# Texas Air Museum - Stinson Field



## Thorlifter (Mar 18, 2008)

San Antonio Texas has several military bases in and around it so I did a search for air museums. Sure enough I found one at Stinson Field.

I've been so lucky lately when it involves airplanes. Let me explain how it worked out today. So I did the search and found this one. The only reason I went to it was because of some of the pics I'll share below. I'll also explain further on how I was super lucky today.

The one drawback of the museum is it's really old. The display cases were dirty and ugly. They had models of planes everywhere but most of them were either poorly done or broke. Some of the planes on static display outdoors were in super poor condition and were more of an eye sore than something amazing to look at. Here are some of the pics I took today.


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## Thorlifter (Mar 18, 2008)

So.........the whole reason I went was for this plane......


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## Thorlifter (Mar 18, 2008)

Then..........I was blown away to see this one sitting next to the FW-190
.
.


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## Thorlifter (Mar 18, 2008)

Now, here is where I got so lucky.......

Driving out there, the scenery sorta looked familiar. I drove past a funeral home and it looked familiar. I went ahead and toured the air museum then came back by. I pulled in and walked into the office. It was then I realized this is where my maternal grandparents are buried. I got the location and went to visit the gravesite. I really felt moved, shedded a few tears, smiled, and new this day couldn't get any better. 

So I share this image with you..........


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## evangilder (Mar 18, 2008)

Great stuff, Thorlifter. My wife jumped when I saw the FW-190 shot. I let out a fairly loud "WOW!". Very cool.


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## Thorlifter (Mar 18, 2008)

ha ha. That's funny! It's just amazing the stuff you find tucked away in a little do nothing hanger. I mean, the A-8's are rare enough, but to just happen across one is outstanding.


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## evangilder (Mar 18, 2008)

Yep, you never know what gems are tucked away in those hangars.


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## Snautzer01 (Mar 19, 2008)

hope the take better care with the 190 then the poor thing standing outside


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## wilbur1 (Mar 19, 2008)

Great find thor


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## Njaco (Mar 19, 2008)

Once again, another reason to move to Texas!  Did the Fw have any info about it? I seem to remember a few years ago that someone restored a Fw of JG 5 from I believe Norway and when completed actually found a pilot from the same Jabo unit that was flying another machine when the restored FW went down that day. Pilots name was Oskar or Orhly or something. Might this be that plane (not Weiss 7 with NASM)?


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## Thorlifter (Mar 19, 2008)

Other than a poorly typed poster board about JG5, no. No history of the plane at all. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd rate this place a 6. If the FW-190 and the V1 weren't there, I'd give it a 4.


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## A4K (Mar 19, 2008)

Great shots Thor! My amazement at an Fw 190 beingthere was only surpassed by seeing the Fiesler Fi 103R sitting next to it!!!!!

I'd visit the place just for those two exhibits!!! Thanks for posting!


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## Njaco (Mar 19, 2008)

I thought it was a FZG-76 Reichenberg. Is that another name for it?


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## Njaco (Mar 19, 2008)

Sorry to double post but this is what I was remembering...

from 
Military Photos . net

"On the 9th February 1945 a force of over thirty Beaughfighters of 144 Sqn RAF, 455 Sqn RAAF and 404 Sqn RCAF, took off from Dallachy, Scotland and were joined by an escort of 10 Mustangs of 65 Sqn RAF. Their mission was to carry out a strike against a German Destroyer, (the Z33) and accompanying vessels in the narrow Førdefjorden on the west coast of Norway. 

Just after launching the attack, the strike force was bounced by 12 Focke Wulf 190s of JG5 that had been scrambled from their base at Herdla, near Bergen. In the ensuing combat , one of the most intence ever seen in Norwegian skies , nine Beaufighters and one Mustang were shot down, fourteen aircrew were killed or posted missing, five became POWs The Germans also suffered considerable losses, five FW190s were shot down, two pilots being killed and two others wounded.
Depicted here is Focke Wulf 190 ”Weiss 1” of 9/JG5, flown by Uffz. Heinz Orlowski, in combat with a Mustang of 65 Sqn. After a long and desperate struggle, Orlowski managed to shoot down the Mustang seconds before he himself was forced to bale out, at very low altitude, after his aircraft burst into flames. Although he was badly injured on landing, Heinz Orlowski survived the war and ironically, so did his aircraft. The wreck of ”Weiss 1” was recovered after the war, restored to static condition, and is now on display in the USA."

now as for Blau 4 there is this....
Luftwaffe in Norway

9-2-1945. FW190A-8 732183 LINZ, Ltn. Rudi 12. JG 5 blau 4 + o KIA on 9.2.45 after downing a Beaufighter a P-51. Meistad 1 F 

So I believe its a restore of Rudi Linz's machine. Cool!


