Unofficial High Speed Tour of the National Museum of the USAF Pt 1. 

A wild USS chieftain appears. Oh Christ there’s a KMS Bernard also

"Memphis Belle" was the first plane and aircrew to complete 25 missions in the ETO *without loss of life*. The first plane to fly 25 missions was actually a B-24 named "Hot Stuff" and the first B-17 to do so was "Hell's Angels". It's a difficult measurement to make, since members of the same crew didn't always fly every mission together. My grandfather, for example, was a B-17 bombardier and missed 2 missions because of a flak wound on his hand. Crews early on were assigned to a single plane, but often flew in different planes depending on availability/readiness. My grandfather was shot down in a B-17 "Shack Bunny" which had to be borrowed from a different squadron to meet a late "maximum effort" order. Their assigned plane was scheduled to be flown by a different crew. The Spitfire at 11:35 is indeed accurately marked. The USAAC flew several squadrons of Spits in N. Africa because of a shortage of suitable US-built fighters. The A-36 Apache was similar to the early Mustangs provided to the British, but it had a dedicated ground attack mission.

I think I am having a déjà vu...

This museum is worth the trip. I went there in mid 2017, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into. It is HEEEYUGE, I spent 8-9 hours there and could easily go back. I loved it. Gift shop was pretty cool too. Great place for anybody interested in history of any sort.

I was down there last weekend. Visit it 2-3 times a year. Free entertainment with some of the most significant aircraft ever produced.

Within a minute It is so American "Just don't be carrying your sidearm" & the gift shop is the size of my nearest supermarket...

I’ve been to this museum many times, it never gets old but it can take a lot of time to see everything. They’ve done a magnificent job.

We used to live nearby before moving south. My son and I went almost every Saturday for 2 years - so about 100 times in a 2 year period. Before that I went 2-3 times a year for 15+ years. I could give tours. ;) Since then I have been back about every other year. I saw the museum when it was in its early days in much smaller buildings just off of Springfield street, and have seen it grow from the first hangar as shown in today's video, to the current massive museum complex. It is incredible when you realize that it has a 2 B17s, a B29, B52, B1, B2, the remaining XB70, a bunch of other very large aircraft, and a massive B36... . All inside the buildings. :o

Growing up in Ohio the AFM was like a second home. Love that place. My dad actually wrote a two part article on the back story of the Ju-88, which actually is accurate. The plane was surrendered by the Romanian pilot to the Brits who turned it over to us. The plane was extensively tested during the war and lived the rest of its life as AFM property.

I realize this is a high speed tour but please Chieftain, pan slower...

A museum that must be visited every few years. It changes that often. A fantastic day trip.

The 50mm auto cannon from the ME-262 has an interesting story. When Watson's Wihizzers were scooping up Luftwaffe tech after the war they grabbed the only 262 with the 50mm cannon. It became Col. Watson's favorite jet. A contract German pilot, Willie Hoffman, was ferrying it when an engine exploded (as they were prone to do) and had to bail out. He spent several week in a hospital but survived. An American mechanic confessed that he had not done a proper pre-flight inspection which was required on the early jets to look for cracks in the turbine blades. The gun was the only thing retrieved from the wreckage and was later put int he museum. Ironically Hoffman would later go in tot he Soviet sector to retrieve his family and was grabbed by the Russians, He was kept as a 'guest' for 10 years.

God I would love to go there

The Army's version of the SBD Dauntless was called the A-24 Banshee. BTW.

9:45 In that display case in the distance is the set of drinking cups used at Dolittle Raiders reunions - each Raider had his own. They would turn over the cups of Raiders who had passed away since the last reunion, then drink a toast to their fallen comrades (IIRC). The last cup was finally turned over this past May. :-( My memory was a little faulty: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195854/a-raiders-toast-the-doolittle-raiders-goblets/

The spitfire is in the markings of the 308th FS / 31 FG , which was part of the first Army Air Corps units to operate in the ETO, flew spitfires in 1942. I believe the machines were delivered straight from RAF stock, which might explain the British style camouflage and lettering.

Best Museum ever. Unofficial high-speed tour takes four hours

I live about 2hrs from the museum. A friend and i make a yearly visit there. My favorites are the SR71, A10 Warthog, and B17 to name a few. Your video makes me want to visit again. Thanks for posting your visit.

I haven't been there since the latest hangar was built but I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!!! Not only do they have a comprehensive display of aircraft types, but most of the ones on display are historically significant artifacts. It felt surreal standing under the bomb bay of Bockscar. I was walking through JFK's Air Force One and saw a framed photo of LBJ's swearing in ceremony on the plane. I literally got chills down my spine when I realized I was standing the *exact spot* it happened.

I love going their every now and then it feel like a new place every time I go.

welcome to my hometown. the snack bar upstairs is good too. I remember going to the museum when all the aircraft were outside.

