A few weeks ago at Travis AFB.

Travis AFB is just to the North-East of San Francisco in case you don't know is home to the 60th Air Mobility Wing.They are part of AMC (Air Mobility Command),formally known as MAC (Military Airlift Command) and before that MATS (Military Air Transport Service).
The main reason for my visit here is to visit their heritage centre where they have a large number of preserved aircraft on display,sadly all in non flying condition.
I'm a big fan of 1950s and 1960s piston engined transport aircraft.When I started going to military airshows in the UK in the early 1970s I miseed the last Globemaster to visit the UK by not very many years as the C5 Galaxy and and C141 Starlifter had not long entered service,and apart from a few left over KC97Js there was not much over here at that time to make me smile.So this visit to Travis AFB was a sort of pilgrimage for me as I'd never seen any Globemasters in real life (I mean the real Globies and not those fugly piles of cr5p on the flightline),or even a solitary Cargomaster.

The Heritage centre is open to anyone who can pass the security check.I emailed them first and was told yes you can visit,it should only take about 20 minutes or so to pass the check.At the visitor centre I was then told I could wait up to 1 whole day for them to check up on me,luckily it only took about 1 hour and I was given to a retired air force guy to drive me onto the base and escort me to the heritage centre.Visitors are left to their own devices once there and are allowed to wander inside and outside the Heritage centre,and wit no one actually watching you it would be quite easy to wander anywhere,even the flightline.







This poor BUF needs a bit of TLC......

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Methinks I may be a touch jealous. And thanks for all the pictures.

OH MY GOD!! Slobber drool....

Reminds me of the day I went to Aberdeen Proving Ground - back in about 1980 when most of the exhibit was still outdoors......a military history geek's wet dream.....

Book Marked for my own private enjoyment. I can feel the solitude and yet excitement this tour must have been for you, so exhilarating! You must be an alright person to have been treated so fairly and respectably.

Amazing photos. Great thread, Thank you for sharing.

Greetings- Too bad they cancelled the annual Air Show as this is the month that usually has the show.

Here is the schedule (shedjewel- King's English) of the Thunderbirds™ if You'll still be visiting The States

www.nellis.af.mil...

I went one year when My Brother was on the B-1. They flew up to Lake Tahoe and back during their portion of the show. If You make it down to Flori-Duh, Eglin AFB has a bunch of planes on the base, I don't know about tours..

Enjoy Your stay and stay hydrated.

namaste

Thanks for the photos, I am definitely jealous

I'm not extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the specific details of all the older planes, but I love seeing them up close and watching them fly

Great Aircraft Pics, Thanks!
brings back the memories to 1983 Harlingen Texas CAF airshow
got to meet Pappy Boyington, George Gay and see Gen. Paul Tibbets
almost got a ride in a P51

a reply to: Imagewerx

Silly question...the plane with the 8 x .50cal in the nose, was that an A26?

Also some great shots. Thanks for sharing.

a reply to: kelbtalfenek

Yeah. That was how they snuck bombers into Vietnam in the early days when they weren't supposed to be there.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Not exactly new to just the Vietnam theater though. IIRC Mitchells had 8 .50s, and Havocs had either 4 or 6 nose mounted guns....303s or .50s depending on the version.

a reply to: kelbtalfenek

No the idea wasn't new at all. But they sent B-26s to the Vietnam theater when there weren't supposed to be any bombers there. When they were asked about it the Pentagon responded with, "There are no bombers there. Those are A-26 gunships."

originally posted by: kelbtalfenek
a reply to: Imagewerx

Silly question...the plane with the 8 x .50cal in the nose, was that an A26?

Also some great shots. Thanks for sharing.

Eight .50's in the nose, and another eight in underwing packs (not installed here). This one appears to be traveling "light".

originally posted by: pfishy
Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Methinks I may be a touch jealous. And thanks for all the pictures.

Thank you and you're welcome,it was worth travelling over 5000 miles to take them.

originally posted by: Aloysius the Gaul
OH MY GOD!! Slobber drool....

Reminds me of the day I went to Aberdeen Proving Ground - back in about 1980 when most of the exhibit was still outdoors......a military history geek's wet dream.....

My next quest is a Globemaster 1.Now I've had some quality time alone with a Globie 2 (it was all over in a few seconds:barf the search for the real Holy Grail continues.......

originally posted by: antar
Book Marked for my own private enjoyment. I can feel the solitude and yet excitement this tour must have been for you, so exhilarating! You must be an alright person to have been treated so fairly and respectably.

Amazing photos. Great thread, Thank you for sharing.

Yes,compared to the closest thing like this we have here in the UK which are all fenced off with signs such as 'Do Not Enter' on everything,it's a dream come true to be allowed to wander unhindered like this.

originally posted by: JimNasium
Greetings- Too bad they cancelled the annual Air Show as this is the month that usually has the show.

Here is the schedule (shedjewel- King's English) of the Thunderbirds™ if You'll still be visiting The States

www.nellis.af.mil...

I went one year when My Brother was on the B-1. They flew up to Lake Tahoe and back during their portion of the show. If You make it down to Flori-Duh, Eglin AFB has a bunch of planes on the base, I don't know about tours..

Enjoy Your stay and stay hydrated.

namaste

Thanks for that but I've been back in the UK for about 3 weeks now.I did Flori-Duh last year and apart from Kennedy Space Centre and the Coral Castle,there's not a lot there that interests me.Although I seem to remember hearing that Homestead AFB has or used to have some good airshows.

originally posted by: charolais
Thanks for the photos, I am definitely jealous

I'm not extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the specific details of all the older planes, but I love seeing them up close and watching them fly

Thank you and yes I agree,these just have to be seen flying to really appreciate them,if for nothing else other than the sound of those glorious old piston engines.I'm still lucky enough to 'bump' into our Battle of Britain Memorial flight a few times a year,the sound of those six Rolls Royce Merlins still brings me out in goosebumps every time.

originally posted by: manuelram16
Great Aircraft Pics, Thanks!
brings back the memories to 1983 Harlingen Texas CAF airshow
got to meet Pappy Boyington, George Gay and see Gen. Paul Tibbets
almost got a ride in a P51

A slow flypast low over memory lane is always good for the soul I reckon!

a reply to: Imagewerx

You mean you did Florida and missed the Eglin museum? They have a MOAB out front, among a large number of very impressive aircraft on display.

Then there's the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum, which has every type of aircraft flown by the navy on display, along with a few others, simulation machines, and a restoration facility.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Imagewerx

You mean you did Florida and missed the Eglin museum? They have a MOAB out front, among a large number of very impressive aircraft on display.

Then there's the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum, which has every type of aircraft flown by the navy on display, along with a few others, simulation machines, and a restoration facility.

I didn't know about them (sobs quietly),it was my first trip outside of Europe and wasn't that well researched or planned.

a reply to: Imagewerx

Pensacola is also home to the Blue Angels, so if you get there right, you can see their homecoming show, which always has a little extra in it.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Imagewerx

Pensacola is also home to the Blue Angels, so if you get there right, you can see their homecoming show, which always has a little extra in it.

It's not worth going back there just for those,I haven't finished with the West cost yet.As well as looking at classic aeroplanes,I've still got that white water rafting trip though the Grand Canyon on my bucket list.

a reply to: Imagewerx

Oh, I know. That's just so if you come back and have time or inclination you're aware of them.

One day,maybe.

That reminds me,I did get to go round the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum at Titusville (Space Coast Regional Airport),so my time in Florida was entirely wasted on 'gator spotting.Must get the rest of the photos from there up ASAP.Meanwhile just one for now of this stunning US Navy F4J restoration......