Tato Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Hi guys! Hope you all are doing fine. I'm planning on visiting the Air Force museum this weekend. How much time is recommended spending in the museum? Is one day enough? I'm planning on doing a little road trip from Boston to the Air Force Museum and then pass through the MAPS Air Museum when I get back to Boston. Can this be done in four days? My idea is to drive two days and spend the other two in the museums. Thank you! Tato Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Joe Hegedus Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Not sure how much time you'd want to devote to seeing the USAF Museum, but the drive from Boston to Dayton is on the order of 13+ hrs each way, not including any stops for gas/food/etc. you make and not accounting for any adverse weather you may encounter. Doable in a day, but that's a long day's drive. Personally, I think 4 days for both the driving and 2 museums might not be enough. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I've been several times always spend a full day there. If it were my first (and possibly only) visit I'd recommend two days, and try to get on one of the tours of the restoration annex if they still offer those. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I strongly suggest looking at the National Weather Service 7 day forecast, with radar and watches/warnings, pages before traveling. Right now the whole region is expecting snow Wednesday and Thursday, then some rain in places, but weekend seems to look reasonable. Dayton/Wright Patterson https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.7592&lon=-84.1938#.Y873763MJPY Boston/Logan International https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.3587&lon=-71.0567#.Y874Gq3MJPY Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tato Posted January 24, 2023 Author Share Posted January 24, 2023 6 hours ago, Joe Hegedus said: Not sure how much time you'd want to devote to seeing the USAF Museum, but the drive from Boston to Dayton is on the order of 13+ hrs each way, not including any stops for gas/food/etc. you make and not accounting for any adverse weather you may encounter. Doable in a day, but that's a long day's drive. Personally, I think 4 days for both the driving and 2 museums might not be enough. Thanks Joe. I don't mind driving long distances, in fact I quite enjoy it. My idea is to drive the whole Friday to Dayton, and then spend the weekend looking at the museums and returning on Monday to Boston. But you may be right, might have to visit only the Air Force museum this time. 5 hours ago, habu2 said: I've been several times always spend a full day there. If it were my first (and possibly only) visit I'd recommend two days, and try to get on one of the tours of the restoration annex if they still offer those. Thanks habu2, that's what I thought. It seems the museum is so big that two full days are better than just rushing to see all in just one. Probably will end up sacrificing the MAPS Air Museum. 3 hours ago, southwestforests said: I strongly suggest looking at the National Weather Service 7 day forecast, with radar and watches/warnings, pages before traveling. Right now the whole region is expecting snow Wednesday and Thursday, then some rain in places, but weekend seems to look reasonable. Dayton/Wright Patterson https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=39.7592&lon=-84.1938#.Y873763MJPY Boston/Logan International https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=42.3587&lon=-71.0567#.Y874Gq3MJPY Thank you for the links southwestforests. I knew the weather was going to be a little harsh this week, so I will have to wait and see if I have the opportunity. Hopefully the weather improve during the weekend. Thank you all! Best, Tato Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChesshireCat Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 I love that place, and everytime I go over there it's like a new place. The WW I stuff is really amazing, and you could just spend half a day there alone. My favorite things are the X planes and the Presidents planes. There's something for everybody in there gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 I used to live in Dayton and I suspect I was in the museum at least once a month for several hours at a time. This was over 20 years ago. It has doubled in size since then. If you have never been there before and won't be back for a while I would plan to stay for 2 days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 I was there in October, just passing through with my wife. My sister used to live in Farborn, just north of the Museum. At every visit with her I'd go at least once, usually two days. With my wife, this last time, I was only there for around 5 hours since I had to drive the rest of the way home...not nearly as long as I would have liked. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 I go once a year to visit a friend inn Dayton, always plan on 2 days (minimum). Part of that is my return to modelling, as I tend to research/photograph certain exhibits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spruemeister Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 Have they totally eliminated the restoration shop tours? Rick L. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Mignard Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 If you’re planning on taking photos be aware that the buildings are aircraft hangars and are not well lit. Additionally the partitions are covered with black cloth which soak up your flash. The aircraft are also mostly jammed together so depending on the aircraft you’re attempting to shoot it can be difficult to impossible to get a picture of the entire aircraft. Not trying to wave you off from going just trying to prepare you. It’s a great museum; It took me three days the first time I went. Mig ’ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 You can still get good shots...I took these photos with my cellphone without flash in October.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 1 hour ago, Spruemeister said: Have they totally eliminated the restoration shop tours? Rick L. According to their website: "We are not currently offering regularly scheduled tours of the Restoration Hangar." