Interesting aircraft type things to see in California.

Not sure if the Aircraft Projects forum is really the right place for this question,but as I can't find anywhere more suitable,I'll put it here for now.

I'm sure Zaph (or any other local aircraft fanatics) will be able to answer this. I'm on holiday in the California area from mid June (San Francisco,Los Angeles and Las Vegas) for about 3 weeks and would like some aircraft type things to go and see.

I'm already going to Travis AFB to see the planes in the heritage centre,in particular the Globemaster (the original C124,not those horrid modern things) is something I've always wanted to see as they were retired from service before I started visiting military airbases here in the UK.

Thanks to Zaph and the photos of his visit when it was closed,the Blackbird Airpark at Palmdale is already on my list.

I've just seen the thread about the original Airforce 1,but that's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far away which is a shame as the Connie is such a beautiful aeroplane (my all time favourite) and I've only ever seen one flying here in the UK back in the 1970s.I'm sure there must be some scattered around the deserts of California I can see?

How about Air Force bases that have visitor centres? I'm going past Edwards and will be staying near to Nellis,what are my chances of any useful photo opportunities at these places?

Or anywhere else anyone can suggest that has decent access,is good for photos and don't point guns at English tourists?

a reply to: Imagewerx

When you go by Nellis, go down to the exit that the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the Petro truck stop are at (sorry I don't remember which one it is). If you park at the Petro, you're sitting next to the approach path to Nellis, and will see things coming in and taking off very easily. Red Flag isn't until July, but they still have daily operations going on, including the F-35 flying out of there.

If you go past Palmdale to US-58, you'll get to the Mojave Air and Space Port. Some interesting things to see up there. Scaled Composites, and Virgin Galactic are there.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Cheers Zaph,will definitely take a look at Nellis in that case. Nothing to see at Edwards then?

a reply to: Imagewerx

You can see a few things from the road, but it's set in a bowl, so seeing the base itself from the road is a matter of finding the right place you can park and look at it. If you take the North Base exit you can see their retired B-52B and a few other things. You'll see things flying around while you're at Palmdale/Mojave though, but on the base itself not so much really.

Edwards is about 15 miles across isn't it,I would imagine most of it is lost in the heat haze? It's a bit of a diversion,so might not bother if the only thing worth seeing is the B52 gate guard.

There's the boneyard at the Air and Space port isn't there,is there public access to that part?

a reply to: Zaphod58

While at the Mohave, there is a couple of unusual airplane in the boneyard that I've always thought was C-130s on steroids. They are C-133s but they retired before I could see one flying. Another really rare bird is at Kelly AFB in Texas. It's a C-99 the cargo version of the B-36. I don't know if it's still there since it been many years since I was there. The place to go is the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio if you want to see rare airplanes in one stop.

The Experimental Aircraft Association convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin in August is a week long airshow that touches all aspects of aviation. They have warbirds, experimentals, military and most anything you could think of...and they all fly! I've been there and it won't disappoint!

a reply to: buddah6

Was that aimed at me or Zaph as in the header as it was me asking the question? I should have mentioned the C133 Cargomaster as well,I also just missed seeing them flying as the C141 Starlifters had just come into service when I started visiting military airfields.They've got one at Travis AFB which is properly restored,so looking forward to seeing that up close and personal.

The other stuff is either too far away or the wrong dates,I'm only in California mid June to early July and back in England after that.

a reply to: Imagewerx

You'll see a lot flying around Edwards. One of the days we were there there was a B-52, C-17, and F-35 at the same time. They do touch and go practice, and some of the F-35s do envelope expansion in the area. You'll see contrails doing some wild things.

There's no public access to the storage area, but you can drive to a few areas where you can get a good look out there. And you can sit right beside the Orbital L1011.

originally posted by: Imagewerx
a reply to: buddah6

Was that aimed at me or Zaph as in the header as it was me asking the question? I should have mentioned the C133 Cargomaster as well,I also just missed seeing them flying as the C141 Starlifters had just come into service when I started visiting military airfields.They've got one at Travis AFB which is properly restored,so looking forward to seeing that up close and personal.

The other stuff is either too far away or the wrong dates,I'm only in California mid June to early July and back in England after that.

My comment was not pointed at anyone just for general consumption. Though the dates are wrong for Oshkosh it may be something on your future bucket list.

a reply to: buddah6

Ohio is definitely on my list. I know a few of those aircraft.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Imagewerx

You'll see a lot flying around Edwards. One of the days we were there there was a B-52, C-17, and F-35 at the same time. They do touch and go practice, and some of the F-35s do envelope expansion in the area. You'll see contrails doing some wild things.

There's no public access to the storage area, but you can drive to a few areas where you can get a good look out there. And you can sit right beside the Orbital L1011.

Ok thanks for that,in which case I'll stop at Edwards anyway,I take this is normally on the northern side for the best view?
And I guess it'd be rude not to go past Mohave when I'm in that general area.

a reply to: buddah6

Ok thanks,I do know about Oshkosh,but I doubt if it interests me enough to want to make it part of my holiday.Our equivalent in the UK for home built aircraft is Sywell,organised by the PFA.I went there once and but wouldn't bother going again.

a reply to: Imagewerx


Hi,

If you going by Yosemite, the you have to stop at the Castle Air museum


www.castleairmuseum.org...

WELCOME TO CASTLE AIR MUSEUM, ATWATER, CA

A visit to the Castle Air Museum gives visitors a peek into the past and lends insight into the evolution of aircraft and the past milestones of aviation. It offers visitors of all ages a glimpse of what the future of aerospace might hold.