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## DBII (Mar 19, 2008)

Thorlifter, nice find. I was in SA about 18 months ago and read about the 
190. I have not been able to drive back up there to find it. I was looking through a book last Dec about the 190. In the back was a listing of what groups and museums had saved them from the scrapyards. There are at lease 5 hinden away in Texas. Three are owned by the same person. I will see if I can find the notes I made or the book.

nice shots,
DBII


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## Thorlifter (Mar 24, 2008)

Njaco - Thanks for the post. Stat charts are always interesting to look over.

DBII - Ever find anything on other 190's in Texas? You said "drive back up there". Where do you live?


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## Freebird (Mar 24, 2008)

Thorlifter said:


> DBII - Ever find anything on other 190's in Texas? You said "drive back up there". Where do you live?



I think DB said he was from Houston. Is there a thread to post pics from various flight museums? I just got some from the Warhawk museum near Boise, Idaho - I plan to post them after I get them developed.


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## Thorlifter (Mar 24, 2008)

I dont think so Freebird, but it sounds like a great thread to start!!! hint hint.


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## Njaco (Mar 25, 2008)

and as a sticky!


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## Freebird (Mar 25, 2008)

Njaco said:


> and as a sticky!




I'll do that as soon as I get these pics developed. I also have some from Hill AFB in Ogden Utah, they have a great collection!


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## A4K (Mar 26, 2008)

G'day Njaco, just read your comment..

FZG is short for 'Flakzielgeraet' (anti-aircraft aiming device), FZG 76 being the military designation for the unpiloted 'V-1' ('Vergeltungs Waffe I' - Vengeance weapon 1).
The V-1 (piloted and unpiloted) was made by Fiesler, RLM designation Fi 103, the 'R' ('Reichenberg') suffix referring to the piloted versions, of which there were 4 types, so basically all names are correct, depending on which context in which we're speaking of them.

(Another example of this is the V-2 - for Hitler, his 'Vergeltungs Waffe II', in the Wehrmacht, however the A-4 ('Aggregate 4') -can't remember the exact meaning of that one though, but short for 'Agressor geraete' ('Offensive weapon'), I think.


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## Njaco (Mar 26, 2008)

ahhhhh, ok, thanks A4k! Wasn't sure, sometimes in the states here they give names for things that don't match. Makes life fun!


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## A4K (Mar 26, 2008)

I grew up with the terms 'V-1', 'Doodlebug' and 'Buzzbomb' myself in NZ. The proper names I learnt later...


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## DBII (Mar 26, 2008)

I am still looking for the book I saw the info in. I will check the bookstore tonight. I have not found my notes, Sorry guys. I do have some links though.

Texas Air Museum
Focke Wulf Fw 190 F-8 walkaround
Focke-Wulf FW 190 - White 1
Tor's hjemmeside
fw190


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## Messy1 (Mar 26, 2008)

There is a small museum 40 miles or so to the east of us here in Des Moines, in the town of Greenfield, Iowa. I have seen the sign for it many times when I was going to my girlfriends sister's house for a family function. This thread makes me want to stop and take a look at it. i have always wanted to stop, but never had the time. I will have to make the trip especially for the museum. Maybe there will be a treasure or two there as well!!!


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## Thorlifter (Mar 26, 2008)

Make sure you post pics Messy.


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## Messy1 (Mar 26, 2008)

I'll see if there is anything worthwhile.


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## DBII (Mar 26, 2008)

Here is another Dora

FW 190 D-13/R11 W

DBII


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## Thorlifter (Mar 26, 2008)

What a beautiful plane. I wonder how much he would take for it? Hey Lucky, will you give a fella a loan?


