My trip to the Lone Star Flight Museum

[Thorlifter]

During my last trip back to the states, my wife and I took some time for a few days on the beach in Galveston and since I hadn't been to the Lone Star flight museum in a number of years, I took advantage of our time there to drop by. They have done some very nice work since hurricane Ike damaged the facility.

One for Charles

I didn't know Tarheel Hal stayed here!

Beautifully restored B-25.

My first up close encounter with a Dauntless

My beloved Corsair getting a little TLC

I have always like the Ventura. Maybe it's all those .50's up front. They also had the glass nose just off to the left along with an Ohka.

This Cat still needs a lot of work

Since I was in the area, I drove out to see the U.S.S. Texas. What a beautiful ship!!

 

[vikingBerserker]

What a nifty collection, thanks for sharing!

 

[Jeff Hunt]

Great stuff.

Jeff

 

[Wildcat]

Great looking museum!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looked like a good day out and some lovely pics Roland, thank for sharing.

 

[Capt. Vick]

Those are all fliers then? Or future fliers?

 

[Njaco]

Planes look all shiny and clean - like Corgi toys!

 

[Thorlifter]

Vick, I believe about half of their planes are air worthy. Here is a complete list of their planes and status

http://lsfm.org/aircraftstatus.html

 

[Donivanp]

I have a bunch of pixs form there. I used to go to the fly in's twice a year. It's about 90 miles form my house. Hurricane Ike really messed them up and they are supposed to be moving to Ellington field in the next couple of years. There will be CAF, Collings Foundation, LSFM, and two or three other outfits at Ellington when done. With Texas Raiders and Thunderbird both being home based at Ellington. These were taken around 2001 or 2

 

[Donivanp]

Some more.

 

[Donivanp]

This Hurricane was cut just forward of the vertical stab

By this Spitfire Mk IX two seater during a fly in in 2004 I believe. It was the first show the Hurricane had flown in since restoration.

The Spitfire had as I understand it a brake problem and nosed over in the taxi way with the Merlin nicely severing the tail of it stable mate. The Spit does not belong to the LSFM but the Hurricane does. Or did, not sure now.

 

[Airframes]

Nice pics guys.

 

[Thorlifter]

I would have loved to have seen the Havoc and the Hustler. Too bad they weren't there. Hey, the plane to the right of the Hustler, right behind the Cat's tail. What is that?

 

[Airframes]

The blue one? Looks like a Cessna Bobcat.
Oops, sorry! That's in front of the Cat's nose. The bare-metal fuselage looks like it's maybe a Fairey Firefly.

 

[Donivanp]

The B-58 was damaged in the flood and moved to Little Rock AFB. The air frame setting back there I don't know but I may try and remember to check on it at the end of the month when I go down again. It was of note that when they got back in the building after the flood, the Cat was floating on top of the water (at the ceiling).The Nose gear collapsed on the Hustler and the forward end of the belly tank was bent and It was a real mess in there.

 

[Gnomey]

Great shots!

 

[N4521U]

niiiice

 

[at6]

I see that there is an original type nose turret on the Privateer. When they were still used as fire fighters, I saw one with a B-24D nose grafted on to it.

 

[Donivanp]

When you walk into the hangar/museum section, you see the aft of the Privateer, there is a sign up that reads "Fun for young and old, some assembly required, batteries not included".

 

[fubar57]

Great shots guys.

Geo