B-29 At The Nat'l Atomic Museum

[jamesintucson]

The last I heard about 3 or 4 months ago the B-29 and the B-52 along with the other large artifacts were still located on Kirtland AFB at the old museum location. They weren't able to move them down to the newer site because of space problems. The museum has supposedly been given a new patch of land off the base that will be big enough for a new building and for the planes, atomic cannon, etc.

James

[bluethunder28]

When I was there in 2004, I asked about the B-29 and was told it was on the base still at the "old" museum. I was told that she will be part of the museum in the future.

Sorry I don't know how to do the map thing, but you can see the B-29, B-52 and other planes on Kirkland AFB. Just follow Wyoming St down onto the base and you'll find them.

Try this http://www.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=3 ... 26&iwloc=A

[jamesintucson]

Here's a link to the Albuquerque Tribune with a story on the future of the National Atomic Museum.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/aug/07/atomic-museum-to-relocate/

Ignoring the usual anti-nuke non-sense it does look like the museum has a fairly bright future. I guess I'll have to go see what they are up to the next time I go home.

[B-29 Super Fort]

When I was there in 2004, I asked about the B-29 and was told it was on the base still at the "old" museum. I was told that she will be part of the museum in the future.

Sorry I don't know how to do the map thing, but you can see the B-29, B-52 and other planes on Kirkland AFB. Just follow Wyoming St down onto the base and you'll find them.

Try this http://www.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=3 ... 26&iwloc=A

Thanks for the map link.

[Ztex]

Reviving an old thread...

Was in Albuquerque on Saturday...took these through the fence at the museum...
She looks a little rough but it's plenty dry with lots of sun out there....

[tinbender2]

Regarding the condition of the B-29.


I last took a close look several years ago, and it was a stripped out hulk, and those that did the stripping were pretty aggressive. It was missing elevators and an aileron, and some other parts were crude home-made abortions.

There were substantial amounts of corrosion, and horrible "repairs" done to keep it looking like an aircraft. The landing gear struts had the torque links welded together, and some really disgusting attempts at sheet metal work. Most of the bolts holding the outer wing panels to the center wing section were missing.

Someone had taken 5-gallon buckets of gray paint and poured them on the top of the fuselage and wings, and it flowed down like a river, becoming 1/4" thick in places and nearly bare in others.

The Museum lets out a contract for preventive maintenance every few years, and usually some podunk auto shop outfit gets it, and ends up increasing the damage to the aircraft.

When I stopped by and saw a guy using a DA air sander with 80 grit paper, "refinishing" their F-105, I tried to tell the Museum workers about the damage he was causing, but no one seemed to care.

Some of these aircraft/rockets are really sad to look at. However, the rest of the museum is really fascinating and has lots of unique and historically important pieces. I consider it a "must see" museum.

The museum has consolidated everything into a single location and is now off of Kirtland AFB, so access is no longer a problem.

They spent a fair amount of money on the new museum, so I'll try to stop by in the near future, and see if the condition of the aircraft has improved any. Hopefully, the no-nukes kooks will not throw red paint on them like they did the rocket, when the museum was located in Old-Town, Albuquerque.

[APG85]

When I saw the B-29 in 2003, it was in terrible condition....