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## A4K (Mar 27, 2008)

That Fw 190D-13 used to be at the Champlin Fighter Museum. I read somewhere that when the new owners acquired her, they realized that the wings were actually from a D-9, and it turned out the wings had got mixed during re-assembly after import to the States in 1945. The USAF museum's example had the D-13's wings, and subsequently Tamiya's 1:48 D-9 has D-13 wings, being modelled on that example!


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## Messy1 (Mar 27, 2008)

I agree. That's a beautiful plane! I'd love to see on in person!


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## A4K (Mar 31, 2008)

Re Fiesler Fi 103:

Sorry! Remembered a couple of things wrong !(posts edited accordingly to avoid confusion)

Photocopied from a book on aircraft of the Luftwaffe (didn’t record title):

Known alternatively as the FZG 76 (Flakzielgeraet: anti-aircraft aiming device 76) or Vergeltungswaffe Eins (Reprisal weapon I ), or more simply as the V 1 , the Fi 103 flying bomb was designed by Dipl–Ing Robert Lüsser of Fieseler, and had a Siemens guidance system.
It could be launched from a 50 m (152 ft ) inclined ramp by a Walter steam-driven catapult, or air-dropped from a carrier aircraft (usually an He 111). The weapons were launched against Britain (from 13 June 1944) and targets in Continental Europe, and more than 30,000 were manufactured by Henschel, Mittelwerke and Volkswagen factiories.
An Askanian gyroscope fed signals to the elevators and rudder to control attitude and direction, and the terminal dive was initiated when a pre-set distance had been flown.
Operational air launches were mostly made from He 111Hs of KG 3 (later KG 53); but whatever the launch method, about a quarter of the weapons failed in use and only about a quarter of the remainder got through Allied defences.
Even more of a desperation weapon was the ’Reichenberg’ piloted series, of which there were four versions: the single-seat and two-seat unpowered Fi 103R-I and R-II, the single-seat powered R-III trainer and the proposed operational R-IV. About 175 were so converted, but none were used in combat.

The following info came from various sources, but mostly from ’Flugzeug Typen der Welt’:

-The Fi 103R-I was used for ground testing;
-The Fi 103R-II was a two seat glider trainer (with extended wingspan and two seperate cockpits – one before, and one aft of the mainplanes) for novice pilots; 
-The FI 103R-III was a two-seat powered trainer for more experienced pilots (note the clash with the above info, but seems more logical it should be a two seater);
-The R-IV was the operational version, which was a standard V 1 with single cockpit and canopy fitted, and improved flying controls.
-The ’R’ designation came from the project name ’Reichenberg’
-The Fi 103R was not a ’suicide plane’ - it was intended the pilot should line the aircraft up with the target, then bale-out and land by parachute.


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## Heinz (Apr 1, 2008)

Great shots Thorlifter glad you had some nice suprises


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## Thorlifter (Apr 1, 2008)

Thanks Heinz.

Here's another cool thing.......I leave today to go back down to San Antonio. With a spot of luck, there will be a new surprise for me in Burnet again!


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## A4K (Apr 1, 2008)

We'll be waiting, mate!...


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## the mauser kid (Apr 1, 2008)

I've been to the this museum, and yes it is a bit old but once you look around it has some great stuff. After I got home and looked it up once again I found that the curator I was talking to was in ww2, when he was 13 or 14 and they had a great display on young US soldiers. I was great to see the 190 up close, it was the first I had seen in person. Really want to see the D-13 though.


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## Thorlifter (Apr 1, 2008)

A4K said:


> We'll be waiting, mate!...



Then check this out.........

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/off-topic-misc/he-he-i-m-lucky-again-12613.html


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## A4K (Apr 2, 2008)

I caught that thread, thanks mate- you lucky dog you..!


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## Violator (Apr 12, 2008)

The 190 D-13 referenced by DBII was—until a few weeks ago—on display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. I was there Saturday and much to my dismay it was gone. I knew it was only a matter of time since hearing last year that Paul Allen acquried it for his collection. Doug Champlin had it on loan to the MOF until he found a buyer. The word was that he was asking $5M for it; I have no idea if this is true.

Allen is the in process of moving his collection from Arlington, WA south about 20 miles to Everett, WA and I believe the 190 will be there. If any of you are in the Seattle area, it's definitely worth it (as is the MOF) as the 190 in person is simply stunning.


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## A4K (Apr 14, 2008)

Thanks for the info, mate! Would love the chance to see her for real!