Oh, I almost cried on this one. I used to live in Hilliard Ohio, which is just west of Columbus Ohio. The Dayton Airforce Museum was almost a yearly thing for my family for a number of years. Until my parents I guess got bored of going. We did take one final trip when some of my family decided to stay. I'm shocked at how little as changed. Definitely the entrance with the manikins.

The Army version of the SBD Dauntless was called the A-24 Banshee. No tail hook though.

I was just there two weeks ago. My father took us there way back in 70’s when you could touch the planes and get in some. You can see all 4 galleries in one day but take two to savor everything you can. The Presidential planes are humbling. You stand where Johnson took the Otha as Kennedy’s body was in the back. A very poignant way to touch history. Glad to say my 18, 14 and 12 year old daughters even had to be wowed.

My grandfather used to take me every year and give me the same tour every single time. And each year I ate it right up and couldn’t wait to get back. Great place and collection.

Shame that more collections don't have JU-87's and we'll probably never see one fly again. They really are quite a spectacle.

Absolutely love this place, I try to visit there every time I'm in town there.

When I was about 8, the movie Memphis Belle was at the Geneseo Air Museum. At the time I knew a heck of a lot about WW2 aircraft for a kid, and the mechanic for it was there that day. He was impressed that I knew so much and asked if I wanted to go inside the Belle, and oh boy did I ever. That plane is a beauty, and yes, the ball turret is as cramped as it looks. I will never forget hanging around in that plane for hours, that is something I think I will remember till the day I die.

One of my favorite museums. I am fortunate enough to live close enough to visit it at least once a year.

Bit of a story about the crew on B29's: Dad was combat camera with the B29's and flew on random ones enough to get an air medal. The only story I ever remember him telling about that time was about the fact that whoever used the toilet first had to empty it after the mission. Some hours after takeoff one of the crew wouldn't be able to hold it any longer and would have be the first to use it. Immediately following this the trim had to be adjusted as everyone else in the crew made a dash for the latrine, the crew in the back compartment having the advantage while the crew in the front had to crawl through the pressurized tunnel over the bomb bay.

I was raised in Dayton and went to this museum many times. I now live in DC and I can tell you, the Smithsonian Air and Space is a joke in comparison.

I loved this museum. I was stationed at this base for my 4 years of service and was here many times. I can't wait to take my son next year

After the USofA entered the war and the pilots of the first American fighter group arrived in England they Churchill noticed them hanging around in cafes and asked about them as it was explained that their planes had not arrived yet Churchill ordered words to the effect "Give them Spitfires and get them in the fight."

Ah the Memphis Belle. That is the original one, reclaimed from Tennessee by the Air Force as it sat outside and deteriorated in the elements. It was restored and is now what you see at the museum. There is another B-17 known as 'Movie Memphis Belle', that was one of the B-17s used in the 1990 film that still flies around to this day. Regardless, glad to see her back in pristine condition and now displayed indoors. And if anyone cares, the first B-17 to complete 25 missions was called 'Hells Angels'. They completed their 25 missions one week prior to Morgan's crew in Memphis Belle.

This place is on my list!

Dude, I love that museum! Best I’ve ever seen!

What the Chieftain calls a Fokker D-VIII (D8) is a D-VII (D7). The D-VII is infamous as the only aircraft specifically mentioned in an international treaty -- the Allies required that the Germans turn over any existing D-VIIs to them and never build any more. There was a D-VIII, though. It was a parasol wing aircraft with a rotary engine. The D-VIII had the distinction of being the last aircraft type to shoot down an enemy before the armistice went into effect. A parasol wing is a single main wing that the aircraft is suspended from by means of spars, without being directly attached to the fuselage. The suicide aircraft was called the Ohka (cherry blossom) by the Japanese, and the baka bomb (from one of the Japanese words for "idiot") by Americans. It is a kamikaze aircraft. Both the Navy and Army air forces has Special Attack Units, although the Army Air Force only sent out about half as many pilots as the Navy. Before the Ohka was designed, regular aircraft had been modified for the mission as flying bombs, so it was a natural progression for them to design a flying bomb with a pilot once the tactic had been officially accepted by the military general staff. The Ohka was an overall failure, although it had a very high speed in its terminal dive and was difficult to intercept then. It had to be carried into striking range by a bomber, and the bombers were easily shot down by US combat patrols once the fleet figured out what was happening. While many where built, their effect on the war was insignificant.

6:10 That's the sole surviving Martin B-10.

Thanks for the great video. What an awesome place.

Re: the Australian Spitfire: I think from memory RAAF squadrons in PNG adopted the US star to avoid confusion. I know that's why they went for the simplified rounden (no red kangaroo), but maybe that wasn't enough.

