iModelers at the USAF Museum
Hi All,
Spent some time at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio and wanted to share just a few of the many aircraft and artifacts on display. I also had the pleasure of meeting up with and exploring the museum with fellow iModeler Mr. Tom Bebout. This was both our first time seeing the newly restored Memphis Belle and we agree that the museum did a superb job.
Hope you enjoy!
27 additional images. Click to enlarge.
Craig Abrahamson said on November 4, 2018
Thanks for the ‘tour”. Having never been there, I really enjoyed the pics. Where’s the rest? đ
david leigh-smith said on November 4, 2018
Hanging on to Craigâs coat-tails again. Great photos here, Gary. Just sayinâ – if you have any more…
gary sausmikat said on November 4, 2018
By popular demand….all two. LOL . If you want more, you’ll have to head to Dayton. Enjoy!
25 attached images. Click to enlarge.
Robert Paschall said on November 4, 2018
Two thing on my bucket list, Air and Space at the Smithonian and Wright Pat. Great pics!
James B Robinson said on November 4, 2018
Excellent images Gary, thanks for sharing.
@gwskat
Robert Royes said on November 4, 2018
I recently took care of one on my bucket list[navair museum, Pensacola],Dayton, definitely is a must see! Thanks for sharing.
Jeff Bailey said on November 4, 2018
Well, it looks like you kids had a great time! Thanks for posting the photos, Gary.
Tom Bebout said on November 4, 2018
Nice pics Gary, thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon together. Could have spent lots more time talking about all sorts of kits and modelling in general. Have to do it again, and I must say that’s a couple of great looking gentlemen standing under Memphis Belle.
gary sausmikat said on November 4, 2018
Hey Tom! As our friend Jeff stated…just a couple of kids out and about enjoying life.
Jim Harley said on November 5, 2018
Great post, I was just down there for the WWI fly-in, it is only 3 hours away from Akron. When I was growing up my dad had a contract with the Air Force (Wright Patterson) servicing their steam distribution systems. We were in Dayton 15-20 times a year and he would drop my mom and I off at the Museum…this started in the early 70’s through the late 80’s. Lots of fond memories. Sharp Shooter was the first P-51 I saw in person (and fell in love đ )…43 years between these photos, with many visits in between.
Jim
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
gary sausmikat said on November 5, 2018
Hi Jim. That was my 4th time at the museum but I see more visits in the future when my daughter moves to Akron next month. Love the time-line photos!
Louis Gardner said on November 5, 2018
I remember visiting here several times in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Sadly I haven’t been back since. Going back here to Wright Pat, and stopping by Pensacola NAS again is one my bucket list too. Throwing in a visit to the NASM would be like icing on the cake………….
These are some excellent photos………. my how the place has changed………. for the better !!! Seeing the “Belle” in person must have been really cool !!!!
Thanks !!!!! I hit the “like” button too……………. đ
gary sausmikat said on November 5, 2018
Hi Louis. Thanks! Believe it or not the photos were taken with my so-called “phone”. I am fortunate enough that the USAF Museum and NASM museums are within driving distance from central PA. I visited the Navy museum when we used to live in FL but I hope to get back there again in the near future too. Seeing the restored Belle was one of three reasons I visited this time and was well worth the drive. The other two was seeing the new fourth hangar and meeting fellow iModeler Tom Bebout. Hope you get to visit soon.
Greg Kittinger said on November 5, 2018
Very nice! I visited back in the – oh – maybe late 80’s, and was looking for a piece of art that my dad found when he visited. As you may remember from my posts of his aircraft photos, he flew F-4’s out of Cam Ranh Bay, S. Vietnam. He saw a painting of an F-4 from a distance, and as he started walking closer, thought to himself – “hey – that looks like the tarmac at Cam Ranh.” As he came up to it, he realized it was his actual aircraft from when he was stationed at Cam Ranh! I tried to find it and didn’t, so asked the docent and found out that they have so much art they rotate it on a regular basis. SO – if anyone ever does visit the museum and happens upon that F-4 painting, snap me a photo!!
gary sausmikat said on November 5, 2018
Greg, That’s cool. I love to hear stories like that. I wanted to go visit the art work but unfortunately that area was closed due to a leak.
George Johnson said on November 6, 2018
Fantastic pics. Thanks for posting them.
Richard Mcstay said on November 7, 2018
I donât think I would ever get bored in there!
Tom Cleaver said on February 9, 2019
It’s really great to see how they “upped their game” on accurate restoration over the past 25 years. They’re now a leader in that department.