Tucson's Great Aviation Heritage
When you visit the Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson, Arizona, get ready to check out over 300-Plus aircraft. This is the world's largest privately funded Aviation Museum. It covers 80 acres, right next to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson Arizona. You can either walk the grounds at your own pace, or for six dollars, take a guided tram tour where you have a docent actually speaking with you about the aircraft and some of their history. Actually it's well worth the 6 bucks... You need really need to do that.
Some of the aircraft you'll see includes a T-38, a B-52, B-36. The Convair B-36 Peacemaker served in their Strategic Air Command, SAC, from 1949 to 1959. It was the first intercontinental nuclear bomber. Fortunately, though, it never saw combat during his service. The B-36 had 6 radial piston engines with huge, three bladed props. They were pusher props at a distinctive sound when it flew.
You can also see the Albatross and some piston trainers, some transport planes like the K97 Stratofreighter, S-24 Globemaster, E-2 Hawkeye and the Westland Fairy Gannett, which was that strange counter-rotating prop airplane.
We get a B-47 - the first all jet bomber and first one to break Mach 2 and B-58 Hustler. So you definitely get to see some interesting airplanes here. You just really got to do this, especially for 6 bucks riding around in the air-conditioned motorcoach. It's led by a docent, and you even get to head over at the Air Force Base, to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, and they have thousands of airplanes in storage here.
This is basically a boneyard. All this white you'll see on the different aircraft is a latex spray that they put down. Underneath it is first put an insulating black coat, and then the white, that's very reflective and it helps keep the temperature down in the aircraft and the cockpits and preserve it in this crazy hot Arizona heat. Now a lot of these aircraft ended up being broken down for parts, and parts are sent out into the active fleet to keep airplanes flying. Others, though, eventually are recycled, upgraded and put back out into service with the Air Force, Navy or whatever is utilizing that aircraft.
You may see a bunch of F4 Phantoms or F-16s, which may be sold, they may be recycled for aluminum. further down. The whole thing is about an hour tour on an active Air Force Base (Davis-Monthan AFB), though it doesn't stop on the base. This is only a seven dollar tour, so I mean it's worth it. You get the two tours for $13. The guys that are giving the tours are very informative. It's great. It's worth it. And it's just a hop-skip and a jump to the east of Tucson, so it's not like you have to take an entire day to come enjoy it.
The planes you see out at Pima Air and Space Museum are carefully cared for by trained professionals. If you have any questions about the condition of your roof, whether on your home or commercial building, call DC Roofing of Arizona. We'll be happy to have a look and give you a free, no obligation quote. (520) 979-9095
Are you looking for something to engage the little ones? Or maybe just want a little touch of nature beyond the Sonoran desert? You should definitely take a trip to the Reid Park Zoo.