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The United States Air Force Museum, located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, justifiably claims to be
the oldest and largest military aviation museum in the world. Founded in 1923, the museum is currently housed in a pair of
immense hangars, and will soon be doubled in size as a new expansion is completed. The Air Force Museum's collection includes
over 300 aircraft and missiles, depicting the history of American military aviation from the Wright Brothers through to the
stealth era. The collection houses many unique aircraft, and the scope of the collection is quite staggering. A special bonus
for modelers seeking reference photos is that many of the aircraft are not behind barriers, thus allowing access to wheel
wells, engine bays, and many other details not normally seen up close.
Fortunately for foreign visitors, the Museum's entrance is separate from that of the base proper, which is a highly sensitive
location, and there is no special security at the entrance to the Museum grounds.
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| This stunning Northrop A-17A is one of many unique aircraft on display in the Early Years Gallery. |
The museum's entire collection of aircraft, spacecraft, and missiles is too large to even begin to list, but some of the
highlights of the collection are as follows. The Museum has a number of First World War aircraft on display, including a magnificent
Caproni Ca-36 three-engined bomber, a Halberstadt CL.IV close support aircraft, the SPAD XVI that Billy Mitchell used to control
the great St. Mihiel air battles, a SPAD XIII, an Se.5, and several excellent reproductions of other famous Great War planes.
The Between The Wars Gallery includes such unique gems as a Curtiss P-6E Hawk, a Boeing P-12E, a Seversky P-35, a Curtiss
P-36, the only Martin B-10 bomber in the world, and a staggeringly beautiful Northrop A-17A (see photo above). These planes
look absolutely beautiful in their colourful prewar markings, and beg for models to be made of them.
The Museum has more than just American aircraft on display. The Luftwaffe is well-represented, with an Fi-156 Storch, Fw-190D-9,
Ju-52/3m and Ju-88D-1, Bf-109G-10, Me-163 and Me-262 all on display, as well as a Spanish-built CASA Ca-211 that is being
re-engined with Jumo 211s to make an He-111H. A Macchi Mc.200 Saetta, a Kawanishi N1K-2 George, and an Ohka represent other
Axis powers. Post-war, a full spectrum of MiGs, from MiG-15 through MiG-23 and MiG-29, are represented. Rumour has it that
a Tu-95 Bear will be featured in the new Cold War Gallery, along with a MiG-25!
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| The F-86D on display in the Modern Flight Gallery is one of the finest examples in existence. |
As should be expected, the Museum's collection of USAF aircraft is extremely comprehensive. Virtually every major type
of combat and support aircraft is represented in the collection, in many cases by the sole surviving examples. The jet
fighter collection is particularly comprehensive, including examples of the P-59 Airacomet, the XF-85 Goblin, the F-107, and
other unusual types. The Century Series is present in its entirety, along with three F-111s, F-4s, and other Vietnam-era
staples. NORAD's colouful interceptors are also present in all their glory: the F-86D Sabre Dog, the F-89 Scorpion,
and the F-94 Starfire are all on display in the brilliant paint schemes which typified their years of service.
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| A room which can house a B-47, B-52, C-124 and the XB-70A with ease: the Modern Flight Gallery. |
One of the Air Force Museum's specialties is bombers. From the B-10 to the Second World War twins, the B-25, B-26, A-20,
and A-26, to the heavyweight B-17, B-24, and B-29, all can be seen here. The Air Force Museum is the resting place of Bockscar,
the Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Postwar bombers are also present with a vengeance:
the massive Convair B-36 Peacemaker stretches its wings from wall to wall inside the massive display buildings, while outside
can be seen several examples of the Boeing B-50. In the Modern Flight Gallery (the second major building), SAC's major jet
bombers are present, from the North American B-45 to the ground-breaking B-47, the mighty B-52 Stratofortress and the sleek
B-58 Hustler. The USAF Museum is also home to the world's largest collection of X-planes, including the X-15A-2, all sitting
under the wing of North American's mighty triplesonic XB-70A-1 Valkyrie. An SR-71A and the only surviving YF-12A are also
part of the collection.
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| This Caproni Ca-36 strategic bomber is one of several spectacular Great War planes on display. |
As large as the Museum buildings are, they cannot house all of the collection. Hence, a group of Annex buildings are located
on the grounds of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (the USAF Museum itself has a separate entrance, and thus is freely accessible
to all tourists). Visitors can ride a shuttle bus to the Annex to see a number of additional planes, including the Presidential
collection and such rarities as the monstrous Fisher XP-75 Eagle fighter and the XF-91 Thunderceptor. Until the National Air
and Space Museum's Utvar-Hazy Center opens at Dulles Airport in December 2003, the USAF Museum will remain unrivalled as the
largest air museum in the world. The breadth and depth of the collection is second to none, the restoration work is excellent,
and the sheer scope of the place can't be beat. Where else can you go to see a B-36 indoors? Where else does a museum building
exist that a B-52 can almost be lost in? This museum is a must-see for anybody even remotely interested in aviation, and is
a big chunk of heaven for aircraft modelers.
USAF Museum exhibits featured in our Reference Articles:
Boeing P-26A Peashooter
Bristol Beaufighter Mk VIF Cockpit
Macchi MC.200 Saetta
McDonnell Gemini Space Capsule
North American XB-70A-1 Valkyrie
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