B36 Museum Visit

[PEGGY]

Hi

Since about 1955 when I saw the film "Strategic Air Command" with my Dad I have wanted to see one of these amazing aircraft "in the flesh." I am planning a trip to America next year as a retirement treat and would like to visit a museum which had one on display. Does anybody know which museum would be best for me. It would be brilliant to actually see inside (I dont mind paying extra).Did any of the actual aircraft from the film survive?

[MReyn24050]

Peggy
Try this connection.
http://www.cowtown.net/proweb/b36net/
Mel

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Peggy... you could try the Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, although it's many, many years since I was there. I've been desperately searching for the rather poor pic I took of a B36 but can't lay my hands on it yet...

This subject has been aired on another egroup I belong to and aviation-types usually go bananas at the mention of a B36. I only ever saw one flying - over my home in Morden, Surrey way back in the 50s but I saw 2 at WPAFB in September 1966 and they may still be there.

I wish you well and hope you see one - they were THE most amazing flying machines ever.

[PaperTiger]

The SAC Museum near Lincoln, Nebraska has a B-36 on display indoors: http://www.strategicairandspace.com/collections/B-36.html

There's one outside at Castle AFB Atwater, California: http://www.elite.net/castle-air/

The Pima Museum at Tucson, Arizona is restoring a B-36. When I visited last year it was still in pieces outside but if you ask nicely (as I did) they let you poke around it (under supervision of course). Website currently down.

[Evalu8ter]

The magnificent, recently much expanded, USAF museum at Wright Patterson AFB, near Dayton, Ohio has an immaculate B-36. Not to mention a B-1, B-2, B-17, B-24, B-25,B-26, B-47,B-50,B-52, B-58 etc, etc....all under cover...Quite simply a jaw-dropping collection. Oh, and don't get me started on the XB-70! If you can only go to one museum, go there.

[PEGGY]

Thanks Guys for the input. I shall spend a while making a plan maybe to take in more than one museum if time will allow. Its easy to underestimate the size of the country though! I live 10 minutes from Manston so a trip to their museum might unearth some photos. I expect the B36 was a visitor there in the 1950s but I cant be sure. Such a shame she only lasted 10 years when the B52 is still going strong.

[noflybywire]

S.A.C What superb flying footage and that music is brilliant,:ok: :ok: :ok:

[brickhistory]

Was at the National Museum of the USAF in October, the B-36 is in the Cold War collection hangar. Along with the other bombers and fighters of the era, just magnificent collection. Also, it's inside (Dayton in the winter is cold!). Getting inside any of their collection is nearly impossible. Either VIP connections or as part of a veterans' gathering is about the only way I know to get interior access to any of the aircraft.

SAC Museum's big collection was outside the last time I was there, but that was many years ago. Omaha in the winter is a repeat of the above temps!

Oh, I see another reply says the aircraft are now indoors. SAC has a Vulcan, however.

Dayton is a short flight away (about an 8 hour drive) from the Air & Space Museum located at Dulles Airport and the original location in downtown DC.

[PaperTiger]

SAC Museum's big collection was outside the last time I was there, but that was many years ago. Omaha in the winter is a repeat of the above temps!
Oh, I see another reply says the aircraft are now indoors.It's a completely different site with new buildings, no longer near Omaha/Offutt.

[brickhistory]

It's a completely different site with new buildings, no longer near Omaha/Offutt.

Sorry, didn't read thoroughly your post. You listed it at Lincoln and the website shows the new place. Very nice!

[PPRuNe Pop]

Its a good few years ago since I last visited Dayton but I would appreciate photos taken there to be put into our World Aviation Museum thread above.

Any other museums too of course.

[Amos Keeto]

There is a DVD on the B-36 available on E.Bay right now:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260056584789&rd=1&rd=1

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

There used to be one outside Carswell AFB in Ft Worth, but they took it somewhere for a renovation. I'm not sure where though.

[brickhistory]

Carswell one went to Pima Air Museum as listed above.

Took some photos of the Bristol Beaufighter unveiling at the National Museum of the USAF on 19 Oct and posted in a thread here, but am unable to find the thread now. Will post them to the World Aviation Museum thread.

[barit1]

Just to make you drool -

25 years ago I went with a Boy Scout troop on an after-hours tour of the W-PAFB museum. We gained admission to the B-36 cockpit - I'm sure that I appreciated it more than the boys did. ;)