I've been going there every few years ever since I was a small boy in 1973. It's impossible to see everything there in just 1 day. Not just inside the 4 hangers but outside as well. The XB-70 and B-36 are my favorites. Realistically it will take 2-3 days minimum to properly see it all. There are many volunteers on site also that can tell you all about these fine war birds as well. Well worth the trip.

Thanks. I can remember about 50 years ago going to some of the Museums in Washington, D. C. and got to spend some time in one part of the Smithsonian. I loved doing that. Being there - seeing the real things ... it's great. .

mad I missed you at the D-Day event...passed you on the stairs, did a double take, and said "I think that was the Chieftain" but kept on going. Was there as a German reenactor. I hope WG comes back again...and brings you along again. Hope you enjoyed it!

By far the best air museum, the place is huge. I remember going there as a kid and it took all day. It's at least a six hour day just to walk through all the exhibits.

I was there on my 18th birthday as my family and I were traveling through Ohio then for a cross country move. I had so much fun I will forever remember it! The video makes it look great, but is still even better in person!!!

Its weird seeing chieftain do a video somewhere where I go on a regular basis.

Allied aircraft in the Pacific theater went to a fair degree of effort to avoid being labelled Japanese. So all red markings were removed, with some using US marking to further try and reduce friendly fire.

The razorback 47 is a representation of Neil Kirby's plane. The bent up vertical stabilizer is from the crash site of his actual plane.

I have been lucky enough to visit this museum twice. I found tons of stuff I missed when I went the second time and I bet I would find more if I get to go back. Thank you for sharing your visit!

You lost Bernard again? Come on Major stay with your Battle Buddy. I'll bet your wing man just loved you. BTW, don't forget to check out the X planes across the tarmac and the cargo planes outside.

YES FINALLY ANOTHER HIGH SPEED TOUR!

Beautiful museum, wished you showed the Dolittle Goblets that the museum has behind the B-25. The museum received them and the bottle the last two were to share. It’s been years since I been there, and at that time, our tour guide told us that only Dolittle’s copilot was alive at 100. The B-25 is set up as Dolittle’s aircraft and the man hanging out of the cockpit is the copilot.

Fantastic display. Truly a great collection. I must say that the missile gallery made me feel quite "inadequate".

I went to this museum and I thought it was amazing! I loved all the exhibits even though I prefer WW2! I got my school lanyard from there and it was amazing!

Something interesting, if you look at a lot of the propellers, a good portion of them are made by the same company. If you look at a lot of them you'll see the gold and red oval around a silver propeller about half way down each blade. This is the insignia of the Hamilton Standard company.

I was here a few years ago with a friend and *could not* stop geeking out over pretty much everything, it's an amazing place.

Love the shot of the young girl looking to buy a Pink bomber jacket! The second B-25 looks like it had a 75mm cannon from the M4 Sherman. They were replaced by rockets when they became available.

One of the best aviation museum's on the planet, and I say that as an Englishman who has been many times to the Fleet Arm Museum, IWM Duxford, and both RAF Museum at Hendon and Cosford. Smithsonian next?

Why am I watching this video? I used to live 5 minutes away from there... we'd go at least once a month lmao

Welcome to my home turf, I live right nearby there. Glad you made it!

One of the best Museums I've been too. I was there about a year ago

Finally, one of my favorite museums and one of my favorite historians!!!

What pisses me off is that by chance, I happened to be there on my vacation the same day he filmed and DIDN'T NOTICE HIM! Im even in one of the shots, standing behind the B17 with my head obscured by the bomb bay door, in the orange shirt.

5:18 Chieftain, ask Drachinifel about that test if you ever see him again. You’ll get an interesting story

I hope Bernard enjoyed his time in America.

My favorite museum. I had an AF Historians conference there in 2004 and have been a dues paying supporter ever since. They publish a good magazine quarterly.

My all time favorite aircraft museum. None better anywhere. I've been there numerous times and have never been bored. US tax money well spent. So clean you can eat off the floor. Best part there is no charge.

Ayyy planes, oooh MHV came tooo

I’ve been here a few times and it is wonderful! I’m a former Army tanker but my first love was planes. I wanted to fly but my eyes are crummy.

The USAAF did use photo recon Spitfires. The U.S. Navy used Spitfires over Normandy to direct Battleship gunfire.

Another place to add to the list of places I'd love to visit.

I visited the museum in 2000 and 2001 as part of a trip to the USA F1 GP at Indianapolis. In 2000 I was able to visit the 'air force one' museum that was actually inside Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. On that trip I split the visit over 2 days. I saw an IMAX movie on storm chasers and went back to the motel in Fairborn (it was humid and the sky was grey) and had a siesta. I emerged in the evening and apparently a twister had been in the area and there were tree branches down everywhere. Apparently the nearby town of Xenia had taken the full brunt. On the trip back in 2001 (a few weeks after 9/11) the air force base was off limits. It's well worth a visit. I also went to Fort Knox and had a look at the Patton museum there - I think they had Panther II along with other interesting exhibits (no gold though).

