Open Cockpit Day at the Cradle of Aviation 11/12 - 11/13 2011 (and AAM too?)

[ch2tdriver]

For those of you photogs and enthusiasts whose name is not Fred and need a special occasion to view historic aircraft cockpits, the Cradle of Aviation is hosting an Open Cockpit event Vets Day weekend.

What's more is that they are saying your CofAM admission is also good for entry to the AAM at FRG who will have their cockpits open as well! I don't see any confirmation of this at the AAM website however? Anyone on FB or who might be a member of the AAM can confirm this?

The opportunity to sit in the F-14, TBM or P-47 for that matter is too good to pass up!

Open Cockpits For Veteran's Day Weekend!
Sat-Sun, November 12-13, 2011, 12:00-4:00 PM
Join us and sit in the cockpits of some historic aircraft such as the the TBM Avenger! Admission includes free admission to the American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport who will also be opening some of their cockpits including the the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.

[cancidas]

i like the sound of that!!!

[moose135]

I haven't heard any details, but I did see a note to that effect on the volunteer board at the AAM.

[ch2tdriver]

BUMP.

Any word yet on what the AAM might be opening up this weekend?

I just got a reminder email from Cradle on the event.

[moose135]

Yes, there is an open-cockpit weekend at both the American Airpower Museum and the Cradle of Aviation Museum. Even better - it's a "Pay One Price" special. Pay to visit one museum, and visit the other at no extra cost. Nothing official on what aircraft will be open at the AAM, as of last weekend, they were still working on the details.

[ch2tdriver]

AT THE CRADLE
Four aircraft ranging from warplanes to airliners are featured.
"You kind of see the evolution of the cockpit from the 1930s to the 1980s, and how the instruments and controls changed," says Joshua Stoff, curator.

Grumman TBM-3E Avenger: Exhibited on the museum's World War II flight deck, the Avenger was built as a torpedo bomber, but this particular craft didn't see combat (others like it were flown from aircraft carriers in the Pacific). Instead, it saw action as a "water bomber" fighting forest fires in the Pacific Northwest.

Grumman G-21 Goose: A forerunner of today's executive business jets, the Goose was used as a small airliner to take wealthy Long Islanders from Manhasset Bay and Huntington Harbor to a seaplane base at the foot of Wall Street. During World War II, it saw service as an anti-submarine reconnaissance plane, Stoff said. Stoff found it on a tour of a back lot at Universal Studios in Los Angeles.

Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Famous as the kind of aircraft used by Tom Cruise in "Top Gun." This plane was in U.S. Navy service in several squadrons and was retired in the '90s. The cockpit includes an armament system for weapons, including missiles. The only thing missing is the Russian MiG.

Boeing 707: Formerly owned and operated by El Al Airlines, it was in service from the 1960s to 1990s on the New York to Tel Aviv route.
In addition, you can try your hand at flying aircraft and space shuttle simulators.


AMERICAN AIRPOWER MUSEUM
The cockpits of two aircraft familiar to Memorial Day weekend viewers will be open to visitors. Sit in one, and "you get a sense of where an airplane's been, and what it's done," says Frank O'Brien, coordinator for the flight experience program.

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt: Built on the museum site (the museum hangar was part of the Republic factory), the Thunderbolt was one of the "biggest single-seat fighters in World War II," O'Brien says. Armed with eight 50-caliber machine guns, planes like it were used extensively in European ground attacks. O'Brien says: "There are stories that it was able to blow locomotives off the tracks."

Douglas Aircraft C-47 airborne transport plane: Built in 1944, it is similar to craft used in airborne D-Day drops. The plane was part of the Israeli Air Force.

'OPEN COCKPIT' WEEKEND
WHEN | WHERE 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. tomorrow through Sunday at the American Airpower Museum, Farmingdale
INFO 631-293-6398, americanairpowermuseum.com
ADMISSION $10 ($5 ages 4-12)

WHEN | WHERE Noon-4 p.m. tomorrow through Sunday at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City
INFO 516-572-4111, cradleofaviation.org
ADMISSION $14 ($12 ages 2-12)
Pay admission at one museum, get admission to the other free.

[moose135]

If you went to the Airpower Museum today, you would have gotten a sneak preview of the Open Cockpit Weekend...

[lijk604]

^^^
That's one big kid!