Calling Streakeagle.....

[+Jimbib 747]

Hey Streakeagle, I've got a bit of an OT question for ya. At the end of July I'm off to Florida for 3 weeks, going to Orlanda for the first two, and then West Palm Beach for the last. What my question is, do you know of perhaps any good aircraft museums in the area or maybe an airshows on at that time? Since I see you live in Tampa which isn't too far away, I thought you may have a good idea of the area :)

 

Any info greatly appreciated :)

 

Jim

[+streakeagle 871]

I may be going back to Atlanta sometime between July 24 and July 31, but if you make here before I leave, Orlando is less than an hour from my workplace and just over an hour from my home... we could meet for dinner one night ;)

 

Airshows I am not sure about... Sun-n-Fun is the big one and has already happened for this year.

 

The closest air museum of any decent size is: http://www.fantasyofflight.com/

 

It is a little small for the price, but the aircraft collection is very respectable considering that all of the aircraft are owned by one person:

Antonov AN-2

Avro Cadet

North American AT-6D

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Douglas B-23 Dragon

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

North American B-25J Mitchell

Martin B-26 Marauder

Bachem Ba 349 Natter Viper

Bell 47G Helicopter

Bucker Bestmann

Bucker Jungmann

Bucker Jungmeister

Chance-Vought F4U-4 Corsair

Cierva C 30-A Autogyro

Curtiss Junior

Curtiss Model D Headless Pusher

Curtiss TP-40N

Fieseler Fi-156 Storch

Fieseler Fi-103 V-1 Flying Bomb

Focke Wulf FW-44 Steiglitz

Fokker D-VIII

Ford 5AT Trimotor

Gee Bee Z

Grumman Duck

Grumman F3F Flying Barrel

Grumman FM-2 Wildcat

Hiller Hornet

Lockheed Vega

Mitsubishi A6M5 Zero

Morane A-1

Morane/Brock Monoplane

Norde Stampe

North American P-51C Mustang

Piper L-4J Grasshopper

Polikarpov PO-2

Ryan NYP Spirit of St. Louis

Short Sunderland MK5

Spirit of Peace Balloon Capsule

Standard E-1

Standard J-1

Stinson Trimotor

Supermarine Spitfire MK16

Thomas Morse Scout

Trautman Road Air

Travel Air 4000

Valkyrie

 

Another museum not too far from Orlando is the Florida Air Museum at the Sun-n-Fun in Lakeland. For a look at the aircraft there: http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/interior....amp;body=planes

 

In Kissimmee (a suburb of Orlando), there was a little warbird museum there, but I have not ever visited it. The website looks cool, but it says the hurricanes in 2004 made them move to Georgia!

 

Another small one to the east near the Space Center is: http://www.vacwarbirds.org/index.html

Doesn't look too impressive from the website, but you never know what you will find at some of these smaller ones.

 

The best museum I know of in Florida for military aircraft is the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, but that is a bit of a drive from Orlando. If you have the time to drive there and spend the whole day, it is worth it.

Edited July 13, 2006 by streakeagle

[HrntFixr 4]

Bibbo to bad you'll be down south... I'll buy ya a brew if you can make it up north florida mate!!!

 

Fantasy of Flight! I went there years ago and had a blast. The cafe in the place is called the compass rose!!! It's a little north of Orlando in Polk City.

 

I have to agree with Streakeagle and say that the Naval air museum would be the best...( 20 yrs in the Navy and I've never been... that will be fixed when my vacation time rolls around :) )

 

North American TopGun is about 45 mins from me if you want to fly some T-34's!!!

 

More up north Florida.... Air Force Armament Museum near Elgin AFB, DeLand Naval Air Station Museum in Deland Florida,

 

Also, you have the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum near the Kennedy Space Center not far from where you will be, in Titusville (aka- the space coast)

 

Have fun mate!!!!

[+Jimbib 747]

Hey guys thanks for the replies!!!!! Apologies for not getting back to you, been running around like a blue arsed fly trying to get everything ready. I'm off tomorrow for my hols, and hopefully I'll be able to make it to some of the places you've mentioned :) If there's a chance I'll be in your area streakeagle, I'll give ya a buzz on a pm :)

[+streakeagle 871]

I ended up in Atlanta and trapped for a while :(