0:20 "Suddenly, a wild Austrian content creator appears!".

Man alive, that place has changed a lot since the last time I was there. Thanks for the update. :)

I went to this museum a day after we attended the airshow up in Dayton a few months ago. It really is massive. There's so much stuff to look at it would take hours just to see it all properly. Unfortunately I went with two other people who weren't nearly as interested in this sort of thing as I am, and was kind of rushed through most of it. What I did get to stop and look at was really interesting though, and my phone storage is completely full of photos. I would love to go back and visit the museum again one day.

Apache is a Mustang with dive brikes on... And demonetized :-)

Nice to see you were in Dayton. Was there both before and after the massive hanger was built. It was neat that before the hanger was built many of the large bombers and cargo planes were just on a tarmac where you could walk up and touch them.

The Spitfire with American roundel and yellow border was used for Operation Torch. US did operate some Spitfires in Tunisia.

Excellent video. Thank you

I spent about 100+ hours there as a high schooler my dad was stationed a WPAFB. Airplane heaven!

Nice I wish to go there one day. Some fun facts for you; the Junkers 88 is the last surviving combat aircraft of the Romanian Air Force of WW2. Also the Beaufighter is actually an ex Australian Beaufighter, a combat veteran even, recovered from someones backyard in Australia.

I absolutely love this museum! I used to live in Cincinnati through high school, & that was a place I went often!

Very nice video! Wonderful museum. Have to go back in the near future to see the Memphis Belle.

The Spitfire with the RAF camo scheme is wearing the Operation Torch yellow surrounded star. The sky blue mosquito and spitfire were photo reconnaissance aircraft used by the 8th AAF for weather reports over target and post raid analysis photos.

Love me some big ol JUGS

If we let the USAF run the armor museum then it'd be done by now. However, the Army is trying and it is set to open sometime this century.

The Mustang with the yellow circled stars was marked for Operation Torch. It was in British service at the time but they use the stars to reduce the fear of being shot down by the USN.

I was there last month. We were barely able to skim over the whole museum in a day. I really needs two days to take it all in.

I remember getting to see a B-17 in person at an air show several years ago. It was surprising how small it was. I always thought that they were huge, lumbering behemoths, but it was not much larger than the A-10 that was there, and very much smaller than the B-1 that was leaking jet fuel all over the ground.

I went here in the summer of 2015. It's a VERY LARGE museum! It is possible to do it in a single day but it takes up the entire day!

Good to see you here in Dayton Chieftain! I've been fortunate that I've lived 5-10 minutes away from the museum my entire life. It used to be something you could kill a half day to see. Nowadays you definitely need to plan a couple days unless you plan to speedrun the museum.

Can't wait for part 2!

Apparently I need to make another trip there. They've really rearranged and added to the display since I was last there. Which was almost 20 years ago, so I guess that isn't surprising.

A friend of mine built the Fokker DVII and Fokker DR1 for the museum. Both are replicas so i don't use the word restored. He is still building them today. He also owned the Curtiss AT-9 as a wreck and made a convoluted deal with the USAF museum and another individual for the museum to acquire it. The Spitfire is in reverse lend lease markings for the Mediterranean in 1943 with some US units flying Spitfires. There were also some US Beaufighter units in the Med. The Ju-88D is a repaint of the original markings it carried when it defected with a Romanian pilot.

There was a study a couple years ago that a concering percentage of Swedish youths were unaware of much of the Holocaust or doubting that it had even happened. If there are similarities in the US and other countries it makes sense for museums to highlight it.

At 16:19 in this video: The German Messerschmitt ME163 Komet. Those aircraft have the distinction of being the _ONLY_ *manned rocket-propelled fighter aircraft* to _EVER_ be used in actual air-to-air combat. That small propeller on the nose drove a generator to supply electricity for the 163's electrical & electronic componets. That rocket engine shown right after the Komet is {AFAIK} the type used in the Komet.

Finally a museum I have been in. In the old days in the modern wing you could get up to and touch the planes, more museum like now. Great museum.

I've been to lots of museums throughout the country and this one is easily one of the three or four best. What most ppl don't notice is it's part of a real live AFB and it's a part of the life of the place. If ya have any time after the exhibits ya can take a walk around and it's kinda nice. Just a lot more pleasant than how I remember Navy facilities (I'm biased I got sick on leave once and the medical staff at WP fixed me right up, they were just great). Been there maybe five or six times and I try to stop by whenever I'm in the neighborhood for a few days.

you dont need to convince me i have been there many times even going back before the security check point.

Awesome to see my fav tank dude near by a fan