USAF Museum - Dayton, Ohio

[blueedge]

I am fortunate enough to be spending a couple of months on holiday in the US of A and one of the places I had to visit whilst here was the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio. I have to say it's a brilliant place, lots of very interesting aircraft, especially in the R&D Hangar and I would highly recommend a visit to anyone in the area. It's also free entry which is also a huge bonus considering the number and variety of aircraft on display.

I thought the guys and gal(s) on this forum may appreciate some pictures I took whilst there. The only thing I would say to anyone planning a visit is take a tripod for photography as it's pretty dark inside in places.





































































Comments very welcome.

[smack]

It has been a plan to visit one of my mates in Canada north of Toronto, and drive down in to Ohio and spend a day at the USAF Museum. Thanks for sharing.

[sherman]

blueedge said:

What the hell is the front of that plane for?

Nice pics though.

Edited by sherman on Monday 12th July 02:26

[blueedge]

sherman said:

What the hell is the front of that plane for?

Nice pics though.

That is the Convair NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator (TIFS) - copying from the info text "Engineers used it as an in-flight simulator to study how an aircraft would fly before building an expensive, full-scale prototype"

[dudleybloke]

nice pics, thanks!

some fantastic aircraft there.

[Eric Mc]

One of my "Bucket List" oplaces to visit.

[SVX]

That Valkyrie is simply beautiful

[aeropilot]

Nearly got to go there back in the early 1990's but events conspired for it to not happen.
Quite why they feel the need to have the place in darkness is beyond me..... seems to be a common theme amongst the major aviation museums these days

[williamp]

Great photos

Next to the Spitfire with the odd chin air intake- there is a blue Mosquito with USAAF roundels on them. Anyone know the story?

[Eric Mc]

The USAAF operated Mosquitos during WW2 in the photo-recce role. The USAAF made use of a number of British aircraft - in relatively small numbers. You will see photos of Spitfires, Beaifighters and Mosquitos on American markings.

[aeropilot]

williamp said:

Great photos

Next to the Spitfire with the odd chin air intake- there is a blue Mosquito with USAAF roundels on them. Anyone know the story?

It’s RS709 which is a B.35 painted to represent one of the 100 or so PR.XVI Mosquitos operated by the USAAF from RAF Watton from 1944. They were flown by specially trained veteran crews skilled in meteorology and undertook a role as weather recce ahead of the large USAAF bomber formations as well as post raid photo recce and light bomber raids.
See here for info on the US use of the Mossie.

http://www.rafwatton.info/History/25thBombGroupinB...

This particular Mosquito was one of the last RAF aircraft retired in the early 1960’s and subsequently bought by Mirisch Films for use in 633 Squadron. It then became part of the Skyframe collection and was again used for the filming of Mosquito Squadron in 1968. After filming it was sold and flown across the transatlantic in 1970 IIRC. It passed through various owners including the CAF before being acquired by Doug Arnold in an non-airworthy state and dismantled and brought back to the UK to Biggin Hill and the Warbirds of GB collection in late 1979. Rebuilt and returned to airworthy condition it flew again in late 1983 as G-MOSI only for Doug to put it up for sale the following year, where it again made it’s second trans Atlantic ferry flight back across to the USA and permanent grounding in the museum at Dayton.

[Lefty 200 Drams]

SR-71

anonymous SR-71 pilot said:

Though I walk through the valley of darkness I shall fear no evil. For I am at 80,000 feet and still climbing

Edited by Lefty 200 Drams on Monday 12th July 11:39