National Museum of the United States Air Force

A few weeks ago my wife and I visited the U. S. Air Force museum at Wright Patterson AFB near Dayton, OH. As at most of my visits, I spent all my time at the Southeast Asia section. I am not really into jet aircraft, so did not give them too much attention. But it is hard to miss the B-52 that you walk under. Its landing gear is up on pedestals about 4- 5 feet off the floor. 

Not having been there for several years, some things have been put away and others have been put back on display. I took some photos which I will post here. I won't post all of them today. So if you want to see more, check back from time to time. Most of what I photographed is geared to what we might use in a miniatures wargame.

I guess you would call this a life size diorama. It is a recreation of the incident where Lt. Jim Fleming did an incredible rescue of SOG Recon Team Chisel while his UH-1P was nearly on empty and under tremendous NVA fire. The rescue took place "across the fence" in Cambodia It is a thrilling story to read in detail. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for this flight. While this is not his original aircraft, it is configured and painted as his was at the time. He flew with the 20th Special Operations Squadron, the Green Hornets. If you look closely, the Green Hornet insignia is visible on the tail boom. 










More photos from the museum to follow.

Tom

It's very realistic!

Due to the enthusiastic response from so many quarters that my original post on this topic generated, I thought I owed it to my followers to come back with more.







This CH-3E has returned from where ever these go when not on display. I don't know what they changed other than the sign. It has omitted some of the language that was there before when the aircraft was on display. The last time it included that the helicopter was used "across the fence." I can't remember if it said both Laos and Cambodia, but I know one or the other. It did specify North Vietnam and that there was a reward for shooting this particular aircraft down. That may seem far fetched, but I have read that Hanoi knew the names of certain specific SOG member and they had rewards on them. Before it also said that when the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas had a major fire, this helicopter got people off, or out of, the burning building.

Off to the right in the second photo, you will notice a North Vietnamese MIG. If I remember correctly, it is a 21, but I may be wrong.

Tom

Where does it go when it's not on display? Why all the belated secrecy about its operations? Spooky...

I think that's a MiG-17 to the right - it looks a lot like my Airfix kit.

I don’t doubt that you are right about the MiG.

I guess Black Mariah went wherever their Son Tay display is now. In the past few decades it has become fashionable for American museums to cycle their stuff in and out and have lots of empty space in display cabinets.

The worst example of that that I know of is the Buffalo Cody museum in Cody Wyoming. They have a tremendous amount of plains Indians regalia. It used to be on display. One specific case I remember was about six feet high and ten feet long filled with beaded and/or quilled moccasins. Now that case is gone and they have a pair here and there in other, mostly empty cases.

The Air Force museum does not seem to follow that policy. I suspect items are rotated because they have more than they can put on display at one time.

Tom

I've been told by a guy that worked at the museum, that that bird is one of the ones with a reputation for weird stuff happening around it. It certainly has a "vibe" about it.

They used to rotate aircraft over to the annex area for various maintainance and restoration jobs. At times, they have had busses that would take you over to additional temporary displays in the annex, but it is on the actual base, and has been locked down that last coupleof times that I was down there.

This time I was in a bit of a hurry by the time I got to Black Mariah and forgot about the bullet holes. When it was on display before I remember seeing the round bullet hole patches. Specifically I remember them on the starboard side.

You are right about weird vibes. I have read elsewhere that some people viewing this helicopter have claimed to have heard moaning like from a wounded soldier and voices. I have not experienced anything like that. I do always think about the places it has been, the heroes who have flown it and been its passengers plus the history it has seen and created. I guess it is history we will probably never know.

Tom

Very cool photos Tom. Thanks for sharing! Last time I drove through Ohio I thought about taking a side trip to check out the museum.  I wish I had, but thought I was in a hurry at the time.  Oh well.

Thanks for the reply. That inspires me to put up more when I get the chance.

Thanks Tom!
Museum had to be a great trip along with some eerie
surprises! Hope you post more. Wish I could travel,
sure would love to see it. Seeing the National Marine
Corps Museum is on my bucket list. It is close enough,
but with medical issues, I will need someone with me.
Just could not make that trip alone.

Again, thanks for a great post. As always, wish
you the very best!

Sam

Damned medical issues! One of my fondest memories is pushing my dad in a wheelchair to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum in my home town. I couldn't believe he had never been there. He knew various RNZAF guys in the 1940s but was always frustrated over the fact he was only 17 1/2 when they dropped the atomic bombs on Japan. My uncle served in the 3rd NZ Division in the South Pacific but dad was just that little bit too young. I hope you get to the Marine Museum, Yankee Sam.

Here are more photos. I tend to photograph that which interests me. I am a big SOG fan and the FACs who supported them much of the time were from the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron which was organized at DaNang, but operated out of a number of Forward Operating Bases. The next three photos are of the 20th TASS display.







Thanks for your interest Sam. Very best wishes to you too. I am sorry about your travel situation. My wife's health has modified mine significantly, but of course the Air Force Museum is local for me.

Tom

Great pics - it's interesting that the flag is "early style Snoopy" and that in the sign he looks very contemporary.

OTB, you both more observant than I and more of a Snoopy scholar than I.

Tom

I grew up reading Peanuts

So now we're adding "Snoopy Scholar" to OTB's many titles now?  :P