Friday, August 20, 2010

Western Museum of Flight

A timely topic: Airplane and flight museums Why? Because the cover story on the September Westways Magazine is "Flying High: America's Aviation Museums pay tribute to the miracle of flight."

How do I know that? I'll tell you when everyone gets their copy of Westways in the mail. For now...

The Western Museum of Flight at Zamperini Field in Torrance is (sadly) not listed in Westways. Even though they have a prototype of the YF-17 Cobra parked outside.

(The article selected museums on the Midway in San Diego, Planes of Fame in Chino, and sites outside of California as its top picks)

The Western Museum of Flight in Torrance is about to expand, I'm told, and will soon begin construction on a larger building at the east end of Zamperini Field, so that more of their collection can be displayed. The current space allows only about one-fourth to be shown.

Here's one of my favorites: a replica of the Montgomery Gull Glider that flew in August 1883...1883!...near San Diego. This replica was actually flown in 1973.

The Western Museum of Flight is open on Wednesday through each weekend, till 3:00 pm. Nice diversion for bored boys on summer vacation.

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