Air museums in Las Vegas/San Francisco areas?

[*Zwitter*]

Anyone recommend a good museum in these areas?

cheers

Zwit

[treadigraph]

Hiller Museum at San Mateo, a short drive south of San Fran International is well worth a visit - not just Helos either! Also USAF museums at Castle AFB and one at Sacremento (McClellan AFB?) are I believe worth visiting, though I haven't made it to either yet. Think between the two of them quite a lot of the USAF's classic aircraft are represented. B-36, etc.

[PaperTiger]

I don't know of anything around LAS, which is a bit surprising considering the number of tourists and the 'conservative' climate.
SFO a bit better, although none of these are what I'd consider to be must-see collections:
http://www.westernaerospacemuseum.org/ at Oakland airport
http://pacificcoastairmuseum.org/ at Santa Rosa about 1 hour North.
http://www.travisairmuseum.org/html/visitor_info.html Travis AFB between Oakland and Sacramento - the website seems to indicate it's PPO due to 'security concerns' :rolleyes: (it's a freakin' museum you dolts !)

Also in Oakland is the USS Hornet although there are no aircraft aboard. http://www.uss-hornet.org/

[adrian mole]

Hi Guys, there is a very good Air Museum some 25 miles East of Los Angeles at March ARB near Riverside in the Moreno Valley. I've been there twice in recent years and they have a good collection of over 60 aircraft including a SR71. the staff at the Museum are all ex-military, well informed and extremely helpful.
http://www.marchfield.org

[treadigraph]

If you go down to LA, also Chino is well worth a visit and the museum at Palm Springs.

[Mike51]

http://www.travisairmuseum.org/html/visitor_info.html Travis AFB between Oakland and Sacramento - the website seems to indicate it's PPO due to 'security concerns' :rolleyes: (it's a freakin' museum you dolts !)
Also in Oakland is the USS Hornet although there are no aircraft aboard. http://www.uss-hornet.org/
PaperTiger
Travis AFB is exactly what it says, a (VERY) active Air Force Base. The museum is on the base itself, next to the active flightlines, hence the 'dolts' seem to think, for some obscure reason, that security requirements for access might be quite a good idea. I can't imagine why. :rolleyes:

And the Hornet has at least a dozen aircraft on board, ranging from a Dauntless (under rebuild) and Avenger up to TA-4 Skyhawk and F-14 Tomcat.

[PaperTiger]

PaperTiger
Travis AFB is exactly what it says, a (VERY) active Air Force Base. The museum is on the base itself, next to the active flightlines, hence the 'dolts' seem to think, for some obscure reason, that security requirements for access might be quite a good idea. I can't imagine why. :rolleyes:
How about just searching people as they turn up ? Or putting a fence around the exhibits ? Nonsense is nonsense, whatever rationale is proffered, but there's a 'war' on of course :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Mike51]

The 'PPO' requirement involves a phone call to the base visitor centre to ascertain the entry requirements and confirm that the museum is open - at least that was the case when I visited last week. On arrival, ID has to be provided, then a visitors pass is issued and either an escort is provided to the museum or a map is provided.
All very sensible requirements for public access to an active military base, I'd say. I'm not sure what your problem is with this, PaperTiger. As I say, the museum is in the middle of the base at present, although they are looking for another site where easier public access can be provided.