Aviation Museums

kilburn

Hey guys, i have been doing some research online and can not find the answer to my question. I want to visit what would be considered the best aviation musuem in the world, have found military museums, civil aircraft museums, flying boat museums. Is there a main aircraft museum do the likes of Boeing etc have one?

You guys are the experts so what do you think?

David086

There's the Boeing Museum in Seattle WA which is meant to be brilliant.

xflyer

The Smithsonian has to be the best. Where else would you find the original, Wright Flyer, The Spirit of St Louis, Bell X1 Glamorous Glennis, an Apollo Command module, the original 707, Dash 80, B-29 'Enola Gay'.

Need I go on?

Lustrum

Try the National Air and Space Museum in the Smithsonian in D.C. You'll need a couple of days though to get through it all, it's phenomenal

EchoIndia

It is a matter of opinion as to what the best aviation museum in the world is - if indeed you think there can be such a thing. It all depends on what interests you.

Undoubtedly the USA has many great museums but you will have to travel a lot to cover even a representative sample. Nearer to home, there are many good aviation museums in the UK and also in countries such as Germany, France, Belgium, Spain and Sweden. In some cases these are more general military or technical museums rather than being aviation-only. You might find this site useful if you haven't seen it:
http://www.aviationmuseum.eu/index.html

A320

RAF Hendon isn't too bad

Run_to_da_hills

David086 wrote: »

There's the Boeing Museum in Seattle WA which is meant to be brilliant.

I use to pass the Boeing Field quite regularly along I5, almost ran into the back of another car when I got destracted in rush hour traffic when I saw something interesting on the tarmac. There was a B29 bomber stationed there for some time.

roundymac

RAF Duxford is also worth a visit.

dannyirish06

The Smithsonian in DC is unbelievable and its FREE entry, as are all museums and the zoo in DC.

Tropheus

I've done the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field and Boeing's onw museum in Everett. Boeing's museum wasn't great, but the factory tour made up for it.

Boeing field is very good. They have the original 737 and 747 there and also a 707 Airforce One. There's also a Concorde there (ex BA) in recent years. The stuff indoors is also well worth a look.

Closer to home, I would highly recommend Duxford. They have a great mix of civil and military aircraft. I've done it several times over the years from the mid 80s. It's incredible how much it's grown and how well they've developed the museum. Much of it with voluntary support.

Tenger

Lustrum wrote: »

Try the National Air and Space Museum in the Smithsonian in D.C. You'll need a couple of days though to get through it all, it's phenomenal

This is a great museum........however if you want a bit more hardcore aviation then go out to the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy centre beside Dulles, here they have a lot, lot more. Pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/sets/72157622327491171/

Davidth88

The best one I have ever been to is Pima AFB


http://www.pimaair.org/


It's right next to Davis Monthan so you can visit there too , they run shuttle buses.

I have not been to the Smithsonian since they moved to the new site , I was at the old one and got to see Voyager , which considering Rutan is one of my all time hero's was great

Run_to_da_hills

Is there anywhere where one could get up close to a Comet or Connie?

Davidth88

Where in the world run_to_da_Hills ?

Duxford has a Comet I think , and Pima has a Connie , can't think of one this side of the pond , but it will come to me

There used to be a Connie at Faro Airport , it was a Cafe , but that was back in the 80's

Tenger

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Is there anywhere where one could get up close to a Comet or Connie?

You can walk amongst the displays in the Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy exhibit. They have a Super Connie. So you can right up close to very many historic aircraft, however you cannot enter any of the displayed aircraft. The aircraft are all tightly spaced so you are walking under the wings of Concorde while looking at the Super Connie.

L1049: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3965793382/in/set-72157622327491171
B707 Prototype (the Dash 8): http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3965017723/in/set-72157622327491171
Enterprise: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3951802557/in/set-72157622327491171/
SR-71: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3965868434/in/set-72157622327491171
B-29 Enola Gay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3965076863/in/set-72157622327491171
F-35: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearbringer/3965007949/in/set-72157622327491171

westdub

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Is there anywhere where one could get up close to a Comet or Connie?

You can also see them together a bit closer to home in Germany at the Hermeskeil Museum.... http://www.flugausstellung.de/flugzeuge.html

Davidth88

westdub wrote: »

You can also see them together a bit closer to home in Germany at the Hermeskeil Museum.... http://www.flugausstellung.de/flugzeuge.html

Wow , what a great looking place

Tenger

ksimpson wrote: »

I've done the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field........They have the original 737 and 747 there and also a 707 Airforce One. ....

This: http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air-Force/Boeing-VC-137B-(707-153B)/1981677/L/

Turbulent Bill

Davidth88 wrote: »

I have not been to the Smithsonian since they moved to the new site , I was at the old one and got to see Voyager , which considering Rutan is one of my all time hero's was great

I think Voyager is still in the 'main' Smithsonian museum on the National Mall, was definitely there when I visited 3 years ago.

I thought the Smithsonian was incredible, basically a 'greatest hits' of aviation - it's just rammed with brilliant and rare aircraft. Didn't have time to go to the facility in Dulles (which is much, much bigger than the one in the city) which I was raging about.

