Hi Sfalcont, I've read about this collection and it's absolutely awesome. His attention to historical detail is well known. Thanks for the link. Cheers Owen
I have seen a couple of the planes flying over Seattle. One of these days I need to go up and see them up close. I have always wanted to fly a Mustang *sigh*
Reading, Pennsylvania: MidAtlantic Air Museum. WELCOME TO THE MID-ATLANTIC AIR MUSEUM They have an Avenger, B-25, and others. WWII Weekend on the first week of June is worth a visit.
There is another nice one in Darwin Australia with 8 aircraft from b52 bomber to spitfire mk8 plus a whole pile of engines and displays Cheers AJ
One little known museum in the UK is at Coalhouse fort East Tilbury in Essex. Primarily displaying artifacts from digs conducted along the Thames Estuary. Based at Coalhouse Fort since 1984 but starting life many years earlier in 1974 under the name of The Essex Historical Aircraft Society with the first excavation being carried out in August 11th of that year, on Hawker Hurricane P3518 of 257 ( Burma ) Squadron, they have carried out over forty excavations since 1974 The museum is open to the public on fort open days, last Sunday of the Month and Bank Holidays, see Coalhouse Fort - Index of for further info. A very interesting place and well worth a visit if your in the area.
Visited here early this month - Pacific Aviation Museum - Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Very, very well done with great plans for the future.
There is a lovely little museum at Witchford which has memorabilia for 115 Sqn and 75 (NZ) Sqn in it. It is in the foyer of a business building so is open Monday to Friday. Barry and his wife who look after it also open from 1am to 4pm every Sunday in the summer time. If anyone ever wants to go there let me know and I will tell you how to find it!!!
Just to add one thats not far from me here in the UK. http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/ A great day out for anyone interested in planes with enough for the kids to enjoy too.
I have two favorites here in the States. The USN's in Pensacola, Florida and the USAF's at Wright-Patterson in Ohio. In Britain, it would have to be the RAF Museum at Hendon.
I enjoyed seeing the aircraft on display at the USS Alabama site in Mobile: http://www.ussalabama.com/aircraft.php It was a few years ago and it looks like they have expanded their collection. I'd like to go again! I also loved the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian.
Haven't been to Pensacola since 1998. Still one of my favorite museums . . . as I sit 15 miles from the capital of the Confederacy and but 120 miles from DC. I like Air & Space, but after two visits, I was done. Pensacola feeds my interests. Do they still have that wood paneling from the Tempsky estate on Maui? My dad was one of those who signed the wall back in 1943. I've got some items that when I'm done with this world will be sent off to Pensacola, original items from VF-42 and VF-3 aboard Yorktown in 1942, some of the very few. Treated wife & myself to a trip to GB after finishing grad school in 1986. Among the many museums visited was RAF museum. Even back then, a fascinating place.
How about abit more info on your Dad? If you don't feel as though it would be pertinent to this thread, feel free to send me a message on my page. Always like to hear personal accounts of the war. Last time I was at the RAF Museum was in 1984. From what I understand, the facility itself is getting a little worn since our visits.
See below link. All correct except the part about currently living in Virginia Beach. That little squib was written exclusively for that site in the late 1990s. My father died in August 2005. http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/appendix/bios/vf3_william_n_leonard.html
What a story! The man didn't miss much did he? That was a pretty impressive career he had and I know you are proud of him.
