robbins.
That's all for now.
Curt

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Sun Sep 20, 2015 2:48 am

Thanks Curt! Had to look up Discovery Park; it does look like a nice and well-funded facility with an H-34 and a Stearman among the military displays. The XB-47 certainly is finding a fitting home at Edwards, and it should be an epic journey getting it there - truck or rail? I hope they don't have to cut it up to do so. Wonder why Dayton wants your T-6?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:01 pm

They don't currently have a WWII era T-6 on display. The one they had was a later model that was used as a Mosquito and is over in the Korea era display.

Tim Savage · **Joined:** Mon May 03, 2004 8:26 pm **Posts:** 630

mustangdriver wrote:

They don't currently have a WWII era T-6 on display. The one they had was a later model that was used as a Mosquito and is over in the Korea era display.

They used to have an ex-PA ANG T-6G that was finished as a AT-6C over in the air training area. About ten years ago they sold it and it is now flying. I think the LT-6G came from Korea.

If I recall the Chanute T-6 is a bit of everything, (Harvard and T-6) so I am surprised Dayton would want it for their own collection.

4RG.I.'S · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:19 am

We visited the museum yesterday (Sunday 9-20). It is a great location, lots of history there. Pretty busy place with aircraft being taken apart on their way to their new homes. I didn't take any pics, I was actually quite conflicted emotionally watching the museum die in a way. It is good to know many aircraft will be going to other places for more people to enjoy. At the same time it was really sad to watch them go and know some will be scrapped. We were told the HU-16, C-47 and F-86 were being scrapped. Sounded like the engines and a couple of other parts were coming off of the Albatross and Gooney, but for the most part they are not long for life in the current form. I wonder what the disposition of everything will be. There are many uniforms, books, photos, models, etc. Sounds like there are multiple owners of items: the NMUSAF, the city of Rantoul and the Chanute museum. I wonder if there will be an auction for what remains.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:35 am

When the scrappers come, any way we could be told who they are so we could contact them to buy (non-airworthy) parts of the aircraft?

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:29 pm

4RG.I.'S wrote:

We were told the HU-16, C-47 and F-86 were being scrapped.

(pounds head against desk)

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:28 pm

Guess I'll make a few calls and see if they can be saved.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Sep 21, 2015 8:52 pm

If they get cut up, I'd sure like a small part of any of the three.

The HU-16 is 51-7200, the prototype "B" model, the subject of the Monogram kit I had as a kid. The radome would be neat, some skin with the serial...or some interior fittings (I have a friend rebuilding a goose and it would be neat if there is something off the Albatross we could put in it).

Also, my dad flew C-47s postwar....so I'd love a control wheel, throttle/mixture/prop control, seat, front door, access panel, window, antenna or whatever. I know some collectable trinkets go for a lot, but anything would be neat to have.

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