Pointers for visiting SDASM and PIMA ?

[dan_inbox]

In November we plan to travel to Southern California & Arizona.
While in Cal, besides the touring I'll take the opportunity to visit the San Diego Air and Space Museum, and after the scenic part through Az I'll visit Pima A&SM and take the AMARG boneyard tour in Tucson.

Do you have any advice for other aviation-related sites to visit in those areas, or hints about the two museums?
Thank you.

 

[kitnut617]

Will you be going near Palm Springs ? If so there's the Palm Springs Aerospace Museum on the east side of the airport. Lots of stuff to see there but it's mostly USN aviation orientated.

 

[dan_inbox]

Yes, we'll go to Palm Springs, and thanks, we did not know about that museum. Looks very interesting.
I'm negotiating with the better half to revise the itinerary...

 

[CJGibson]

Edwards? Mrs CJ and I drove up to the gate, flashed the passports and got in for a very good tour, hangars and all. Highly recommended. I think you need to book nowadays, it's a long drive for a knock-back. Then we went down the road to Palmdale and the Skunk Works and peered through the fence.
After Pima, you could visit the Titan Missile Museum.

I recommend the missus drives during daylight hours.

Chris

 

[Orionblamblam]

Depending on how generous you are with your definition of "southern" California, there's always the Hiller museum up near San Fran. And for a diversion from aerospace, the Monteray Bay Aquarium is not to be missed. Then you can go on to Alameda and scope out the nuclear wessels.

 

[Richard N]

The nearest aviation museum to the SDASM is the SDASM Annex at Gillespie Field. More info here: https://www.google.com/search?q=San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum%E2%80%99s+annex+at+Gillespie+Field&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS597US597&oq=San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum%E2%80%99s+annex+at+Gillespie+Field&aqs=chrome..69i57.1194563288j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The SDASM Annex is about 20 miles northeast of the SDASM. Directions here:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/2001+Pan+American+Plaza,+San+Diego,+CA/San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum+Gillespie+Field+Annex,+335+Kenney+St,+El+Cajon,+CA+92020/@32.7895786,-117.1321085,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d954a33225ff03:0xc5bacca5d528dd62!2m2!1d-117.1542858!2d32.7263215!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d9581394c214b1:0x9a4f47e384e134c1!2m2!1d-116.9659343!2d32.8288213

 

[GTX]

A couple of options in the California area:

https://flyingleathernecks.org
https://www.marchfield.org
http://www.planesoffame.org
http://www.wmof.com

Some might be a little bit of a drive but still quite doable.

 

[aero-engineer]

There is also the Lyon air museum in Orange County:
http://www.lyonairmuseum.org/

Also, nearby the Chino Planes of Fame (which you shouldn't miss) is the Yanks Air Museum.

And of course in Exposition Park in Los Angeles next to USC is the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

aero-engineer

 

[dan_inbox]

Thank you for all those great sites. Many of them I didn't know about.

According to the Missus who is not much into planes or military stuff, our itinerary looks like: San Diego, Palm Springs, Boulder City NV, Grand Canyon south rim, Monument Valley AZ, Sedona, Tucson, Scottsdale.

So unfortunately all the LA area will be for another trip. But with your hints I will have plenty to enjoy already. Many thanks!

If you researchers here have a request for a photo (smartphone quality) of a specific exhibition, provided the museum allows it, I'll be happy to help if I can. Can't promise, but will try. Send me a PM.

 

[martinbayer]

In San Diego harbor there's the USS Midway Museum (https://www.midway.org/), and the Classic Rotors helicopter museum in Ramona (https://www.rotors.org/) is pretty close to San Diego. Make sure that you're driving in daylight on your way from Monument Valley to Sedona once you've passed Flagstaff (a neat little university town in the mountains surrounded by forest) and enter Oak Creek Canyon (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recarea/?recid=74380) - it's truly breathtaking scenery and unlike anything you'd ever expect to find in Arizona (well, at least it was for me ). Also, the Barringer Meteorite Crater (https://www.barringercrater.com/) is a 45 min (one way) side trip from Fagstaff to the East - it was used for Apollo crew training, and I believe an Apollo boilerplate capsule is on display there. Once you're in Scottsdale, you're right next to Mesa with the Commemorative Air Force Airbase and Museum (https://www.azcaf.org/). Enjoy!

Martin

 

[Orionblamblam]

Thank you for all those great sites. Many of them I didn't know about.

According to the Missus who is not much into planes or military stuff, our itinerary looks like: San Diego, Palm Springs, Boulder City NV, Grand Canyon south rim, Monument Valley AZ, Sedona, Tucson, Scottsdale.

If your itinerary is in chronological order, then *possibly* when you leave Monument Valley you will (go north on 163 through Mexican Hat to Bluff then) head south on 191, then head west on 40 to Sedona. If so, then you will spend the rest of your life kicking yourself if you *don't* stop at Meteor Crater, just west of Winslow on 40. Depending on your schedule, you may wish to head further north from Monument Valley to Arches National Park and Moab (about 2.5 hours north from Monument Valley). If you *really* have time, head west from Moab to Goblin Valley State Park and relive scenes from the best Star Trek movie of the last 20 years.

 

[TomcatViP]

another teaser: SDASM

Oh, and for the lady, you might want to spend a day at Coronado island, on the beachfront.

 

[_Del_]

Planes of Fame Museum has Northern Arizona site as well as the chino site. I haven't been in years, but I believe they still have a Gustav and a Vampire among others. It's on the most common route to the Grand Canyon South rim (from Flag or LV).

 

[TomcatViP]

San Diego Harbor & Plane of Fame museum

 

[GWrecks]

The nearest aviation museum to the SDASM is the SDASM Annex at Gillespie Field. More info here: https://www.google.com/search?q=San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum%E2%80%99s+annex+at+Gillespie+Field&rlz=1C1CHWA_enUS597US597&oq=San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum%E2%80%99s+annex+at+Gillespie+Field&aqs=chrome..69i57.1194563288j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The SDASM Annex is about 20 miles northeast of the SDASM. Directions here:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/2001+Pan+American+Plaza,+San+Diego,+CA/San+Diego+Air+%26+Space+Museum+Gillespie+Field+Annex,+335+Kenney+St,+El+Cajon,+CA+92020/@32.7895786,-117.1321085,12z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d954a33225ff03:0xc5bacca5d528dd62!2m2!1d-117.1542858!2d32.7263215!1m5!1m1!1s0x80d9581394c214b1:0x9a4f47e384e134c1!2m2!1d-116.9659343!2d32.8288213

What the heck is that contraprop plane? Mid-engined something?

First thing that comes to mind is P-75 Eagle but I find that doubtful.

EDIT: Aw shoot, I hope I don't derail this...

 

[TomcatViP]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A2D_Skyshark

 

[dan_inbox]

Thanks all for those hints. It turned out that the USS Midway, the Palm Springs museum and Pima+AMARG were the most enjoyable visits.

At Palm Springs, we were lucky to hit the first flight of the freshly-restored T-33. This and the taxiing of a C-47 brought me back quite some memories. The sound of those radials barely 15 yards away... Wow!