Hi guys,

My family and I just visited the National Airline History Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, and I must say, if you're ever in KC and have 2 or so hours to waste, this is a fantastic place!

The museum has an interesting exhibit on the golden ages of TWA and Frontier, which were key influences in the KC aviation community, with uniforms and other historical artifacts on display, as well as some news papers from Lindbergh's TATL crossing, as well as some other miscellaneous but interesting things. A mini movie theater is fitted with 20 or so first class seats from a TWA L1011.

 

But perhaps the best part is their hangar. They are restoring a DC-3, and house a Martin 404 and a beautiful Connie that they are trying to get airworthy. You can walk into the Connie(!) and the 404, the DC-3 being restored is on display but of course no one is allowed in, although you can see inside. Other cool things on the hangar are a L1011 procedures trainer that you can sit in and push buttons, move throttles, etc. the tour guide and I had a very interesting discussion about some the Tristars special features. There also is a 1940 era procedures trainer, an Eaglet trainer, a JT8D from one of the old FedEx 727s, and a very cool cutaway of a Connie engine. An L1011 is sitting engineless outside, but the museum isn't sure what they will do with it.

Overall, I strongly urge anyone, let alone AVSIM folk to come and visit if the opportunity presented itself!

I WILL ADD PICTURES VERY SOON.

OK guys!

The three aircraft:

 

 

the DC-3 Right engine is currently being overhauled

 

A picture of the Martin 404, excuse the quality

 

I believe very few of us have witnessed this next picture for ourselves

 

or this one

and I'm sure no one's made a living in here!

 

The FE panel was really interesting to me, and Mr. tour guide said the pilots rarely touched the throttles, instead relaying responsibility to the FE

 

Again, excuse the iPhone quality, which then had to be cropped and compressed to abide to forum rules

Nice Connie.....Cool to see the lights lit up on the engineers station.

Very cool. I fly down to KC downtown a few times a year, it's even next to the Hangar 10 FBO we park at. I'll have to check this out next time I am down there.

Love the L1011, going to put this one on the list. Thanks for the heads up!

Glad you got to see it. BTW, we're planning on flying the DC3 soon. Awaiting the FAAs certification schedule. I am planning a live stream of the event, schedule and weather permitting. We may even do a live air to air with a chase plane.

 

If you're on FB add them and the 2 KC airports to your friends list.

Glad you got to see it. BTW, we're planning on flying the DC3 soon. Awaiting the FAAs certification schedule. I am planning a live stream of the event, schedule and weather permitting. We may even do a live air to air with a chase plane.

 

If you're on FB add them and the 2 KC airports to your friends list.

 

Is anything going to be happening to that sad looking L1011?

I think it's going to be for education...not flying. On my YouTube page I have the the delivery flight into KMKC when we got it.

I think it's going to be for education...not flying. On my YouTube page I have the the delivery flight into KMKC when we got it.

 

Yeah didn't think that would fly again. It would be expensive to keep one of those in flying condition.