72/100... into the wild blue yonder

My grandfather (or more accurately, my step-grandfather, but he was the only grandfather I knew) was an airplane mechanic in the Army Air Corps which later became the US Air Force. When I was a child he would occasionally tell me stories about the planes he worked on in far-away places. Sometimes he took me with him when he went to the PX at Luke Air Force Base and would tell me about some of the planes we saw there. I wasn't all that interested at the time in stories about the planes or in seeing them, but I liked spending time with my grandfather. A recent visit to the Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum  (#72 on my "100 Things in Arizona" list) in Mesa brought to mind memories of time spent with him.

The Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum (CAF Aviation Museum) describes itself as "a flying museum." The Commemorative Air Force is a worldwide, all volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the great warplanes from WWII through the Vietnam War. The Arizona Wing (what civilians would call a "chapter") is located  in Mesa adjoining Falcon Field and has been entrusted with the restoration, care and display of "Sentimental Journey" which is considered to be the most authentically restored flying B-17 in the world. "Sentimental Journey" tours the country and unfortunately, was not there when we went - but they had LOTS of other planes on display.

Planes were EVERYWHERE! Be sure to look up because many are suspended from the ceiling.

The exhibits are well marked with signage that explains in great detail technical information for those interested in and knowledgable about aviation as well as a general description of where and for what purpose the plane was used - something I appreciated! The volunteer docents are retired military, many of whom actually flew or were involved in some way with the aircraft on display. After explaining the lay out of the museum, our docent left us to explore on our own but was available to answer questions.

In addition to the planes, the museum also has quite a few exhibits about things related to flying - like "brain buckets" and famous people. 

It was interesting to compare the helmets aviators have used to those firefighters used in the exhibit I saw at the Hall of Flame a few weeks earlier. In general, it seemed firefighters' helmets were much more substantial at an earlier time and would actually protect them. I guess that's why aviators call theirs "brain buckets!" They seemed to be little more than a head covering for warmth until more recent years.

The Tuskegee Airmen and Women in Aviation exhibits were my two favorites. It was intriguing to me that two minorities fought so hard to have a place in the Air Force. It didn't matter to them that they started waaaay at the bottom and had to claw their way up, having to do their job better and faster than "the good ol' boys." They didn't give up, didn't expect special treatment, didn't whine about it being unfair. Why? Because they wanted to serve their country and that trumped everything else. 

Richard liked this WWII-era Stearman training plane. I prefer my training planes with more... ummm...  plane around them!

Just outside of the museum building, on a huge tarmac, are several more planes and a Huey equipped as it was for use in Viet Nam. It's even more impressive to see these historic planes against the backdrop of Falcon Field with planes taking off and landing.

The plane on the left has its wings folded as if it were on an aircraft carrier. The big cargo plane on the right is so HUGE it seems like it would fall out of the sky, not effortlessly slice through it.

The maintenance hangar is connected to the museum by a hallway. I heard one of the docents refer to it as the "garage" but it's much cleaner than any garage I've been in - I think you could have eaten off the floor! It's where regular maintenance is performed on the planes that are still flown (you can pay for a ride in a B-17 Bomber!!), other planes are restored or modified for exhibit (they drain the oil, for example). The mechanics who care for these old planes are also volunteers.

The stack of tires along one side of the maintenance hangar is the only indication it is a garage!

My grandfather died in 1986, the same year the CAF Aviation Museum opened. I think he would have enjoyed this place - and I know he would have had some great stories to tell me. It is a wonderful place for aviators and those who designed, repaired and maintained the planes to see their "babies" once again. It's also a great place for everyone to learn some history as they look at real military aircraft.

Thumb Up or Down: UP!!

Miles Round Trip: 26.5 miles

Miles To Date: 10,133.3 miles

Percent of List Completed: 88%

Date of This Trip: September 30, 2012