National Warplane Museum

Check out a very informational podcast with a focus on the 2021 Airshow at Geneseo https://podcasts.warpradio.com/Thanks/podcast.xml

Finally, in what has to be a sigh of relief, the Canadien Harvard Aircraft Association has been given the go ahead to join the Thanks From Above Airshow 2021. Flying in their fantastically restored and maintained Harvards the CHAA will be on the field and in the skies of Geneseo. Come see our friends and their beautiful planes buy tickets: https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/airshow/

Thanks From Above Airshow 2021 welcomes another friend who just so happens to be an international acrobatic superstar. It's official, Rob Holland is bringing his act to Geneseo, NY. With awards and accolades too numerous to list he has shown the world he can handle an airplane like no other human. Don't miss out, get your tickets now at: https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/airshow/ or miss a rare opportunity.

Making a visit to the Thanks From Above Airshow 2021 is the KC-135 Stratotanker. This should be an incredible sight over Geneseo (D52) Airport. Tickets: https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/airshow/

Tickets are going fast! Hurry and get your tickets to the Air Show on July 10th and 11th at www.nationalwarplanemuseum.com!!!

Recently added to our Thanks From Above Airshow 2021 "American Dream" with pilot Thom Richard. This beautifully restored Warhawk brings a crowd favorite P-40 t...o Geneseo. We are happy to welcome Thom and his Dream to the National Warplane Museum. Tickets: https://nationalwarplanemuseum.com/airshow/

On November 11th we will be having our Veterans Day observation at the National Warplane Museum starting at 10:40am. So that we can bring this observance to those that can't attend we will stream with Facebook Live.

Today we observed Veterans Day (US) in remembrance and honor of those who have served. We had an excellent turnout and all were moved. Thank you to all those who attended, and especially our volunteers to make this happen.

On the battlefield in the Belgian Ypres, John McCrae, penned the poem "In Flanders Fields" the morning after seeing a former student and friend dead from battle. Major McCrae was a battlefield surgeon who that morning, sitting on the back of an ambulance, penned this eternal poem while looking at the cemetery where poppies grew between the markers.

Today, November 10, 2020 marks the 245th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. The USMC became legendary within the Pacific Theatre of Operations during the 2nd World War. Of all Marines Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller is one of the most notable, 37 years of service, 5 Navy Crosses and known by every US Marine today. Famous Marines from WW2: Gregory"Pappy" Boyington, Joseph Foss, John Basilone, and astronaut John Glenn. Semper fidelis!

Some random clips of the National Warplane Museum this year so far, although Memphis Belle flying was October 15th 2019.

The past few Saturdays we have been working on pulling Whiskey 7's fuel tanks to inspect/replace fuel lines. It has been a slow and tedious task removing all the bolts and screws. Winter maintenance is well under way, hence the reason she is on jacks already. They also help to support her while we have the panels out, they are structural panels. Also worked on getting the flag hung up for Veteran's day.

Hawker Hurricane protoype K5083 was flown for the first time on November 06, 1935. Prior to the Hurricane the British Air Ministry was more interested in continuing to develop the biplane, noting cost and familiarity. The Hurricane was overshadowed by the Spitfire during the war due to its looks and how much more enjoyable the Spitfire was to fly. After the tallies were in, however, the Hurricane was used more effectively against the Luftwaffe, during the Battle of Britain, 60% of all Axis planes shot down were by the Hurricane. Paired with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and a first for a British fighter, retractable landing gear, the Hawker Hurricane would fight in all Theatres of War.

We left off last week with Whiskey 7's history up to 1946 where she was with Pennsylvania Central Airlines. On February 7th, 1947 she was sold to Summit Airways, which would later become Challenger Airlines. Some information from Wikipedia: "On January 9, 1947, the Laramie Republican and Boomerang, reported that Summit Airways [Challenger] had purchased three Douglas DC-3 planes from the Pennsylvania Airline Company. Snyder moved all operations to Salt Lake City, Utah, whe...re a hangar was leased on the airport and the main office was located downtown in the Felt Building." Whiskey 7 would of been one of those 3 DC-3's. Again we couldn't find any pictures of Whiskey 7 wearing Challenger Airlines livery, but we did find a decal sheet with the correct N Number of N65135. Only a few years out of the war and she's already been two different airline companies! See more

On November 4th 1909, in a wicker basket, strapped to a wing strut, a pig was flown for the first time. Voisin biplane piloted byJohn Moore-Brabazon. Why? Because we needed an answer to "when pigs fly".

Candy Bomber. While on duty for the Berlin airlift, Gail Halvorsen on the ground with his C-54 cargo plane, he noticed some children along the barbed wire fence separating the children from the airfield. He saw while talking to them that they were tired, and starving so he went to his plane to give them anything he could to make it better. After searching he found only 2 sticks of chewing gum, tore them into strips, and gave them to the children. As he left he told them ...he would return and when he flew over he would wiggle his wings so they'd know which plane had more treats. True to his word, after asking all pilots in the command to pool their candy, he returned and wiggled his wings, dropping Hershey bars with little handkerchief parachutes. And so began an unsanctioned Operation Little Vittles, which by the time it ended 23 tons of candy were dropped to the starving children of Berlin. Halvorsen throughout his career has advocated for more of this type of operation. His actions earned him the Congressional Gold Medal(USA) and the Order of Merit(German). He turned 100 on October 13, 2020. For his birthday many of those children thanked him with cards and Zoom calls. Oh yeah, and candy, lots of candy for their Uncle Wiggle Wings...their Candy Bomber.

Congratulations to OnCore Aviation, LLC! This acquisition is a big, positive step as they work to build future pilots who can carry on the legacy of safely flying the world's warbirds!

Continuing on from last weeks Throwback Thursday post with Whiskey 7 entering into the civilian market on May 18th, 1946 to Executive Transport Corporation. A registration and airworthiness certificate were issued to Executive Transport in July of 1946, but she wasn't with them long. Shortly after in August of 1946 she was sold to Pennsylvania Central Airlines Corporation. If you look at the top of the Operation Limitations paper work you can see Whiskey 7's actual date of manufacture is 9/23/1943. We couldn't find any pics of Whiskey 7 in the Pennsylvania Central livery, but included a few of other aircraft so you can see what she would of looked like!

October 29th, 1998 Astronaut John Glenn 77, returned to space aboard the space shuttle Discovery at 2:19:34 pm EST. He was the 3rd person and first American to circle the earth, 1962.

The Germans called them Nachthexen, history calls them Night Witches. Formed by Major Marina Raskova as 3 Women's Air Force units, most notably the 588th and 46th Night regiments. As noted in a previous post they would idle their outdated 1928 Polikarpov U-2 biplanes(U-2LNB) prior to attacking, these aircraft previously were used for crop dusting and trainers. The idling left only the sound of the rustling of air over the plane's wooden frame which the German army thought the sound was like a broomstick being moved through the air.