If you can only visit one facility and are interested in a particular aircraft it's worth checking ahead to see where it's on show. I think the aircraft are rotated between the two places.

Blue Punto

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Is there anywhere where one could get up close to a Comet or Connie?

Cosford in the UK has a Comet 1 which you can walk around/under
They also have one of the two TSR2 aircraft in the world

If it's onboard a Connie you want I know first hand that HARS in Sydney bring you onboard there Super Connie as part of the tour (and its an airworthy example too)
Untitled by niallsaviation, on Flickr


VH-EAG by niallsaviation, on Flickr

el tel

USAF Museum at Wright Patterson in Dayton is amazing.

Roar83

I have been here, the spruce goose is at it. i have been to a good few mueseums and this was by far my favourite http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-museum/aircraft-exhibits/

I also know many who have went to the boeing and said it was not that great, but then i dont think they would have necesserily have had a big interest in planes.

Blue Punto

The Science Museum in Wroughton also has a Connie

And its a well known ex Dublin L749 Connie too
N7777G was dismantled at Dublin after being sold for £45000 and taken there in August 1983 if I remember correctly(Im sure ill be corrected if Im wrong)

Its in TWA colour scheme but I dont know the condition of it inside or if you can gain access

It actually made the last constellation flight into Dublin on 10th march 1974(my birthday)

Davidth88

Roar83 wrote: »

I have been here, the spruce goose is at it. i have been to a good few mueseums and this was by far my favourite http://www.evergreenmuseum.org/the-museum/aircraft-exhibits/

I also know many who have went to the boeing and said it was not that great, but then i dont think they would have necesserily have had a big interest in planes.

Blimey , an aircraft museum that has a water park attached , that's ' blue sky ' thinking by the marketing men for sure .

Nforce

If you're interested in Soviet Bloc metal then http://www.moninoaviation.com/ is the place to go.

Stinicker

A320 wrote: »

RAF Hendon isn't too bad

Was at the RAF Museum there when I was young, getting to see the Spitfire and Hurricane in real life was pretty cool and it helped instil a love of Aviation into me even though I was only 13 at the time! A few early flight sims on Windows 98 taking care of the rest, manys a Messerschmitt I shot down on that sim! The Red Arrows Simulator was awesome too, I wonder is that still there as it was 2000 when I visited whilst "on holiday in London" my my Dad.

lord lucan

Only been to the NASM in Washington D.C. and would highly recommend it. You'd need a full day to see everything properly.

Haven't been to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles yet but will rectify that once Space Shuttle Discovery takes up residence there next year.

If you're ever in New York a visit to the Intrepid is highly recommended. Been there 2 or 3 times and there's plenty of aviation exhibits on the carriers decks as well as Concorde which you can enter and look around(behind perspex:().

EchoIndia

Blue Punto wrote: »

The Science Museum in Wroughton also has a Connie

And its a well known ex Dublin L749 Connie too
N7777G was dismantled at Dublin after being sold for £45000 and taken there in August 1983 if I remember correctly(Im sure ill be corrected if Im wrong)

Its in TWA colour scheme but I dont know the condition of it inside or if you can gain access

It actually made the last constellation flight into Dublin on 10th march 1974(my birthday)

Correct re N7777G. Here it is being dismantled:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aces-High/Lockheed-L-749A-Constellation/0520023/L
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aces-High/Lockheed-L-749A-Constellation/0519973/L

Wroughton has not been opened to the public for several years, as far as I know.

Ryan235

The smithsonian Air and Space in D.C is awsome!!!

IrishB.ie

Blue Punto wrote: »

N7777G was dismantled at Dublin after being sold for £45000

:eek: I'll miss his photos. He was a nice lad.:D

Blue Punto

Originally Posted by Blue Punto
N7777G was dismantled at Dublin after being sold for £45000

IrishB.ie wrote: »

:eek: I'll miss his photos. He was a nice lad.:D

A bit overpriced though:D

Davidth88

Nforce wrote: »

If you're interested in Soviet Bloc metal then http://www.moninoaviation.com/ is the place to go.

I was in Moscow back in 2002 , wish I had visited there

However on my weekend off ( I was working ) , I visited here

Poklonnaya Gora Hill, Moscow

The only website I can find is

http://henk.fox3000.com/gpwm.htm

Had some really interesting second WW and cold war stuff , and full mock ups of trenches etc , really interesting place.

b318isp

Another great museum in Europe is in Madrid:

http://www.museodelaire.com/
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/cuatro_vientos04.htm

I've some shots from it here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/b318isp/sets/72157622424811927/

Davidth88

b318isp wrote: »

Another great museum in Europe is in Madrid:

http://www.museodelaire.com/
http://www.ruudleeuw.com/cuatro_vientos04.htm

I've some shots from it here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/b318isp/sets/72157622424811927/

We visited there back in 1984 ( I think ), they allowed us to just ' wander ' in their storage yard.

Got some great photos of me jumping out of a Nord Atlas , climbing into the Spanish version of the Ju52

Fantastic graveyard of lost aeroplanes .

Have to hunt out the photos .