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[vtrelut]

...Come true!

Two weeks ago I travelled to the Western United States; after landing in Los Angeles I flew to Las Vegas and then to Tucson, Arizona... A cradle of military aviation. Beside taking off alongside the Air National Guard's F-16s also based at the Tucson International Airport, I drove around Davis Monthan Air Force Base which is the home of operational A-10s from the US Air Force, and went to the nearby Pima Air & Space Museum, which exhibits more than 300 aircraft! Davis Monthan is famous for its storage of US military aircraft, probably the largest aircraft density in the world with thousands of them. It was an incredible sight when I saw all these C-130s, C-135s, B-52s, etc.

The Pima museum has aircraft outside and also inside hangars, one of which is the prototype of the North American F-107A:


And what a fantastic collection of bombers, B-17G, B-29, B-50, B-47 and especially the Convair B-36 Peacemaker, a legendary intercontinental bomber fitted with 10 engines, and the B-58 Hustler, the world's first Mach 2 intercontinental bomber!







Ki-43II:





Century Fighters:


F-106 Delta Dart, a little tired:



North American RA-5C Vigilante:


Few non-american aircraft in this museum, where these Blenheim and Fairey Gannett seemed lost:





US Navy and Marines:






Lockheed S-3A Viking:












P-63 Kingcobra:


Pacific Mustang:


F-14A Tomcat:


James Bond's Microjet (see Octopussy):



MiG-15 UTI:


Unfortunately I did not carry my camera, I had a compact at the beginning but ran out of battery, so I basically used only my mobile phone for pictures, forgive the quality of the pictures... But I could touch the aircraft and was so thrilled by this visit, it will be an unforgettable memory.

More Pics here:

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/vtrelut/Pima%20Museum/

[Dinosbacsi]

I like the Mig-15 and the Lockheed S-3A =D Those two planes looks funny

[vtrelut]

And it was not yet finished... On my way to Toronto my plane had mechanical trouble so I was re-routed through Phoenix, Arizona. I had a couple of hours there and inquired about air museums in the vicinity of Phoenix... And I was directed to the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing at Mesa. A very worthy pause:



















In this museum aircraft are alive, they are maintained, repaired and some fly:





You can fly in a Texan and even the B-17G for a few hundred dollars, and, which is great, without paying extra fees you can climb in the B-17, access the bomb bay, gunners' positions, navigator's position, etc, and even the nose!







I left Arizona with gorgeous feelings: it is a must for aviation enthusiasts. In Arizona's museums visitors can touch the aircraft, climb onboard, talk to their owners and maintenance crews, you literally feel the aircraft...



More here (sorry again for pictures' quality, I only had a mobile phone for photography...):

http://s233.photobucket.com/albums/ee281/vtrelut/Arizona%20Wing/

[CWMV]

dang thats only like 9 hours from me. I wanted to go to AZ anyway to get some cheap surplus guns and ammo. Ill have to check this out!
Ive always wished there were more european aircraft here stateside. I'm so tired of P51's, B17's and Skyraiders! I wanna see some Messerschmitts!

[No1_Cheese]

Thanks for pics
A bloody Blenheim in Arizona

Cheese

[Assim]

Wow, I'm jealous. I live about an hour from the EAA, but I would kill to see that place. Absolutely amazing pictures.   

[vtrelut]

Don't forget you also have the Grand Canyon in the North and so many other impressive places to see in the area... AZ = must go!

[JAMF]

They have an F7F Tigercat and two T6 Texans/Harvards out there? Are they stored there by the owner, or what's their status?

[vtrelut]

The F-7F Tigercat is exposed at the Pima museum in Tucson. It is not in flying condition, although in relatively good shape.

At the CAF Arizona Wing at Mesa, Falcon Field near Phoenix, there is a Texan in flying condition, available for visitors to fly in (extra payment required).

I suggest you check for details on their internet sites, each museum has one.

[max_thehitman]

Nice selection of photos dude. I really enjoyed seeing these pictures as I have never
visited those places before. Perhaps one day.
Thanks very much for a great post!!

Cheers
MAX

[RogCBrand]

Great pictures!  My aunt lives in Mesa and back in 1989 we went to visit her, stopping to see the Grand Canyon on the way.  As my dad, brother and I love military aircraft, we went to all the same places, dragging my mom and sister along.
 

What was really cool, the son of my dad's boss was in charge of F-15E training at Davis-Monthan, so we got to tour the base with him and get up and look inside the F-15Es.  I was in heaven!

And you're right!  The Pima museum is incredible with row after row of old aircraft!  With so many air museums around, Arizona is definitely the perfect destination for anyone with a love of military aviation!

[SilverFox23]

The Pima Museum is the best museum in Arizona... I visited it when I was 7!