Our collection encompasses nearly sixty restored vintage military aircraft ranging from pre-WWII to the present on approximately twenty acres of beautifully-maintained grounds. In addition to the outdoor displays the museum is complemented by an indoor museum which houses a fascinating collection of wartime memorabilia including aircraft engines, military uniforms, historic photos, and personal military artifacts from the past century.

This is their collection


Avro Vulcan B. Mk.2

Avro-Canada CF-100 Mk. V Canuck

Beech C-45 Expediter

Beech YT-34 Mentor

Bell GAM-63 Rascal Air Missile

Bell H-13 Army “MASH” Helicopter

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Boeing B-47E Stratojet

Boeing B-52D Stratofortress

Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker

Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter

Boeing WB-50 Superfortress

Cessna C-150

Cessna O-2 Super Skymaster

Cessna T-37B Tweety Bird

Cessna U-3A Blue Canoe

Cessna UC-78 Bamboo Bomber

Consolidated B-24M Liberator

Convair F-102A Delta Dagger

Convair F-106A Delta Dart

Convair HC-131 Samaritan

Convair RB-36H Peacemaker

Convair TF-102A Delta Dagger

Curtiss C-46D Commando

DeHaviland-Canada L-20 Beaver

Douglas A-26B Invader

Douglas A-4L Skyhawk

Douglas B-18 Bolo

Douglas B-23 Dragon

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Douglas R5D-4 Skymaster

Douglas RA-3B Skywarrior

Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless

Fairchild C-119C Flying Boxcar

Fairchild C-123K Provider

Fairchild PT-23

General Dynamics FB-111A Aardvark

Grumman F-14D Tomcat

Grumman HU-16B Albatross

Grumman S-2 Tracker

Kaman HH-43B Huskie

Kawasaki KAQ-1

Lockheed C-56 Loadstar

Lockheed F-104B Starfighter

Lockheed F-80B Shooting Star

Lockheed F-94A Starfire

Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star

Martin EB-57A Canberra/Intruder

MB-1C B-58 Hustler Weapons/Fuel Pod

McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle

McDonnell Douglas VC-9C Presidential Transport

McDonnell F-101B Voodoo

McDonnell F-4E Phantom “Thunderbirds”

MIG/LIM-5 Fresco

MK. 17 Thermonuclear Weapon Shape

NASA Hyperglider

North American AGM-28 Hound Dog Missile

North American AT-6 Texan

North American B-25J Mitchell

North American B-45A Tornado

North American F-100 Super Sabre

North American F-86H Sabre                     

North American RA-5C Vigilante

North American T-39 Saberliner

Northrop-Grumman EA-6B Prowler

Northrop F-89J Scorpion

Northrop T-38 Talon

Piper L-3

Republic F-105B Thunderchief

Republic F-84C Thunderjet

Republic F-84F Thunderstreak

Ryan BQM-34 Drone

Ryan PT-22

SAAB J35 Draken

Schweitzer TG-3 Glider

Stinson L-4

Vought RF-8G Crusader

Vultee BT-13 Valiant

a reply to: Imagewerx

The best stuff is on South Base but it's kinda far from the road to see anything so North Base is your best bet to look.

a reply to: punkinworks10

Don't know how I missed that one out completely when Googling aircraft museums.My schedule with Yosemite is very tight,so might have to do this one as a day trip from San Francisco,122 miles so shouldn't be too bad to do it in a day.Definitely worth doing I reckon but would need more or a less a whole day to see everything properly.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Ok thanks again Zaph,I'll definitely take a look.

So are there any other suggestions please,any random Lockheed Constellations converted into roadside diners etc?

a reply to: Imagewerx

Try the entrance to Plant 42 by the Air Park. I think there's a visitor center there. And of course go by the Skunk Works hangar. I caught a glimpse of an itty bitty piece of something when they left the doors open.

a reply to: Imagewerx
Hey there Imagewerx,
I just briefly checked out your thread in travel,
The oakhurst/south yosemite is my stomping grounds. Word of warning, when driving to Yosemite, GPS MAPS FOR THE AREA ARE WRONG. Unless you are in a 4WD offroad vehicle, there are only three roads into Yosemite CA 120 from modesto, CA140 from merced and CA 41 from oakhurst. If you use the "shortest route" function on a gps, it WILL send down one of three routes that havent exsited for nearly a hudred years all three are dead ends at the park boundries, if you make it that far before getting stuck.

Where the road ends when you get off of 49 to 41 to yos. the secret wawona gate



And the end of the road from the old old coulterville road.



There is good japanese food @ Oka resturaunt or kyoto kafe resturant in Oakhurst, decent mexican food at El Cid, or if you want world class mex food and a nice little drive (1/2hr each way around bass lake , the first hydro electric project west of new york) La Cabana in North Fork ,lacabanamexicanrestaurant.com...
Di Ciccos for italian

Un fortunately its been very very dry so expect not to see much in the way of water falls, unless things change it wont be very hot, luckily.

On the drive down US 1, expect to take 4 ish hrs( depending on traffic and road conditions) to drive the 100 miles from Monteryey to San Simeon, but it is worth it. The section from the city to Santa Cruz has a new tunnel that cuts off a lot of twisty cliffy stuff, that section used to be 2-3hr, dont know about now havent been there since new tunnel.

a reply to: Imagewerx

Western Museum of Flight at the Torrance airport. Has a number of Northrop goodies , it used to be at Hawthorne airport the old Northrop Aircraft plant. Went there a few times since my father worked at Northrop.

a reply to: Imagewerx

Oh, make sure you get to Palmdale on a weekday. The Air Park is open M-F.