# Pima Air and Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona



## evangilder (Apr 19, 2013)

Finally checked this one off the old bucket list. Over 300 aircraft on 80 acres in multiple hangars. It was an aviation lovers wet dream. We spent an entire day out there and barely saw everything, including going in to an area we weren't supposed to be (in out defense, there weren't any signs that we shouldn't be in there). I took over 600 photos and am trying to figure out how to make a post on the website for this, so I will share some here for now. First. a little trip down memory lane for me with some aircraft I worked around, or flew in during my days. One thing I did not expect was to feel a rush of emotions and memories seeing the Pave Low helicopter again after 25 years.


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## evangilder (Apr 19, 2013)

Continuing with aircraft from my era, a weapon that I could never "confirm nor deny the presence of".


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 19, 2013)

Great shots! Is this the place that also has the B-18?


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## Wayne Little (Apr 19, 2013)

Awesome shots Eric, look forward to many more!


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## Thorlifter (Apr 19, 2013)

Yes VB. Pima has a B-18 Bolo.


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## evangilder (Apr 19, 2013)

More coming this evening. And yes, they have a B-18 Bolo. There is also an Oscar there!


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 19, 2013)

Oh man!


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## Matt308 (Apr 19, 2013)

They have really added to the collection since I was there in the 1980s


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## syscom3 (Apr 19, 2013)

Eric, I am glad you took my advice and visited the place. Did you also take the Davis-Monthan tour?


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## Gnomey (Apr 19, 2013)

Great shots Eric!


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## evangilder (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanks guys. Here are some of the WWII aircraft.


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## Wayne Little (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanks Eric!


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## meatloaf109 (Apr 20, 2013)

Matt308 said:


> They have really added to the collection since I was there in the 1980s


Just what I was thinking!


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## Matt308 (Apr 20, 2013)

Love the BAC Lightning


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## rochie (Apr 20, 2013)

great shots Eric, i love the Lightning as well !


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## syscom3 (Apr 20, 2013)

I want to see some pics of the B36.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 20, 2013)

They have a B-36 too????

What's the plane in pic #10 in post #11? It's the one with V-304 on it just before the Hurricane.


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## syscom3 (Apr 20, 2013)

vikingBerserker said:


> They have a B-36 too????
> 
> What's the plane in pic #10 in post #11? It's the one with V-304 on it just before the Hurricane.



Didnt you look at the pics I posted last summer of my trip to Pima? Shame on you!


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 20, 2013)

Sorry man, that I do not remember. I thought the only one left was in the Air Force Museum.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 21, 2013)

Terrific to see! Would love to go there! Thanks for posting Eric.

Viking, it's a Beech AT-11 Kansan, based on a Beech 18.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 21, 2013)

THANKS!


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## evangilder (Apr 21, 2013)

Cheers guys, Yes, they have a B-36 and lots of others.


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## syscom3 (Apr 21, 2013)

Eric, looks like they finally got that late model B50 on display. When I was there last year, they were still working on it in the non public area.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 21, 2013)

Wow, that place is far bigger than I thought


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## evangilder (Apr 21, 2013)

Yeah, 80 acres, VB. We were out there all day to be able to see everything. And even at that, we were moving along at a pretty good clip.

We wandered into the non-public area, not realizing it was non-public. The gate was open and there wasn't a sign. So we got to see the RADAR array under the EC-121 (Connie) up close. There was also a Harrier in USAF markings (Never saw a USAF Harrier) and some serious skin cancer on a Catalina.


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## Gnomey (Apr 21, 2013)

Excellent shots Eric!


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## evangilder (Apr 21, 2013)

Cheers G.


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## Trebor (Apr 21, 2013)

I'd love to go there, one day. if I were to be the sole winner of a major lottery jackpot, the first thing I'd do is call up the head honco of this place and ask him a single question: "what would it take to purchase your C-69 Constellation?"


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## evangilder (Apr 21, 2013)

Another favorite.


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## evangilder (Apr 21, 2013)

I kinda like the TWA marked Connie too, Robert. With three of them there, it's neat to see that many in one place.


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## vikingBerserker (Apr 21, 2013)

The B-58 Hustler, it even looks like it is going mach 2.5 just sitting there!


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## nuuumannn (Apr 21, 2013)

Fantastic shots Eric. Viking, no worries and you're right about the B-58... maaaaan, cool plane.

The 'Harrier' isn't actually a Harrier, strictly speaking its a Kestrel, still based on the P.1127 research aircraft, but the Kestrel came before the Harrier and was a test bed for a NATO VTOL tactical strike aircraft requirement never fulfilled. Six Kestrels were sent to the USA; you can see the remnants of BuAer No 64-18264 on the fin and despite wearing USAF lettering was allocated to the US Navy and was designated XV-6A, although the USAF did examine it and test fly it - hence the lettering. It's quite a rare airframe, although NASA has one preserved somewhere.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2013)

evangilder said:


> I kinda like the TWA marked Connie too, Robert. With three of them there, it's neat to see that many in one place.


 not a sexier transport plane than the Connie. and that TWA connie is the only surviving C-69 in the world


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## evangilder (Apr 22, 2013)

nuuumannn said:


> Fantastic shots Eric. Viking, no worries and you're right about the B-58... maaaaan, cool plane.
> 
> The 'Harrier' isn't actually a Harrier, strictly speaking its a Kestrel, still based on the P.1127 research aircraft, but the Kestrel came before the Harrier and was a test bed for a NATO VTOL tactical strike aircraft requirement never fulfilled. Six Kestrels were sent to the USA; you can see the remnants of BuAer No 64-18264 on the fin and despite wearing USAF lettering was allocated to the US Navy and was designated XV-6A, although the USAF did examine it and test fly it - hence the lettering. It's quite a rare airframe, although NASA has one preserved somewhere.



Great info, Numan. Since it was in the non-public area, there was no signage. You can see it's a work in progress, but a unique bird.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 22, 2013)

No worries Eric, will be neat to see once they've finished putting it together. You always find really interesting stuff in the non-public areas at museums.


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## evangilder (Apr 23, 2013)

True, and there is interesting stuff everywhere at this one! Seeing the T-38 in ATC colors was awesome for me, as this was the airplane that I always associated with the USAF. I remember the Thunderbirds flying these at one time.


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## evangilder (Apr 23, 2013)

And here is an early Thunderbird aircraft, the F-84F Thunderstreak.


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## nuuumannn (Apr 25, 2013)

Nice. Which was the nicer looking F-84, that one or the one with straight wings and the early fin? There's one just visible to the right of the F-84.


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## N4521U (Apr 25, 2013)

Wunderfulllll pictures. 
I do miss this about the States.


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