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## Heinz (Apr 15, 2008)

With Evan! So many birds overseas i gotta get to and see!


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## A4K (Apr 15, 2008)

You'd love the European museums, Alex! 
A few examples from the Deutsches Technisches Museum in Münich: Fokker Dr.I, Fokker D.VII, Rumpler C.IV, Messerschmitt Bf 108, Bf 109E-1, Me 163B Komet, and Me 262A, Fiesler Fi 103 'V-1' and Fi 156 Storch, V2 on launch ramp (!), SG38 glider, Junkers Ju 52/3M, Henschel Hs 293 and Fritz X guided missiles, SdKfz 2/1 Kettenkraftrad, and(replica) Bachem Ba 349 Natter - not to mention post war types including the VTOL Dornier Do.31...
And that's just one of the museums here...!


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## Heinz (Apr 15, 2008)

oh I'd never leave!

Actually hoping to get over to Europe and the Uk to see some family and take some airshows in. 

Soon I hope. need a better quality digital camera as well..........folding stuff is getting in the away again


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## A4K (Apr 16, 2008)

Mate, if you ever come to Hungary, you've always got a place to crash!


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## Thorlifter (Apr 16, 2008)

Party at A4K's house!!!!!!!


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## A4K (Apr 16, 2008)

(...Flat..  ) ...And no worries! If any of ya's are over this way, you're more than welcome !


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## Heinz (Apr 16, 2008)

Evan your a bloody legend.


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## A4K (Apr 18, 2008)

Thanks, mate! ..and no worries, next week your place, right ?


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## DBII (Aug 8, 2008)

In case anyone is still interested, I found my list of Fw-190 in Texas. The birds rages from restored to misc parts. I do not have much information. I made notes from a book. The book was sold before I could return. I do not even have the name of the book. I have to names of the owners but did not list them.

190A-2 Werke NR 5476 ( N16152P), Anson Tx
190A-6 two ea, Lubbock Tx
190A-8 three ea, Tx Air Museum, Rio Hondo Tx

DBII


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## Thorlifter (Aug 9, 2008)

Rio Hondo?????? Holy crap! What the hell are 3 FW-190's doing there? There isn't sh!t in that town, other than cantalope fields, mexicans, and apparently 3 FW-190's!!!!

Thanks for following up DB.


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## kool kitty89 (Aug 9, 2008)

No, only the A-8 is in the Texas Air Museum, the others are in Lubbock, Tx and Anson, Tx.


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## msugtp (Aug 14, 2008)

I remember seeing them restoring the 190 at the Texas Air Museum years ago when they were located in Rio Hondo, TX. I had no idea that they had moved up to San Antonio though.


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## RyanShort1 (Jul 12, 2009)

Hey, if any of you guys drop by San Antonio again, drop me an email I can point you to one more "hidden" spot on the south side of town with some more WWII aircraft. It's called Cannon Field. Also, if you figure out the right person to contact (sorry I can't give it out) there's a WWII aircraft collector who owns some aircraft such as the P-38 Glacier Girl who has a hangar at the big airport. 
FYI, I work at Stinson Field and thought I'd point out that the flying bomb there is a _replica_, not an artifact. They are also slowly working the outside aircraft into a more preserved state. Stinson Field is a bit historic in it's own right as the second oldest continuously operated general aviation airport in all of the US.

Ryan


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## RabidAlien (Jul 13, 2009)

I always wonder, when driving past a chained-up old airport with weeds growing through the runways and Quonset-type hangars, what little treasures are hiding away inside, behind those rusting gates and ancient locks?


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## Thorlifter (Jul 13, 2009)

Good to know Ryan. I know where Cannon Field is.

Road trip!!!!!!


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## Johnny Signor (Aug 1, 2009)

Hey thanks for stopping at the "Little" out of the way museum, looky at whatya found there, we have to remember that alot of museums in this catagory go off of donations and what ever the owners can put into the upkeep,and with the economy not sood good right now it's a wonder many of them can even stay open for viewing. I'm glad that people who have these small hidden(sort of) treasures keep them at least from being chopped up for pot and pans as many famous aircraft have had happen to them, the more people know of these places the better chance of them staying open so help them all you can by visiting often and contributing $$$$$ if at all possible .


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