July 19, 2008 - Aerospace Museum of California

McClellan AFB, Sacramento
While visiting my parents in Sacramento, we drove out to the Aerospace Museum of California at McClellan AFB.  I had been there once before years ago.  Since then, the base had closed.  It turns out the air museum had moved to a brand new facility and was completely different to what I remembered. 
 
My parents standing behind a magnificent 1932 Curtiss-Wright B-14B "Speedwing".  It was recently restored.and the workmanship was impeccable.
 
The museum acquired this Mig-17 in 1993.  The jet's placard included an interesting sentence:  "How, when and where the USAF obtained it remains classified." 
 
A Le Rhone rotary engine which was a common powerplant of World War I airplanes. 
 
The museum had a nice collection of engines. 
 
There weren't too many planes inside the facility.  This museum was unusual in that most of its collection was outside.
 
The museum had a very large collection of post-World War II jets with a few prop-driven birds.
 
I particular enjoyed this DC-3/C-47 with a D-Day paint job.  I've seen a million DC-3s, but this one you could go into.  Can you believe I've never actually been in one?
 
You forget that the DC-3 is a taildragger, and on the ground, it sits at a fairly steep incline.  Pretty spartan interior.
 
I was amazed at how thin the bulkheads, longerons and skin were. 
 
And how small the cockpit was. 
 
Always one of my favorites: the A-10 Warthog.
 
An old F-111.  Hard to believe they actually wanted to operate this big lead sled off aircraft carriers. 
 
 
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