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 If you do try to use a flash indoors at the museum, experiment with longer shutter speeds (1/30 to 1/15) in shutter priority mode and start with an ISO of 400, experiment from there. This will help fill the scene with more ambient light and the flash will essentially "freeze" the subject. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tato Posted January 25, 2023 Author Share Posted January 25, 2023 Thank you all! This has been great advice. Two days it is then! This is my first time going, but It has been something I wanted to do since a long, long time. Let's hope the weather improves these days. Tato Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChesshireCat Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 3 hours ago, fasteagle12 said: You can still get good shots...I took these photos with my cellphone without flash in October.. That P26 was there the first time I went close to 40 years ago! Still my favorite air frame over there, Wish they'd put the Fi 156 down on the ground! Another think I loved was seeing Ike playing cards and Truman reading the newspaper gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob Mignard Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 4 hours ago, fasteagle12 said: You can still get good shots...I took these photos with my cellphone without flash in October.. I agree 100%. SOME aircraft are easy to shoot, others are nearly impossible. I took over 1000 photos on my first trip; mostly detail stuff. Mig Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fasteagle12 Posted January 25, 2023 Share Posted January 25, 2023 I only took around 150 photos in the 4 hours I was there. You're right though, with the size of some of the aircraft it's nearly impossible to get the whole aircraft in one shot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nate Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 I just found out I'm getting sent to Dayton for some work stuff, but I am going to extend my stay to be able to visit the museum - I know it's ginormous, but does it get crowded on Saturdays? That will likely be the only day I can get there, but my goal is to open and close the place 🙂 I didn't realize how excited I was to be able to go to the museum until my wife misread the website and thought it was closed for training while were going to be there - I almost cried. Fortunately it was a mobile website formatting glitch and everything is right with the world again.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Nate said: but does it get crowded on Saturdays? I have no personal knowledge of that, but, I do know that Google searc has a function ... Okay, plugged National Air Force Museum in to Google. And ... looks like 2pm Saturday is their busiest time of the week. Edited March 7, 2023 by southwestforests Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thegoodsgt Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Crowded or not, I'd definitely go. Enjoy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nate Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Oh yeah, nothing is going to stop me from going, I just didn't know how many little kids I would need to beat up to make sure I get to see the X-15, X-29, and Me-262, among other gems they have there 😉 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Way back when my Father took me to the museum when I got drafted and decided to go into the A.F. the whole placed was completely different. Most of the aircraft were outside and in some cases you could get into the bays, or with the B-36, they had a maint. scaffold you could walk up and see into the flight deck. The XB-70 had other aircraft parked under it and you could just walk over and touch the wheels. The B-24 was sitting alongside a rail car with the Goblin on it and a B-58 was parked off to the side waiting for a spot. I didn't see the Memphis Belle there but there was a B-17G outside with bombs in its bay next to a P-61 and an A-20. I didn't see the X-15 there but I did see it at the 1964 World's Fair in N.Y.C. When I was assigned to the 5th FIS in the mid 80s, I was given the assignment to hit up all the pilots and operations people for donations to build the new structures they have now. The squadron commander told me that if anyone gave me a problem, I was to tell them that he would appreciate it if they actually did contribute to the museum building fund. I had to use it a couple times and it did work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ikar Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 The B-10 bomber they have was found in 1973 during an air show one of our C-5s from Dover went to. A few of the people were walking around the base and stumbled on it in a hanger when someone looked through a window. A message was sent back and it was most likely relayed to M.A.C. HQ. Sometime after the show another C-5 picked it up and took it to Dover for what I think was an overall evaluation and I was told some minor work before it was sent to Wright Patterson. I was told it was the only surviving example left and they had been using it for maintenance training. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spruemeister Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 (edited) It hasn’t been all success stories. The B-36 that was referenced was hacked to pieces in favor of the current one on display. The previously scraped model was actually the YB-36 in the beginning before rebuild. A small piece of it was saved by Walter Soplata. The YB-52 was also scraped. I believe the first B-47E the museum had was also junked. Would have been the only surviving example from the 307th BW out here in Nebraska. We would have found a place for it. The Piper PA-48 Enforcer is now out at Pima. The F-82G is actually a B model painted black to try and fool people into thinking it’s a night fighter. Sometimes history has meant very little to the museum. Rick L. Edited March 8, 2023 by Spruemeister Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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