Warbird Information Exchange

I know a person that works at the Paul Garber facility and the stories I've heard are just ridiculous, i.e. restoration mechanic working on plane "X" needs to look at plane "Y" for comparison. Plane "Y" is locked in another building. Can't get into locked building, keys are downtown under someone else's control. Must make request to have other building opened.
We'll get back to you on that.

You certainly don't want restoration mechanics running around willy nilly looking at which ever aircraft or part they need to complete a restoration.

I had requested at one time to look at and photograph a certain plane that wasn't on the normal tour. Made calls, e-mails etc. I would have made a special trip to comply with any time or date they wanted. They asked what reason I had for seeing/photographing the plane. I told them the usual, I was interested in it, it was the last one in existance, no where else to see one, etc., I was then told "NO".
Another time I requested to look at any of the Luftwaffe aircraft gunsights they may have, as I collect them. They pretty much couldn't be bothered.

I was under the assumption that the NASM collection was supposed to be America's/Tax Payers property. I understand you can't just walk off the street and go see what you want, but it was obvious to me that no matter how many proper channels I went thru that I was never going to be able to see the aircraft or any gunsights.

This is just my opinion, but I believe that instead of the NASM Director loving aviation it is just another stepping stone to another government title that they are seeking.
I feel that it has turned into such a political machine that some of the restorations may suffer.

Regards,
Mike

There have been stories like your's coming out of the Smithsonian for decades.

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"Everyone wants to live here (New Jersey), evidenced by the fact that it has the highest population per capita in the U.S..."

In the main entrance hall to the UHC is a signboard thingy with a plan view of the current hall and outlines of the future restoration and archives centre etc. At the bottom it says that "By 2009 the Aviation Hangar will be filled on all three levels from end to end with aircraft as shown on this floor plan".
There are scale drawings of everything there now and to come. Some of the current aircraft will be shuffled around, but new additions identifiable on the plan (from my dodgy photo) include (but are not restricted to):

B-17D
B-26
Arado 196
F-100
F-105
Oscar (I think)
SB2C
CH-47
Skyraider
AH-1
Vampire
F9F Cougar
AV-8A/Harrier
Me 163
M3 410
Ju 388
Ta-152
He 162
Wings on the He 219
Natter
Mosquito

and a bunch of stuff that's very small or I can't ID. Now, that's the plan (quite literally). Whether they really expect to complete all those restorations by 2009 or just have all the space filled, I don't know. By 09 I would hazard a guess that all the above aircraft will at least be there, maybe stored or being restored in the new buildings.

Jim

I have an "inside source" that tells me that the "Enola Gay" is only on display in one piece right now is because the NMUSAF threatened to take it off of the NASM if they did not restore it, and place it on display in an honorable fashion. I can believe that. This museum is very great, but also has alot of politics involved. Their magazine featured an article about how unsafe medical helicoters are. I wrote a reply to that article, along with several others showing where the facts used were not correct. The next edition of the magazine used a reply article someone placed defending the choppers, and right below that was another comeback from the author. So tell me who will always get the last word in that magazine.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager