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Photos from the Castle Air Museum, Atwater CA

argo147

Charter Member
Thought I'd share some of the photos that I took yesterday on my trip to the museum at what used to be Castle Air Force Base near Merced, CA. It's about an hour from my house and I usually make it there once or twice a year, they have some really neat planes there, including the last surviving RB-36H.

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From left to right: B-23, B-18, RB-36H, F-101B, SR-71A, B-47E, and a WB-50D

I didn't post many of the fighters but they've got some good ones, like all of the century series, and some good Korean War era stuff like an F-89, F-84F or G, and a P-80. They even have an Avro Vulcan and an Avro-Canada CL-100 Canuck so there's a good variety of aircraft on display.
 
Thanks for sharing the pics.....really liked the B-23 and B-18...two models that I feel are under appreciated and under represented in flight sim.....would love to have good detailed models of those two bombers for FS9. If I could only get my head wrapped around 3D modeling....I have the tools....I would do the B-18 as shown in this thread...with the more solid nose....really love the looks of that plane.

OBIO
 
Yeah I wish that they could take better care of a many of the planes that they have on display but they have lots of them and I'm sure people are not lining up to volunteer over there either, i kept wishing I had a pressure washer with me so I could at least wash some of the planes down. I agree about the B-23 and the B-18 I think FSX/FS2004 would benefit from their presence. Here are are few more of my shots.





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As many of you saw from photos posted earlier, I was at Robins AFB, Georgia last month and many of their museum's planes are also out soaking up the ultra violet rays. It sure doesn't take long for the paint to fade under those circumstances.

As I understand it, most USAF base museums depend on volunteers to maintain and restore the aircraft. I'm sure that budgets are also shrinking fast for the museums.
 
Nice pics, Jason... Here's how that B-18 looked in 1982. I guess they're looking after these planes ok...
 
Used to be stationed at Castle and was recently (until I moved) a docent there. The planes are in pretty good shape for being outdoors but it does require a lot of work by volunteers.
If you do go, DON'T forget the mosquito spray!
 
Yeah I can't imagine how much money and work it must take just to keep the planes looking like they do. I've thought about volunteering there but with my health problems I don't think It would be a good idea (can't be in the sun for too long, among other things). I know that some of the planes that they get aren't in the best shape to begin with either, I guess I just want to hose them all down and get the dirt off of them. I was glad to see that they have some Navy stuff there now, I guess they're working on restoring an A3D Skywarrior, and they've already got an F-14D, and an A-4(F?) on display.
 
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