Capt. Ken's comments

By Ken Armstrong

Linda and I discovered some museums this winter enroute to visit others and have some recommendations for those of you who might be visiting the south eastern states in the future. This information will be published in two parts due to the number of the selections.

Canada Aviation Museum
Well, since we left from Ottawa, Canada on our plunge to southern climes, it seems fitting my favourite museum should be mentioned first.
Those Canadians are amazing folks when it comes to aviation. It isn’t the largest museum and its size is limited by the amount of our tax dollars it receives, however, the exhibits are largely Canadian.
Since we are amongst the world leaders in aviation endeavors, there is much to see. Portions of the AVRO Arrow, combined with large collections of older aircraft and current armed forces inventory make this a must see for aviators.
Indoor and outdoor displays are located at the old Rockcliffe RCAF base east of the city with the largest aircraft found on the outside apron.
Educational exhibits prove very attractive to school groups and I am sure I would have been enthralled had I been able to visit such a facility when I was a child. A major restoration area (restricted) ensures the museum’s exhibits will grow and a large aviation library proves to be a good source to research. (Used it myself on this visit - prior to going overseas on a special mission that required intensive research on helicopter capabilities).
I could go on about the various aircraft on display, but suffice to say, they are very fascinating because they are almost all Canadian, relate to Canadian endeavors and bear Canadian paint schemes. I don’t know; but there is just something that feels like home and Canada when one visits here.
As an added bonus, entry is gained inexpensively in Canadian dollars!

Eight Airforce Museum, Savannah Georgia
Although this museum has a number of pristine aircraft in attendance, this modern facility is really a tribute to the men and women of the eighth airforce of the USA. It is therefore rather unique in the way it intersperses a few pristine aircraft amongst tribute to the men and women who put their lives on the line for their country.

Kennedy Space Center
This massive facility is named after an assassinated US president who brought the world to the brink of destruction with his failed Bay of Pigs invasion of CUBA in the early sixties. His government was also caught off guard by the Soviets when the Russians launched the first satellite and Kennedy pledged to win the space race. He won.
At any rate, this east mid coast Florida area is the site for launches of NASA satellites (carrying the CANADARM) and for space junkies the space center is overwhelming and spiritual with its massive buildings, huge rockets and advanced technology. During our visit to nearby Titusville, the shuttle flew overhead returning from a mission and when we took the space center tour another was racing across the terrain at 1 mph (1.6 kph) on its way from the preparation building to the launch site – good timing for us. Like Disneyland and other attractions, the entry price is dizzying at approximately $26.00 U.S. but when one is on holidays in Florida, one quickly learns budgets don’t count.
For more information, you can visit their website at www.kennedyspacecenter.com

Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum
This museum on the west side of the Kissimmee GateWay Airport near Orlando is truly a restoration facility with a few flying machines – including two B-25’s.
Owner Tom Reilly employs a number of staff who work tirelessly on rebuilding Tom’s and other clients’ aircraft.
Reilly also runs a warbird restoration school at 231 N Hoagland Blvd., Kissimmee for those wishing to invest time into this worthwhile occupation. (Phone 407-9331942)
There is a wide selection of aircraft in varying conditions including a fleet of flyable aircraft such as the: C1-1 Trader, Bell 47, SNJ’s, Stearman, B-25’s, S2F Tracker, C-47, Vampire and numerous smaller, novel aircraft such as the Aeronca C-3 Flying Bathtub, to name a few.
While your family is visiting a myriad of attractions in the Orlando area, perhaps dad can invest $8-9 and escape to the museum. For details, check out www.warbirdmuseum.com
Adjacent to the museum is the Warbird Aventures Inc. office where one can obtain a flight in an AT-6 (Harvard equivalent) and obtain the true warbird experience. Prices for flights are dependant on time airborne and vary from $160-$490 depending on the level of experience one desires.
One can get a little stick time on a 15 minute flight or some fully blown positive “G”aerobatics during an hour long flight. For details, call 800-386-1593 or 407-870-7366 or visit their website at www.warbirdadventures.com

Sun N Fun Museum Lakeland Florida
This museum is located on the EAA’s Sun n Fun grounds and contains a collection of vintage aircraft and homebuilts. It isn’t large but the specimens are in excellent condition.
The best way to reach the south side of the Lakeland airport is to exit Interstate 4 west of the city on Country road (approximately) heading south and following the Sun n Fun signs.
If you time your visit to this museum to arrive in mid April you will see thousands of aircraft at this wonderful and entertaining fly in that is only eclipsed in size by Oshkosh’s yearly gathering.

USAF Armament Museum
Don’t let the name fool you. This is an airplane museum – one that was attacked by a Toronado while we were visiting – but that’s another story.
This large facility on the south side of the Eglin Air Force base, also has significant displays of weapons that were used on aircraft from the early days when pilots waved handguns at others to modern technology including, self guided missiles, atomic bombs and laser guided munitions – to name but a few.
Quite frankly, we were surprised to see so many classified weapons on display and Linda was particularly interested in a museum that wasn’t just airplanes. Not everyone has a love affair with aviation!
The building holds a number of aircraft from recent history, but a much larger selection in excellent condition adorn the grounds around the building. This museum is well worth attending.
Some of the aircraft displayed include: P-51, P-47, F-105, F-80 (all indoors) and SR-71, A-10, AC-130, F-89, F-111, RB-47, B-17, RF-4, O-2, B-57, UH-1M, F-86, and a dozen more of the modern and recent past aircraft located outside. All of the displays were in immaculate condition during our visit – although the Toronado had them dancing in their stanchions.
The museum is located at 100 Museum Drive, on the southeast side of Eglin AFB in the Florida panhandle. Phone 850-882-4062

Exceptional Museums to Visit
No, we didn’t forget the amazing Fantasy of Flight Museum in central Florida at Polk City, nor the National U.S. Navy Museum at Pensacola. We are saving those spectacular visits, and others, for the second installment.
Ken Armstrong has enjoyed 14,500 flight hours on more than 350 fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He provides aviation consulting/training services and flies his Diamond Extreme motor glider out of a grass strip near Victoria, B.C.