NEW PROJECT ANNOUNCEMENT!!

[Guest kennethg]

Say, Bill: in that hanger photo, there are three aircraft between the camera and the Avenger. From front to back, is it an a North American AT-6,a BT-19, then a Boeing/Stearman PT-17, then the Avenger. Am I anywhere near correct? Wow! Based on the size of your hanger in FS2004, you've got a lot of airplanes there!Ken

[rambow 0]

Yes, but it will only be activated if you buy five registered copies. ;-)Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif

[rambow 0]

Good eye, Ken.Now allow me to sharpshoot you a tad. :-)You should, by the Navy gray color, have identified the first as the SNJ. ;-) The second is the SNV Valiant, another trainer in USN paint, known in the Army as a BT-13A, or more popularly in both services as "The Vultee Vibrator". But when I did a Google search for BT 19 I did find one reference to the Valiant as BT-19. Can you explain that to me? The Stearman and SNJ are the two planes we sell rides on, BTW.We do indeed have quite a few planes in the hangar, plus our four airliners on the ramp, the C-119 in the old WW2 Hangar across the field, and several others, including our HH-52, here and there on the ramp.Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif

[Guest Railrunner130]

I heard the arguement about the hanger on the other side of the field. I think that with adequate fire protection and some much needed upgrades that it would be a good investment for the museum. Besides, the hanger has significant history (for the field anyway) and is in a more public-accessable spot than the current facility.

[Guest VirtualNavy]

Virtual Navy reporting for duty!!:D Bill, Sending you an email!JD SmithC-in-C Virtual Navy

[rambow 0]

I don't believe there is an "argument" about the huge WWII era hangar. It is just a matter of money. Originally, the offer was the museum could have the building IF they moved it across the field to the museum's present location. The hangar, if you have the KRDG scenery, is this one on the pax terminal side of the field. Just to the left of the tower you can see the present MAAM campus in the distance.http://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/old_hangar.jpgAs you can imagine, that proposal posed monumental problems! But now, the hangar has been turned over to MAAM and the long-range plan is to move the museum in, putting it next door to the terminal and increasing visibility and hopefully visitorship. Here is a comparison of the space between the present facility and the future one...http://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/hgr_comp.jpgThe red outline shows the office and shop areas in the present hangar and what would be the same in the future, plus dispaly areas, conference rooms,and more. The green outiline is actual aircraft hangar space and there is more than three times the present square footage available in the mammoth WWII hangar. The current hangar would then become the restoration facility. Here's a possible scale parking plan that would fit in the whole restored collection. There are several of the smaller planes missing, but they will comfortably fit under the wings of the larger aircraft...http://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/hgr_scheme.jpgIf this looks crowded, it is positively spacious compared to the overlapping wings, tails, and fuselages we have now! As I said, it's a money issue. The roof alone would take a quarter million to repair, and that is just the beginning. So it looks like such a move is well down the runway for us. But hope springs eternal. Join the museum and keep buying MAAM-SIM. ;-)Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif

[robert young 2,897]

"Hope this one's an absolute pig to fly! Work your magic Rob!"I'll do my best!Rob

[Guest kennethg]

>Good eye, Ken.>>Now allow me to sharpshoot you a tad. :-)>>You should, by the Navy gray color, have identified the first>as the SNJ. ;-) ...>>Bill Rambow> MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja &>BeaumontOK, you got me. For some reason I've always had a tough time with calling them the SNJ. I grew up calling them the AT-6, despite living in San Diego, a distinctly Navy town. I was a lot less confident in identifying the SNV, so I am amazed I'm even slightly correct. I was a lot better at the name thing back when I worked at the San Diego Aerospace Museum, but even at my best, Navy aircraft designations completely lost me, oh well. I learn best from my mistakes, anyway.:-)Say, I'm thinking of a "back east" vacation this year. IF I bought a MAAM membership, AND I contacted the museum ahead of time, AND one of these airplanes is flying, would it be safe to assume that a ride around the PA countryside is entirely possible? Hmm....

[rambow 0]

Hi Ken,As long as your trip corresponds with one of our ride weekends, and you are willing to fork over the price, you can ride in either the SNJ - AT-6, if you prefer ;-) or the Stearman. The rides on these cost $200. I believe the next ride weekend is May 15, but give the museum a call to confirm. But why not make your trip on World War II Weekend, June 3-5? Rides are running on both planes, as well as a Waco and the Yankee Air Force's B-17, and possibly their C-47, as well. It's absolutely the best time to come to MAAM, believe me.Museum membership is not required for these flights - not that I want to talk you out of joining. :-) Flights on other MAAM planes, such as Briefing Time, are only for members and only in the course of working air show appearances - the operative word being work. Members of the MAAM air show ground crew and PX Tent set-up and sales team can sign up to ride along with airshow aircraft to and from the venues.Bill Rambow MAAM-SIM - Rambow, Visser, Banting, Young, Womack, Sodja & Beaumonthttp://www.fssupport.com/maam_sim/maamsim_logo2.gif

[Guest kennethg]

I've thought a lot about coming out to your WWII weekend, since another hobby of mine is WWII re-enacting; British Parachute Regiment and RAF. In fact, I first found out about MAAM through researching my RAF impression, which is pictured here at the Planes Of Fame museum in Chino, CA. That's the museum's Mk. 14 Spitfire.

[Guest supercub34lv]

will you be doing a fire bombing version?http://www.forestprotectionltd.com/english/forSale.htmli rember on vacation to canada i sat in one of these TBM's very coolill look for some close up pics i think i have some film ones somewhere.http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7553/thankstom fordhttp://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7553/bigtbm1.jpghttp://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7553/no11.jpg