May 2005-
Imagine a supersonic jet fighter that takes off and lands on water skis. Sounds insane, doesn’t it? You might think so, but the U.S. Navy built and flew four prototypes of Convair’s Sea Dart in the 1950s, and you’ll find one of them on a pylon in front of the San Diego Aerospace Museum, (SDASM) right next to an SR-71 Blackbird.
Inside you’ll find exhibits that span the entire history of human flight. This is apparent in the lobby, which features the Apollo 9 command module (on loan from the Smithsonian), a World War I Sopwith Pup biplane with the skin removed so that you can see the wooden structure, and a Global Hawk surveillance UAV.
Exhibits of early aviation include, among others, a replica of the 1903 Wright Flyer and Glenn Curtiss’ June Bug. Among the World War I aircraft are Fokker E-1 “Eindekker,” SPAD, Albatross CV and Fokker Triplane fighters.
A “Golden Age” exhibit showcases early commercial aviation, including the Ryan and Consolidated aircraft companies and Pacific Southwest Airlines, all based in San Diego. There’s a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina flying boat patrol bomber in the flight rotunda along with a variety of other aircraft including a Ford Trimotor, a Hughes AH-1G Cobra helicopter gunship, and a McDonnel-Douglas F4 Phantom II which is set up chasing a Mig-17.
World War II aircraft include a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk in Flying Tigers livery, along with Messerschmitt 109G, Supermarine Spitfire and North American P-51 fighters.
An impressive array of Cold War aircraft are on display, including a Mig-15, North American F-86 Sabre, and Ryan’s unique X-13 VertiJet—which took off and landed on its tail.
Space Age displays include Gemini and Apollo spacecraft, space suits, and at least one Satellite. There’s also a display of historic aviation engines including an original Junkers Jumo 004 (the first production jet engine), and another that should be dear to the hearts of all GA pilots—Continental’s 1931 A40, which was the first horizontally-opposed, air-cooled, internal combustion engine for light airplanes.
Hands-on exhibits aimed mainly at younger visitors include a full-motion flight simulator and simulated control tower.
SDASM also has some unique items I’ve seen nowhere else, including a collection of airline stewardess uniforms, and a replica of the pilot’s “Ready Room” from a World War II aircraft carrier.
The museum also includes a gift shop. A new “Women in Aviation” exhibit is scheduled for 2006.
The San Diego Aerospace Museum is located in downtown San Diego’s Balboa Park. It’s open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day), seven days a week, except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is $9 for adults (discounts are available for children, seniors and groups).
The nearest airport is Lindbergh Field, but since that’s a major airline hub, it’s an expensive proposition for GA pilots. Better choices are Montgomery Field, located six miles north of town, or Gillespie Field, 10 miles north east. Both are tower controlled airports with a wide range of services available, and lie under Lindbergh’s Class B airspace.
Be aware that traffic can be quite busy—on a trip into Gillespie a few years back, my wife and I saw almost every FAA category of aircraft types while flying the pattern: helicopters, gliders, a blimp, seaplanes and of course, landplanes. Although you’re under ATC control, “see and avoid” definitely applies!
Both Gillespie and Montgomery have good restaurants on field, so you can get a hundred-dollar hamburger before or after a museum visit. Montgomery has a 94th Aero Squadron restaurant, located at the East end of Runway 23, and Casa Machado, located behind the terminal building, mid-field on the south side of the airport—I’ve eaten at the latter, and can recommend it (it attracts a pretty good lunch crowd).
Gillespie has the Gillespie field café and Mayday Café, both located on the south side of the airport. An added attraction at Gillespie is SDASM’s Gillespie field annex, which houses the museum’s restoration facility and provides space for some aircraft not yet housed in the main building. It’s open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and is located on the north side of the airport (the nearest FBO is Royal Jet). There’s no charge for admission.
Balboa Park is home to more than just SDASM (though you can easily spend half a day there). The park houses at least 27 other permanent attractions, including the Mingei International Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts, Rueben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Automotive Museum, and San Diego Zoo, among many others.
And items of interest to pilots in San Diego don’t stop there—drive to Navy Pier and you can visit the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier that’s now a museum in its own right.
John D. Ruley is an instrument-rated private pilot, and a freelance writer specializing in science and technology. He’s also a volunteer pilot for LIGA International (www.ligainternational.org), and past president of the Modesto Airport Pilot’s Association. You can write to John at jruley@ainet.com.
